The Golden Boat, part 2

1. Don't think, don't sleep

```

When he was a child,

One day

His father said to him:

“Don’t think, my child.

God never thinks.”

Since then, he never cared

To learn the art of thinking.

When he was a child,

One day

His mother said to him:

“Don’t sleep, my child.

God never sleeps.”

Since then, he never cared

To learn the art of sleeping.

```

2. Inspiration-seed, realisation-plant, manifestation-tree

```

Yesterday

In my soul-house

I kept my inspiration-seed.

Today

In my heart-room

I keep my realisation-plant.

Tomorrow

At my body-door

I shall keep my manifestation-tree.

```

3. O seeker

```

O seeker of silence-beauty,

I long to fly with you.

O seeker of soul-smile,

I long to expand like you.

O seeker of God-Reality,

I long to be

The Son-Light of the absolute King

Like you, with you. ```

4. Tears

```

O clever tears

Of my eyes,

Stop descending.

O secret tears

Of my heart,

Start ascending.

God is awaiting your great arrival.

O sacred tears

Of my soul,

I love you;

I love you only.

Not because you have the world-treasure,

Not because you are the world-treasure,

But because you have chosen me

As your very own. ```

5. Although I sleep

```

Although I sleep

During my morning meditation,

God appreciates my attempt.

Therefore

I thank God.

Although I sleep

During my evening meditation,

I am proud of my attempt.

Therefore

I love myself.

```

6. In one day

```

In one day

I became old:

When earth refused to accept

My help.

In one day

I became young again:

When Heaven offered me

His friendship.

In one day

I fed earth’s ageless hunger:

When earth showed me

Her sunken sun. ```

7. God's Plans

```

Music that I wish to hear,

God is planning to compose.

Love that I wish to feel,

God is planning to create.

Joy that I wish to become,

God is planning to offer.

Perfection that I wish to see,

God is planning to plant. ```

8. A man of God-substance

```

What was he?

A man of fabulous divinity!

What is he?

A man of imprisoned pride!

What is he going to be?

A man of God-substance,

A man of love-essence.

```

9. Quarrels with God

```

You quarrel with God

Because

God has not granted you

Realisation.

He quarrels with God

Because

God has not given him

Aspiration-kite.

I quarrel with God

Because

God has not given me

The capacity to manifest Him

Completely on earth.

God quarrels with Himself

Because

God feels that He could have created

A far better world. ```

10. Therefore you failed

```

It was a poor preparation.

Therefore

You failed.

It was a bad calculation.

Therefore

You failed.

It was an abrupt depression.

Therefore

You failed.

It was an unwarranted surrender.

Therefore

You failed.

```

11. Your inner weather

```

Your inner weather

Is always foul

Because

You do not dream

High realities.

Your inner weather

Is always foul

Because

You are afraid to face

Your lifeless shadow

Alone.

Your inner weather

Is always foul

Because

You are fond of living

In your puny

Imagination-temptation world. ```

12. Expectations

```

As long as men are mortal

I expect nothing from them.

However, one thing I expect:

Their gratitude-flames.

As long as the gods are immortal

I expect many things from them.

But perhaps one thing will do:

Constant concern. ```

13. Do doubt, do question!

```

O my doubtful eyes,

When I think I am

Perfect perfection,

Do doubt my unprecedented discovery!

O my questioning mind,

When I act like a god,

Do question my authority!

```

14. Teach me

```

O energetic ant,

Do be my master sweet.

Teach me not to waste time.

Teach me how to walk along

The patience-road.

Teach me simple, fruitful reality,

Misnamed stupid simplicity.

```

15. My Friend, my fellow beggar

```

When I am

With my Friend, God,

I come down

From Heaven to hell.

With my Friend

I change the face of hell.

When I am

With my fellow beggar, man,

I go up

From hell to Heaven.

With my fellow beggar

I look to see

If the sleeping God is awake.

```

16. You have ruined my reputation

```

Dear depression,

You have ruined my

Inspiration-reputation.

Dear frustration,

You have ruined my

Aspiration-reputation.

Dear delusion,

You have ruined my

God-perfection.

```

17. My courage supreme, my God-dream

```

God needs me.

Therefore,

Today my courage supreme is reborn.

I need God.

Therefore,

Today my God-dream becomes man-reality.

```

18. Here they are

```

Truth is where you see it,

Love is where you feel it,

Delight is where you find it,

Power is where you invoke it,

Peace is where you need it,

Light is where you claim it. ```

19. Alas!

```

Alas!

My brave Divinity-day

Has sunk in the chasm of night.

Alas!

My years have hastened

To their destined end.

Alas!

The Teacher of all teachers,

My inner faith,

Forgets to teach me

Regularly,

Divinely

And

Supremely. ```

20. Whom shall I serve?

```

Whom shall I serve?

A mortal master?

“Never!”

Whom shall I serve?

An immortal Master?

“Always!”

But where is He?

“He is inside your heart-cave.”

Who is He?

“He is your active partner.”

Who are you?

“His Eternity’s sleeping partner.” ```

21. God's attention

```

Fear invokes

God’s attention immediate.

Courage expects

God’s attention immediate.

Doubt invites

God’s attention immediate.

Faith treasures

God’s attention eternal. ```

22. They have the answer

```

Was God ever born?

My heart has the answer.

Did God ever die?

My soul has the answer.

Will God ever be fulfilled?

My dream-boat has the answer. ```

23. Never give up

```

Your life can be

Grown to perfection.

Don’t give up.

Your soul

May replace God.

Don’t give up.

God definitely shall make you

Another God.

Never give up.

```

24. Unvisited

```

Human fear

Is unvisited by God.

Divine courage

Is unvisited by human fear.

Human love

Is unvisited

By the seeker’s fulfilling success.

Divine Love

Is unvisited

By the seeker’s animal past. ```

25. My school lessons

```

From the school

Of simplicity

I learnt:

God is simple

And within my easy reach.

From the school

Of diversity

I learnt:

Incomplete uncertainty

Is God’s entire creation.

From the school

Of complexity

I learnt:

God is extremity’s

Futility.

```

26. O my Dream-boat, O my Reality-shore

```

O Dream-boat of my joy,

Ultimately

You will reach the Reality-shore.

O Reality-shore of my joy,

Ultimately

You will make me another God.

Therefore

You ask me

To check my tornado-impatience,

And to enjoy

My earth-transformed

And

Heaven-born

Freedom.

```

27. His mistakes

```

He sleeps too much.

Therefore

He desires.

He thinks too much.

Therefore

He cries.

He fears.

Therefore

He fails so soon.

He doubts.

Therefore

He dies so soon.

```

28. God and I are even

```

God and I are even.

I defeated God

By outliving Him

In the world of ignorance-sea.

God defeats me

By outliving me

In the world of gnostic-sun.

```

29. Life

```

Harmless and noiseless life

I accepted.

Loveless and soulless life

I rejected.

Thoughtless and senseless life

I protested.

Godless and truthless life

I arrested.

```

30. Futile thoughts

```

In the life of a desiring man

Satisfaction is a futile hope.

In the life of an aspiring man

Depression is a futile topic.

In the life of a God-realised man

Life-negation is a futile task. ```

31. Because

```

Because

Of his diseased ambition,

He is drinking pain.

Because

Of his deceased goal,

God is inspiring him

And saying to him,

“Your destiny is blossoming.

Hear the clarion call!” ```

32. He hates and he loves

```

He hates prosperity

Because

Prosperity harmed his humility.

He hates success

Because

Success ruined his progress.

He loves sincerity

Because

Sincerity never deserted him.

He loves humility

Because

Humility is God’s universal

Oneness-light,

Oneness-might,

Oneness-flight. ```

33. He did not appreciate

```

He received joy

But

Forgot to appreciate it.

He achieved success

But

Neglected to appreciate it.

He received love

But

Refused to appreciate it —

Consciously

Deliberately

Shamelessly. ```

34. My food

```

O desire-life,

Do you want

To eat my food?

Doubt-sighs are my food.

O aspiration-life,

Do you want

To eat my food?

Progress is my food.

O Realisation-life,

Do you want

To eat my food?

Oneness is my food,

My only food.

```

35. O emptiness

```

O emptiness of ages,

I eat your silence-food.

Therefore

To you I offer my gratitude-heart.

O silence of Eternity’s Vision-dawn,

You fulfil your sound-manifestation

Through my life’s inner cry.

Therefore

To you I offer my certitude-soul.

```

36. God treasures

```

Your mind’s unparalleled

Vastness,

God secretly treasures.

Your heart’s unparalleled

Sacrifice,

God soulfully treasures.

Your life’s unparalleled

Love,

God sacredly treasures.

```

37. O my desire, o my aspiration

```

O my scorching desire,

Are you not my shameless disgrace?

“Yes, I am.

But God still loves me.”

O my burning aspiration,

Are you not my fulfilling promise to God,

My eternal Father?

“No, I am not.

I am the mere Grace-servant

And Reality-son of God.” ```

38. Only that

```

Only what is permanent

Is free.

Only what is free

Is divine.

Only what is divine

Is fulfilling.

Only what is fulfilling

Is life-giving.

Only what is life-giving

Is God-becoming. ```

39. Talkers

```

Body, I had no idea

That you were such a useless talker.

Vital, I had no idea

That you were such a great talker.

Mind, I had no idea

That you were such a secret talker.

Heart, I had no idea

That you were such a silent talker.

Soul, I had no idea

That you have never been a talker.

God bless you!

```

40. World plans

```

Your head houses

World-shaking plans.

Your eyes contain

World-devouring plans.

Your heart embraces

World-illumining plans.

Your soul treasures

World-surrendering plans. ```

41. She loves the world

```

She loves

The ungrateful world

Because

She knows that

The gratitude-flower

Is not to be found on earth.

She loves

The imperfect world

Because

She knows that

The perfection-moon

Is not to be found on earth.

She loves

The unaspiring world

Because

She knows that

It takes time

For aspiration to come into

existence-life.

```

42. When they are poor

```

When education

Is poor,

Life is stupidity’s struggle.

When illumination

Is poor,

Life is necessity’s frustration.

When God-realisation

Is poor,

Life is reality’s suicide.

```

43. Therefore I shall

```

Dancing makes the soul young.

Therefore

I shall dance.

Loving makes the heart soulful.

Therefore

I shall love.

Offering makes the life fruitful.

Therefore

I shall offer.

Surrendering makes the dream real.

Therefore

I shall surrender.

```

44. Another name

```

Mind, don’t you know

That you have another name:

Insatiable curiosity.

Heart, don’t you know

That you have another name:

Destructive insecurity.

Soul, don’t you know

That you have another name:

Dream-boat Reality.

```

45. Unworthy ones

```

Your unworthy disciples

Give you their ignorance,

Their old and only friend of the past.

For God’s sake, bless them.

Your unworthy Master

Gives you what he has:

His old and only friend, deception.

For God’s sake, leave him and go alone. ```

46. Thieves

```

O sweet thief in my heart,

Do steal away not only

What I have, but also

What I am.

From now I shall have

Only one need:

You, only you.

O swift thief of the world around

Who came to rob me,

Don’t act like a fool.

Don’t empty

My venom-cup.

Your life of light shall die

Before it begins.

```

47. Perhaps they will

```

Since

It is a good day to die,

Ask your old ignorance-friend

To die for you.

Perhaps he will.

Since

It is a good day to study,

Ask your knowledge-brother

To study for you.

Perhaps he will.

Since

It is neither a good day nor a bad day,

Ask your compassion-mother

To fulfil you.

Certainly she can and she will.

```

48. Two friends

```

When I sit

On the summits of my mind,

My old friend, Joy, leaves me immediately.

The joyless beggar

Helpless comes down.

When I play

In the depths of my heart,

My old friend, God, appears before me.

Two friends together drink

Nectar-light,

Two friends together become

Oneness-soul of Peace,

Oneness-goal of Bliss. ```

49. Excuses

```

God, we were fully awake,

But our pilot slept

All the way.

Therefore we are late.

God, our pilot was fully awake,

But we slept

All the way.

Of course he had

Our inner support

And

Outer approval

To place us

At Your Feet

On time. ```

50. He smiles at me

```

When I sleep

After my prayer,

My Lord smiles at my child-heart.

When I sleep

After my concentration,

My Captain smiles at my soldier-will.

When I sleep

After my meditation,

My Beloved smiles at my surrender-life.

When I sleep

After my contemplation,

My Friend smiles at my oneness-soul.

```

Editor's preface to the first edition

This book of 50 poems is part of a four-part series written by Sri Chinmoy in the 22-hour period between 12:01 a.m. and 10:01 p.m. on 2 February 1974. It was also printed on the same day by the group pictured in the photograph above the preface.

From:Sri Chinmoy,The Golden Boat, part 2, Sri Chinmoy Lighthouse, New York., 1974
Sourced from https://srichinmoylibrary.com/gb_2