World-Oneness-Heart-Song in Mongolian Life

Preface

The Mongolian people received Sri Chinmoy with open and generous hearts. He was blessed by the President with the Medal of Friendship. He also received an Honorary Doctorate Degree from the Mongolian University of Culture and Arts, the Pegasus Literature Award and a number of other significant honours.

For this historic visit, Sri Chinmoy was joined by 400 members of his meditation Centres in the former Soviet Union, Australia, Europe, Canada, the United States and other parts of the world-including 100 from Mongolia. Deeldar Sedjav and Niyojita Purevsuren of the Sri Chinmoy Centre in Ulaanbaatar devotedly provided interpretation between the Mongolian and English languages for the momentous events of these ten days.

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3. Proclamation of The President:

For his contribution to the promotion of world peace,

between the peoples of Mongolia and India,

humanitarian assistance to the people of Mongolia,

Sri Chinmoy Ghose, is herewith awarded the Medal of Friendship

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President Nambaryn Enkhbayar: [speaking in English, after pinning a medallion to Sri Chinmoy's garment and presenting him with a plaque]: Congratulations!

Sri Chinmoy: My most highly esteemed President Enkhbayar, I am offering you gratitude from the inmost recesses of my heart. You are so kind to allow me to be in your blessingful presence, and I shall treasure this most coveted award given by you. I shall cherish it in the very depths of my heart.

President Enkhbayar: (speaking in English): First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you for your visit to Mongolia with your followers and friends. In Mongolia you are quite a well-known person because of your noble deeds and the achievements you have shown all your life to promote peace and friendship among nations and peoples, and the bringing together of all the different cultures. Here I think you also have a group of followers, Mongolians who study very deeply your works and follow your activities.

We hope that this visit will also be a very important one, and that it will contribute to the development of good relations between Mongolia and India, and also that it will be a good promotion to support peace and friendship among different nations and different cultures.

From the Mongolian side, I have here the chief of the Presidential administration, my social policy advisor, and another very famous composer and diplomat. They are also greatly contributing towards making Mongolia more known to the world and towards building good bridges to different cultures and to famous people like yourself who do your best to promote peace, friendship and good understanding among different peoples and between different cultures.

So, thank you for your visit, and I hope that you will enjoy your stay here and find Mongolia a very interesting country. We are in the period when we can say that the transition towards democracy and market-oriented economies is almost over. Now we are at the beginning of this intensive development phase of our life. We hope that not only economic but also spiritual values will be very much a part of this new society. Sometimes, unfortunately, we find out that money is playing more of a role than is necessary.

We think that you also are contributing to help Mongolians, specially young people, become interested in spiritual values and to study those values. We hope that during your stay here you will have a chance to have meetings with the young people of Mongolia and to bring that message to the audience. Thank you.

Sri Chinmoy: My beloved President, I have come here to be of service to you personally and also to your beloved country. The very name 'Mongolia' gives me enormous joy and delight. I come from India. Even in India, when I read about Mongolia, I was deeply impressed and inspired, although I did not have the slightest idea in those days that I would be able to come and visit your country. But God, the Author of all Good, has now given me the greatest opportunity to be here and to be in your blessingful presence and offer my humble service to your country.

I have been here for the last three days. During these three days, people have been so kind to me in every possible way. Mongolia has a very deep connection with my aspiring heart. My heart's aspiration and my life's dedication I wish to offer to the soul, heart and life of Mongolia.

It is so kind of you to say such generous words, which I do not deserve. I am a student of peace and you are also, I am sure. I know it, I feel it -- you are also a man of peace. We are sailing in the same boat, towards the same destination.

This country, Mongolia, has the boundless Compassion from the Lord Buddha. I come from India and I have the deepest admiration, adoration and devotion for the Lord Buddha. In this connection, I wish to tell you about the late United Nations Secretary-General U Thant. U Thant was Burmese and he was a very devout Buddhist. It was in 1970, out of his infinite bounty, that he invited me to come and serve the United Nations, to pray and meditate to help bring about world peace. On Tuesdays and Fridays I offer meditations there.

So now, my beloved President, I have a special request to make. At the very outset, you have blessed me with your special Medallion of Friendship. Now, I beg of you to grant me the opportunity, before I leave Mongolia, to offer you a very special award which has been accepted by the late Pope John Paul II, Mother Teresa, President Gorbachev, President Mandela, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Dalai Lama and others. This is a peace award I have established to perpetuate the memory of the third Secretary-General, U Thant.

Any day I am at your service, if you would allow me. I shall be extremely, extremely grateful to you if you could accept our award for peace, world peace, universal peace. You are a man of peace, so if you could kindly allow me, before I leave Mongolia I wish to offer it to you.

And also I have composed a song in honour of you. It is my soulful song. Would you kindly allow my students to sing the song for you? These students of mine would be very grateful to you if they could get an opportunity to sing the song for you.

President Enkhbayar:: Yes, yes!

Sri Chinmoy: May I read out the words?

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A heart of beauty's Heaven-climbing fire.

On you descends the Pride-Sun from Above.

In you blossoms a new Mongolian race.

This is for you. (Sri Chinmoy presented to the President a copy of the words and music.)

Just yesterday I set to music one of your momentous utterances. You said, "My hobby is to surpass and to know my possibilities." Please forgive me for setting this momentous utterance of yours to music. And this is the song which I have composed about Mongolia. Any day if you could allow my students to sing these songs for you, I would be most grateful.

President Enkhbayar:: Thank you. I appreciate this very much. Yes, my hobby is to surpass and to try to know my limits.

Sri Chinmoy: There is no limit, no limit!

President Enkhbayar:: There is no limit, true. But we presume that in our mind we have some limits, so we have to check whether they really exist or not. There is no limit, yes.

Sri Chinmoy: There is no limit, no limit, to your success and progress. There is no limit, no limit! You have such an inner hunger to feed this world, to serve the world. The Lord Buddha, the Lord Himself, will always give you not only the capacities, but also the opportunities. Some people have capacities, but they do not get opportunities in their life. In your case, you have both. Already you are inundated with capacities. Now only opportunities have to knock at your door, and those days are fast approaching.

President Enkhbayar:: Your visit has also coincided with the time when we are celebrating the 2,550th anniversary of Lord Buddha's birth. The 21st of May will be a special day when we will celebrate the birth of Lord Buddha. This whole year is going to be the Lord Buddha's year, so it is very important and I think it is very symbolic that you are visiting us in this year.

We hope that there will be more visits and there will be more students. And everybody will find out, I hope, that there is no limit to developing the human capacity. The limits are surpassed when one searches for peace, for harmony, for friendship. But there are limits to evil things. There should be limits on war and other mistakes or bad things that are sometimes unfortunately occurring in the world. I think that your message will be very clear and very carefully listened to and heard here.

Sri Chinmoy: I have been to Japan eighteen times, mainly for one thing: to visit the Lord Buddha's statue in Kamakura.

President Enkhbayar:: Yes.

Sri Chinmoy: I go there prayerfully. One priest was very, very kind to me. He allowed me to offer my concert right in front of the Lord Buddha's statue.

The award that I would like to offer you has a special connection with the Lord Buddha. Many years ago, I wrote a play entitled Siddhartha Becomes the Buddha. That play was staged in New York and I invited Secretary-General U Thant to come and preside over it. He came and we became very close friends. The award is to perpetuate U Thant's memory. U Thant was a man of peace. He had a universal heart. So if I could offer that particular award to you, I would be extremely, extremely grateful to you.

President Enkhbayar: Thank you. My best wishes, and I hope that there will be, as I said earlier, many more visits.

Sri Chinmoy: I wish to tell you something more. I am an old man! In 1970 I was invited to give a talk at the University of Leeds. At that time, you were perhaps twelve or thirteen years old.

President Enkhbayar:: Yes.

Sri Chinmoy My talk was about the inner teaching, not the outer teaching. Later you became a student at the University of Leeds. So history unites us in a very special way.

President Enkhbayar:: Yes, yes!

Alo Devi: Mr. President, on behalf of all the students of Sri Chinmoy -- there are now over four hundred present here in Mongolia -- we wish to thank you for your beautiful people. They are so self-giving, so spiritual, so hospitable and so beautiful, inwardly and outwardly. We want to tell you that your country has enchanted us, and we want to thank you very much.

President Enkhbayar:: Thank you, thank you.

Sri Chinmoy: We must meet together once more, please, at your convenience.

4. The Union of Mongolian Artists Honours Sri Chinmoy at The Opening Ceremony of the Jharna-Kala Art Exhibition -- Presentation by Mr. P. Tsegmid, 17 May 2007

[An exhibition of Sri Chinmoy's Jharna-Kala paintings was held at the prestigious Art Gallery of the Union of Mongolian Artists (UMA) from 17-23 May 2007. At the well-attended opening ceremony, Sri Chinmoy's students performed instrumental arrangements and also sang his song "Jharna-Kala," which means "Fountain-Art" in his native Bengali.]

[Before Sri Chinmoy's framed paintings, the Union of Mongolian Artists presented Sri Chinmoy with its highest award, with a medallion, a plaque and a glass sculpture offered by the Vice-Chairman, Mr. P. Tsegmid. This was the first time the award had been presented to a non-Mongolian artist.]

Mr P Tsegmid [as translated]: We are very glad that you came here to visit

Sri Chinmoy: I am very, very happy to receive this gift and I am very, very grateful to you. My dear, esteemed friend, Mr. Tsegmid, I am offering you my heart's deepest gratitude. I am very happy and very proud that you are allowing my artwork to be exhibited in your august art gallery.

Each and every human being is an artist. Whether or not he or she paints or draws, each human being is an artist because God has created each human being from His Dream. Each Dream of God is, indeed, a new form of art.

My life-tree has many branches. Right from my childhood, I started writing poems.

Then I entered into Indian philosophy and world philosophy. Finally I entered into spirituality and yoga. Everything is a branch of my life-tree, and each branch is also a work of art. Anything that God has created has in it beauty and fragrance, so art embodies both beauty and fragrance.

I never thought of becoming an artist. I wanted to become a poet, philosopher, thinker and so forth. But God, out of His infinite Bounty, has thrust upon me

Every human being is an expression of God's Art. Beauty is not only in nature; beauty is also in the heart and in the body of each and every human being. Beauty is in the morning, beauty is in the evening and again, there is beauty inside the dark night. Everywhere there is beauty, but an individual has to use his artistic eye to appreciate and admire the artwork that God is expressing in and through the artist.

I have over 200,000 paintings to my credit and also over 15 million bird drawings. Birds give us the joy of freedom. They fly in the blue sky. They invite us, they inspire us and they encourage us to follow them. Birds enjoy freedom in Infinity's sky, and I, too, want to enjoy freedom. This freedom is not the freedom of an ordinary human being, the freedom of supremacy. No! This freedom is the freedom of oneness, oneness, oneness. My artwork expresses oneness -- the unique oneness of the individual with the universal life.

I have many, many things to say about my artwork and also about the works of others, but I wish to keep it for the day when I speak on art. It is a matter of a day or two. I invite all of you to come and listen to my talk about my artwork, which is founded upon my inspiration, aspiration and dedication.

I wish to express my gratitude to the organisers of this exhibit, who have helped me to offer my artwork to the world at large, and specially to the life of Mongolia.

Mr P Tsegmid (reading proclamation, as translated): The Union of Mongolian Artists would like to present its highest award to the artist, Sri Chinmoy, for his profound contribution to the development of art and in connection with his exhibition of Fountain-Art. This proclamation was issued on the 16th of May 2007.

Here is the medallion of the Union of Mongolian Artists. This is our highest award.

Mr. Tsegmid pinned a medallion to Sri Chinmoy's garment and offered him botha glass obelisk and a framed proclamation.

We would like to thank Sri Chinmoy again and again.

Sri Chinmoy: I wish to thank you from the very depths of my heart. It is you who deserve all my love and all my gratitude.

5. President Nambaryn Enkhbayar visits the Jharna-Kala Art Exhibition and receives The U Thant Peace Award from Sri Chinmoy, 22 May 2007

After they smilingly greeted each other with folded hands, Sri Chinmoy drew the President's attention to a third blue banner displaying the Mongolian flag,

During the singing, as he and Sri Chinmoy sat side by side in high-backed red chairs, the President followed the words to these songs on decorative presentations.

Sri Chinmoy escorted the President on a tour of the gallery, and together they looked at each painting, conversing as they walked. The President appeared to study intently some of the paintings and the aphorisms or qualities accompanying them.

After a screening of the Sri Chinmoy Centre film about former United Nations Secretary-General U Thant and his deeply spiritual approach to world service, the singers performed their teacher's song dedicated to U Thant. The film of U Thant presiding over the premiere of Sri Chinmoy's play Siddhartha Becomes the Buddha was shown, followed by highlights from the ceremonies for previous Award recipients Mother Teresa, President Nelson Mandela, President Mikhail Gorbachev, former UN Secretaries-General Kurt Waldheim and Javier Perez de Cuellar and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Sri Chinmoy devotedly and gratefully offered the President the U Thant Peace Award, in the form of a medallion which he placed around the President's neck, and a clear etched acrylic block. In so doing, he paid soulful tribute to President Enkhbayar's decades of dedicated service to his nation, and also to his most significant and enlightened service as the first International President of the Alliance of Religions and Conservation.]

President Enkhbayar: [speaking in English]: Thank you for this award. This is an honour for me. I receive this award humbly on behalf of the Mongolian people. I am a servant of the Mongolian people. I hope that with the assistance of good friends like you, Sri Chinmoy, and your followers, we will be able to build up a modern country, a country where everybody will be living with happiness and joy.

I have come across many teachers in my life. In 1982 I became a disciple of my lama teacher. It was still the old system, and it was not very easy to become a disciple of a lama. At that time, a lama was considered to be a person who did not have very much space in that old system. But in my endeavour to find out something about the identity of Mongolians and about our culture, I decided that I should become a disciple of a lama teacher.

I think the real teacher is a teacher who does not teach about how to conquer others. The real teacher is the teacher who teaches how to conquer yourself. I think Sri Chinmoy is that teacher who is really teaching us, you, everybody, how to conquer not others, but yourself -- your heart, your passions, your mistakes -- and to become a better person. That is the message I have learnt from the teachings of Sri Chinmoy and other great teachers.

I am glad to be here with all of you. I see your faces, very joyful faces, faces of those persons who have such a good teacher who teaches them, "Conquer yourself." So, thank you.

[The President received warm applause from the gathering.]

[Sri Chinmoy presented the President with a gift of one of his original paintings, a yellow and red bird, framed and inscribed in the President's honour -- commenting that he had just created the painting that morning.]

Sri Chinmoy:You are most gracious. I am so grateful to you for the most gracious words that you have bestowed upon us.

[Sri Chinmoy invited his Mongolian students, each holding a rose, to come forward and sing his song dedicated to Mongolia for their President. Sri Chinmoy requested Niyojita to read aloud the Mongolian translation of the Bengali lyrics. The President listened and watched attentively throughout this presentation, and folded his hands at the conclusion. Then, all of the one hundred Mongolian students of Sri Chinmoy devotedly offered their roses to President Enkhbayar, who appeared happily overwhelmed. President Enkhbayar gently indicated that the Mongolians should give some of their flowers to Sri Chinmoy, but Sri Chinmoy protested, "No, they are for you!"]

Sri Chinmoy: [to President Enkhbayar, echoing the words of his song for the President] You are their father, you are their brother, you are their all!

[President Enkhbayar and Sri Chinmoy said farewell with folded hands, and the President, now garlanded with the blue of the U Thant Peace Award, extended his hands to grasp Sri Chinmoy's. As the President departed, folding his hands to all, the entire gathering once more offered a powerful and enthusiastic round of applause.]

[After the President left the exhibit, Sri Chinmoy had the following conversation with Mr. P. Tsegmid,Vice-Chairman of the Union of Mongolian Artists.]

Sri Chinmoy: I would like to thank you from the very depths of my heart. Your art gallery, and this exhibit, will remain in my gratitude-heart forever and forever. Here you have allowed my artwork to be of service to the heart and life of Mongolia. Today, because you have allowed my artwork to be exhibited, we were able to bring the President of Mongolia here. It is extremely, extremely kind of you, and for that I am all gratitude to you.

Would you kindly share with us a few things that you said to the President and the President told you while you were both watching the paintings? I would be very grateful.

Mr Tsegmid: The fact that the President came to the exhibition was his expression on behalf of the Mongolian people. He was expressing the will of the Mongolian people to appreciate your artwork. So we can say that on behalf of all the Mongolian people, the President paid his respectful visit to your artwork. It is not easy to meet the President of Mongolia. Not everybody has the chance. So everybody here in this hall had that golden opportunity. This is due to your work, your contribution, your efforts, Sri Chinmoy. It was very joyful for us that not only the Mongolian people, but the President himself came and personally gave high significance to your visit. The President himself is a man of poetry, a literary man. And he highly respects the Buddhism of Mongolia. I believe the President came here because of his inner connection with your teaching, with your philosophy.

Just when the President was exiting the hall, he told me, "This man is a world figure with so many disciples. He has many Mongolian disciples, followers and students. This brings me a lot of joy. I believe you have the same feeling in your heart."

I am very delighted with this event. I believe this is one of the few opportunities in my life to see you, to meet you. It is a very delightful occasion in my life, and also because you are a man of art. Your artistic works have unique features; they represent a unique world. Many Mongolian artists have come up to me to thank me for bringing all this -- your new world -- to Mongolia, and I personally feel very honoured and delighted.

From this day onward, I consider myself to be your follower, your student.

I was explaining to the President about your birds -- and also the colour composition, your brave and free movements and strokes. You have very unique strokes. It is in the Picasso style. Picasso also drew birds, like you. Picasso may have drawn just a few birds, but you have done fifteen million! Also, I heard that you have already completed more than five hundred bird drawings while you have been in Ulaanbaatar.

Sri Chinmoy: It is one thousand!

Mr Tsegmid: You work very fast!

Sri Chinmoy: [to one of his students]: What is the exact figure?

Student: One thousand one hundred forty-six.

Sri Chinmoy: The last one I dedicated to the President, the very last one. I did it this morning.

Mr Tsegmid: The President himself is a collector of artwork, and I believe your work will be one of the top-level priority. He does not have Picasso works, but he has your work!

Sri Chinmoy: [requesting the singers to come forward]: I wish to thank you with a song in English. You have been so kind, so gracious. For that, with my heart's boundless love, joy and gratitude they will be offering this song to you.

[The singers sang Sri Chinmoy's Thank You song.]

Mr Tsegmid: I would like to thank all of you. And I would like to assure you that this gallery will always be open for you. Since I have become your disciple, Sri Chinmoy, this hall will be available for any of your exhibitions. We will always, always welcome you here and the doors of our gallery will always, always be open for you.

[As the audience applauded, Sri Chinmoy thanked Mr. Tsegmid and requested his students to pass by and announce their national origin. Some two dozen countries were represented.]

Mr Tsegmid: I believe that many more thousands of you will come in the future. May this hall be full of joy, bliss and light.

6. Sri Chinmoy offers a Lecture on Poetry at Government Palace and Receives The Pegasus Award from Dr. G. Mend-Ooyo, President of The Mongolian Academy of Culture And Poetry 18 May 2007

Sri Chinmoy's Lecture at Government Palace

Introduction

Mrs Tugusjargal Gandhi [as translated]: Today is a very joyful day for me, and I am sure it is for you as well. Dr. Mend-Ooyo, poet and President of the Academy of Culture and Poetry, has requested me to open this event. I am serving as Chairwoman of the Parliamentary Committee on Social Policies, Education, Culture and Science. I delightedly accepted the invitation, and I consider this event to be one of the very few precious moments in our lives.

There are not many people who have dedicated their lives for the betterment of humanity, for the noble cause of human dignity. I am very delighted to introduce to you one of those people, who has completely dedicated his life to the betterment of humanity.

Throughout history, humanity has struggled to find a way to create a better society. It was thought that there should be a strong state, a very rigid and stringent system of law, and very strong moral values. Also, it was thought that it was possible to overcome violence. After all this searching, mankind has come to the conclusion that the only permanent thing is Truth. This is what I think. The main focal point of this development is the person, the human being. In my opinion, one of the representatives who embody those high values is Sri Chinmoy.

It is a blessingful opportunity that he has arrived, that he has come to our country, and he has an opportunity to offer his talk to us. We are also expressions of this illumined human being. I would like to convey my gratitude to Sri Chinmoy for giving the Mongolian people the opportunity to get involved in this process of uniting the whole of humanity.

We consider this ceremony now open.

Dr. Gombojavyn Mend-Ooyo [as translated]: First of all, I would like to thank Mrs. Gandhi, the Chairwoman of the Parliamentary Committee on Social Policies, Education, Culture and Science. And I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you all to the leader of The Peace Meditation at the United Nations, poet, composer, athlete and luminary, Sri Chinmoy, who has come here today to offer his talk to all of you. I am also delighted to tell you that the original idea of inviting Sri Chinmoy to Mongolia belongs to the President of Mongolia, Nambaryn Enkhbayar.

In September 2006, we invited Mr. Sri Chinmoy for the 26th World Congress of Poets. Although Mr. Sri Chinmoy could not attend the World Congress because of other engagements, just two hundred days after that, in the same hall where the Congress took place, he is now offering his talk on poetry.

Mr. Sri Chinmoy Kumar Ghose was born in 1931 in Bengal. His talents were revealed at an early childhood age. Humanity can be proud of the heritage it has received from Sri Chinmoy, who has revealed and manifested his inner development through different types of works. His poetry, prose, essays and other literary works have been published in more than 1,500 books. His musical compositions far exceed 20,000. One of his other fields of activity is art, and particularly his bird drawings, which form an essential aspect of his art. So far he has drawn more than fifteen million birds, and the number of his other artistic works already exceeds 200,000.

I am delighted to inform you that two days ago, in recognition of his contribution to the promotion of world peace, to the development of relations between India and Mongolia, and for his contribution to the social, artistic, cultural and humanitarian fields, including assistance to Mongolia, Sri Chinmoy was awarded the Medal of Friendship by the President of Mongolia.

[Applause]

Yesterday, at the Art Gallery of the Union of Mongolian Artists, 145 out of thousands of artistic works by Sri Chinmoy were first exhibited, and they will be on display for the coming week. Also, other events are scheduled during Sri Chinmoy's visit, including the World Harmony Run, a Harmony Concert and a lecture on art.

One of the most important and interesting aspects of Sri Chinmoy's activities is giving talks on all continents. Now we are inviting our guest to give his talk entitled, "Poetry: A Heaven-Climbing Song."

[Sri Chinmoy meditated and performed for several minutes on the bass esraj.]

SRI CHINMOY:

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Poetry whispers. Prose thunders.

Poetry shortens the road to the Goal.

When I write inspiration-poems, I get seventy out of hundred from God.

When I write realisation-poems, I get hundred out of hundred from God.

Inspiration-poems I get from a beautiful flower.

Realisation-poems I get from a sleepless fountain.

Each time I write a poem, I see that I have become a beautiful flower with exquisite fragrance.

Before I write a poem, I invoke God the thrilling Eye.

After I have written a poem, a most beautiful poem, my heart gives all the credit, with no exception, to its Lord Beloved Supreme.

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Encouragement is of paramount importance in a poet's career. I was born in 1931. I started writing poems in Bengali at the age of twelve. My elder brother Chitta taught me the Bengali metres lovingly and compassionately. There are five main metres. I learnt all of them in the course of fifteen minutes -- no hyperbole!

I lived at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, South India, from the age of twelve to thirty-two. There I also received tremendous encouragement from my Bengali teacher, from my mentors and even from my Master, Sri Aurobindo.

In 1964, I came to America. While in the West, I have written poem-songs like India's greatest poet, Rabindranath Tagore. Comparison by no manner of means, I have composed and set to music over 13,000 Bengali songs to date and over 7,000 in English.

I believe in both quality and quantity. I have convinced myself that I shall be responsible for quantity. I pray at God's Feet for God to take care of quality. God says to me:

"O great poet-composer, I am ready to be responsible for your quality if you agree that there is only one Composer, and that Composer is your Absolute Lord Beloved Supreme."

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I bow and bow to my Lord Supreme.

When I write a poem, I compare it with my aspiration-heart.

Each poem written by me, I take as a flying angel.

Each poem written by me, I take as a seer-vision-reality.

In the life of every seeker-writer, inspiration is of paramount importance. The souls of many great writers have blessed me with their inspiration-encouragement in and through their literary height plus spiritual depth.

I start by citing the German poet Goethe's immortal pen. He revealed to the world a new way to the world-awakening consciousness:

"Light! More light!"

Infinite is the thirst for the Infinite.

William Blake's classic poem "The Tyger" is humanity's invaluable treasure:

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In the forests of the night,

Could frame thy fearful symmetry?"

Here we see that ignorance-energy, which threatens to devour the entire world, finally discovers its transformation-salvation in the realisation of the Absolute One. This Absolute One embodies both ignorance-energy and knowledge-energy and, at the same time, far transcends them both.

Next, a few immortal lines by the beloved American poet Robert Frost:

> "The woods are lovely, dark and deep,

> And miles to go before I sleep,

These soul-stirring words come directly from the inmost recesses of the poet. The spiritual significance of a lovely, dark wood is intense aspiration. Then the poet unmistakably and soulfully tells us that the Goal of the Beyond is extremely far. And once he reaches the Goal, he will be able to sleep.

Now, from the ordinary human point of view, this statement is absolutely correct. But from the strict spiritual point of view, we notice something else. Today's aspiration transforms itself into tomorrow's realisation. Again, tomorrow's realisation is the pathfinder of a higher and deeper Goal. There is no end to our realisation. We are eternal, divine soldiers marching towards the Beyond that is constantly transcending its own boundary.

Walt Whitman is nature. Walt Whitman is vastness. Walt Whitman is all inspiration. Solid and subtle, he is the body and soul of poetry that peers into Truth:

> "Behold! I do not give lectures or a little charity,

My heart of dedication echoes and re-echoes with Walt Whitman's throbbing utterance. At the same time, I wish to add something more. I give lectures not because I have something special to offer to humanity, but because I wish to expand my mind's horizon, my heart's love and my body's service so that I can totally become one with God's Divinity in humanity. Then I shall sing the song of God's unity in His multiplicity.

Emily Dickinson's love of God and her love of nature made her inwardly most beautiful. A self-imposed seclusion-life she embraced. God's Compassion-Beauty was her reward.

> "If I can stop one Heart from breaking,

> If I can ease one Life the Aching

> Or help one fainting Robin

> I shall not live in Vain."

If I can serve even one amongst you in your endeavours towards self-discovery, I shall not have lived in vain. Nay, my life on earth will have found its purposeful meaning.

John Keats was a wonder-poet of the world. Poor earth could not cherish his presence even for thirty fleeting years. He wrote something most beautiful:

> "A thing of beauty is a joy forever."

If I may be so bold as to add: A thing of beauty is the mother and father of Divinity's Light and Reality's Height.

Rudyard Kipling is one of the most popular and brilliant writers in English, both in poetry and in prose. In 1907, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, becoming its first English language writer recipient and its youngest-ever recipient.

> "Oh, East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet."

This famous statement of Kipling's was proved false when Swami Vivekananda, in 1893, with the flood of Sri Ramakrishna's inspiration, gloriously united the East and the West with his unique message on religion.

> "I wonder why the writing of pages of prose does not give one anything like the > joy of completing a single poem. One's emotions take on such perfection of form in a poem, they can be taken up by the fingers, so to speak. But prose is like a sackful of loose material, heavy and unwieldy, incapable of being lifted as you > please."

As I have mentioned, the poetry muse has most lovingly showered her blessings upon me from an early age. Truth to tell, one of our four great Indian goddesses, Mahasaraswati, has most blessingfully inundated me with Her infinite Love and infinite Compassion. She plays on the vina and when She plays, She illumines the aspiring consciousness of humanity. She is the supreme Artist. When Her Compassion flows in and through an individual, if that particular individual is receiving Her Compassion-Light, then he can become a supreme artist.

I am extremely grateful to Dr. G. Mend-Ooyo, President of the 26th World Congress of Poets, plus President of the Mongolian Academy of Culture and Poetry, for working tirelessly with boundless enthusiasm and love for my visit here in Mongolia. My gratitude-heart I lovingly offer to him.

Dr. Mend-Ooyo is a profoundly spiritual seer-poet. His mantric poems immediately transport the reader into the heart of Eternity's Infinity. With your kind permission, I shall now read out an excerpt from his immortal poem "I Am Coming to You." Here is the exquisite English translation by President Nambaryn Enkhbayar:

```

Travelling through the years and time

Going on the bumpy and winding roads

Climbing up and down

Fording through hundreds of rivers,

when we may meet each other,

I am coming to you

Tasting from my own poetry the very basis

Wishing to find in our heart the element

Climbing upwards in the chasms

Following impassable paths,

I am coming to you.

- Dr. G. Mend-Ooyo

Please allow me to read a few of my own poems. My first English poem I wrote at the age of twenty-two while I was still in India. It is called:

```

A sea of Peace and Joy and Light

In me the storm-tossed weeping night

I cry aloud, but all in vain;

What soul of might can share my pain?

A raft am I on the sea of Time,

How can I hope to reach the clime

But hark! I hear Thy golden Flute,

Now safe am I, O Absolute!

```

[Sri Chinmoy invited his students to sing the song he had composed to this poem.]

My third English poem, also written in India, is:

```

No mind, no form, I only exist;

The final end of Nature's dance,

A realm of Bliss bare, ultimate;

A rest immense I enjoy at last;

I have crossed the secret ways of life,

The Truth immutable is revealed;

My spirit aware of all the heights,

I barter nothing with time and deeds;

```

Immortality

(written in India)

```

Within my heart the Truth of life shines white.

No dole, no sombre pang, no death in my sight.

No mortal days and nights can shake my calm;

All doubts with grief are banished from my deeps,

Though in the world, I am above its woe;

My mind, a core of the One's unmeasured thoughts;

My eternal days are found in speeding time;

Impossible deeds no more impossible seem;

```

I have chosen only three poems out of 114,500 that I have written in America and the West:

```

At last I know my name.

At last I know my name.

At last I know my age.

At last I know my age.

At last I know my home.

At last I know my home.

```

Never to meet again:

My backward race,

Never to meet again:

Wild doubt the chief,

Never to meet again:

And Satan's breath,

Never to meet again:

Ignorance pure,

```

```

There was a time when I stumbled and stumbled,

And far beyond my Goal's endless Beyond,

```

```

I am entering into the Unknown from the known,

My poems come out of my heart-home,

Each God-devotion-poem of mine

Towards God's Home.

Each God-surrender-poem of mine

From the highest Heaven.

When a poet purposefully ends

He is ready to enjoy

```

There are some unfortunate poets, when they fail to write beautiful poems, who feel they are becoming like distant, fading stars. Alas! Alas! They may not know that their subsequent poems may be exceptionally good poems, and they will be able to fly in Infinity's Bliss-Sky.

If we are not successful with some of our poems, we must see it as a dream that has a very short breath.

```

Through each poem,

God's Victory-Message --

My meditation-poem

For my Lord to come in

My mind-poem

Like a restless, mad elephant.

My heart-poem

Faster than the fastest.

When I write an unconditionally

I find my life beyond

```

Let us now try to enter into our heart-home, which is flooded with Eternity's Peace and Immortality's Bliss.

7. Presentation of Pegasus Award to Sri Chinmoy

I am delighted to offer a very special award to highly esteemed Sri Chinmoy. The name of the award is "Pegasus" (Ecstasy-Horse). This decision was taken unanimously by the board of the Academy of Culture and Poetry today. Let me read out the proclamation:

> May your brilliant words and your genius soar like the legendary winged horse in the eternal sky of the four corners of the globe.

> And may they be glorified for centuries to come.

> Dr. Mend-Ooyo

[Dr. Mend-Ooyo presented the framed proclamation, and a small child smilingly offered a bouquet of flowers to Sri Chinmoy.]

Sri Chinmoy: [following sustained applause]: My esteemed brother-friend

Dr Mend-Ooyo: Dear Sri Chinmoy, we would like to wish you success in all your upcoming events within the cultural days of the "World-Oneness-Heart-Song in Mongolian Life." And we would like to wish that you become acquainted with Mongolian cultural tradition and the life of the Mongolian people.

8. Sri Chinmoy's World Harmony Concert, Ulaanbaatar Palace, 20 May 2007

[Against the striking backdrop of a large, luminous mandala, Sri Chinmoy offered a concert of his musical compositions for an audience of 2,700 attentive listeners. In the centre of the mandala was the Sanskrit AUM symbol, encircled by three concentric rings of Sri Chinmoy's birds. There were also small discs with individual birds mounted on the shimmering blue curtain.

Sri Chinmoy performed on fifteen instruments, beginning with the esraj, and accompanied himself on the harmonium while singing. Sri Chinmoy's Mongolian students, including children, beautifully sang his Bengali song for Mongolia, and an international group offered Sri Chinmoy's song dedicated to President Enkhbayar.]

Deeldar: Good day to all of you who have gathered here today. This concert has been organised as part of Sri Chinmoy's "World-Oneness-Heart-Song in Mongolian Life" programme during his visit to Mongolia. Sri Chinmoy is the leader of Peace Meditations at the United Nations. He is a poet, artist, musician and athlete.

Joining us at this concert is renowned Mongolian composer and state-honoured artist Mr. N. Jantsannorov, who will introduce the music of Sri Chinmoy.

Mr. N.Jantsannorov: Good day, ladies and gentlemen. The events of these days are very important in the life of Mongolia,· spiritually and culturally. Sri Chinmoy is serving the cause of inner peace.

One of the most important of Sri Chinmoy's multi-faceted activities is music. So far, Sri Chinmoy has composed more than 20,000 songs in Bengali and English. In the process of preparing for the visit of Sri Chinmoy, I have had the chance to dedicate some time to becoming acquainted with around 50 of his musical compositions.

Music, in my opinion, can be classified into three main categories. The first is popular music; the second is emotional music; and the third is music of inner peace, deep spiritual music. The music of Sri Chinmoy belongs to the third category of deep spiritual music. Therefore, in Sri Chinmoy's concerts, unlike in those of popular and emotional music, the members of the audience are advised to try to immerse themselves in inner peace together with the musician and his music, and to hold their applause until the very end of the performance.

Sri Chinmoy performs on many instruments, and also sings unaccompanied. An immensely interesting phenomenon is observed when a number of renowned pianists as well as modern rock and pop groups create variations on his musical themes and compositions.

When you listen to Sri Chinmoy's music, you will appreciate the composer's theme that human life, the soul's strength, acceptance, peace and tranquillity are continually eternal, inexhaustibly eternal. That experience, I hope, we all will enjoy tonight.

Long live the music-melody of peace!

9. Sri Chinmoy Receives an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Dr. D. Tsedev, Rector of The Mongolian University of Culture and Arts, and offers a Lecture on art at the State Academic Theatre of Drama, 21 May 2007

The activities of the Sri Chinmoy cultural programme in Mongolia are progressing successfully. Earlier, the President of Mongolia, Nambaryn Enkhbayar, received Sri Chinmoy in his office and awarded him the Medal of Friendship.

A selection of Sri Chinmoy's artistic works, called "Jharna-Kala" or "Fountain-Art," is being exhibited at the art gallery. Also, Sri Chinmoy has delivered a lecture on poetry, titled "Poetry: A Heaven-Climbing Song," at Government Palace. The World Harmony Run, a big sporting event, has just taken place in Ulaanbaatar. As part of his lifting programme, Sri Chinmoy has lifted numerous Mongolian horses. And, just yesterday, Sri Chinmoy gave a public concert at Ulaanbaatar Palace.

Today Sri Chinmoy will give his talk on art. Before you enjoy Sri Chinmoy's talk, another very important and delightful event is going to take place now.

[A musician entered to offer a dynamic performance on the Mongolian cello. He was resplendent in a traditional floor-length red robe and pointed hat, both trimmed with silver and black, and white boots with red trim.]

Dr Mend-Ooyo: The Rector of the Mongolian University of Culture and Arts, Professor, Mongolian poet and writer Dr. D. Tsedev.

DR. D. TSVEDEV [as translated]: The Board of Scholars of the University of Culture and Arts has a tradition of presenting an award to people who have significantly contributed to the promotion of world peace through culture and art. Therefore, by the decision of the Board of Scholars, the Mongolian University of Culture and Arts is hereby presenting the award of Honorary Doctorate Degree to Sri Chinmoy.

The Mongolian University of Culture and arts Diploma of Honorary Doctor

```

Cultural ambassador

profound thinker and master of creativity,

Honorary Doctor of the Mongolian

in recognition of his great contribution

and enlightenment

adopted by the Academic Board of the

Signed by the Rector of the

and chairman of the Academic Board,

Ulannbaatar, May 10, 2007

[Dr. Tsedev placed an honorary gold and white fringed academic mantle, similar to his own, over Sri Chinmoy's head and shoulders, and a gold and white pointed hat on Sri Chinmoy's head. He then draped a long gold sash around Sri Chinmoy's neck, and offered the proclamation.]

Sri Chinmoy: [to sustained applause]: What a surprise you have sprung upon me! Most highly esteemed professors and university authorities, I wish to offer you my heart's boundless and boundless gratitude for this signal honour that you have bestowed upon me. The Mongolian University of Culture and Arts, to you I bow with my life's utmost humility. To you I bow with my heart's oneness, joy and love.

The very name 'Mongolia' gives me an inner thrill. The very name, when I hear it, or when I myself pronounce the word 'Mongolia', gives me a tremendous inner thrill.

In your art I see simplicity and profundity at the same time. The artistic capacities and qualities of the Mongolian artists have directly come from the highest Heaven, from where art and culture descend.

Mongolian speed remains unparalleled. Here, at the age of three or four, children ride horses. This has a special significance in the inner world. The progress in the inner world in terms of speed is most remarkable in Mongolian life. Speed and strength quite often do not go together. But here, in your case, both inner speed and outer strength you can demonstrate to the whole world. The Mongolian Sumo wrestler Asashoryu [Dolgorsuren Dagvadorj] holds many records. He is a champion of strength in the outer life. And in the inner life, your children are showing their speed.

The Mongolian University of Culture and Arts has just bestowed upon me its choicest blessings. For that, I shall remain eternally indebted to your University. Once more, my dear ones, my esteemed friends, I am offering you gratitude and gratitude and gratitude from the inmost recesses of my heart.

Dr Mend-Ooyo: I would like once again to congratulate Sri Chinmoy, on behalf of the people gathered here, for receiving this Honorary Degree. He will now offer his talk, entitled "Art: The Beauty of Earth and the Fragrance of Heaven."

[Sri Chinmoy performed on the Indian esraj.]

Sri Chinmoy: Before I prayerfully offer my talk, I am inviting my students to sing the song on Fountain-Art. The name of my art is "Fountain-Art," so I am requesting them to sing this song.

10. Sri Chinmoy "Art: The Beauty Of Earth And The Fragrance Of Heaven"

Art: The Beauty of Earth and the Fragrance of Heaven.

Right at the very outset, I wish to speak about how my own art began. In India, truth to tell, I never, never cared for art. Poetry was more than sufficient for me.

I studied art only once a week on Friday for four years. But I did not have any special feeling for painting or drawing. At that time, my artistic interests were fully nourished by the muse of poetry.

More than ten years after I came to America, in November 1974, I went to Ottawa, Canada, to offer a Peace Concert. One evening it was pouring rain. I do not know why and how I was inspired to draw a rose.

Two very dear students of mine happened to be there. One of them said, "Art will never be your forte."

The other one said, "I can clearly see that you can become a great artist."

The one who has encouraged me the most is the curator of all my art, Ranjana. She is my secretary as well. It was she who immediately rushed out in that downpour to buy the necessary art supplies. And it was at Ranjana's place, at a private gathering, where I offered the name Jharna-Kala, which means Fountain-Art, for my art collection.

What encouragement can do! Here is the radiant proof. Since that time, I have painted more than 200,000 paintings, and I have drawn more than 15 million birds.

To my great joy, my paintings have been exhibited at museums and galleries all over the world, including the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris and the Mall Gallery in London, as well as at the United Nations in New York, the United States Senate and many national Parliaments, plus at the foot of the immortal Kamakura Buddha in Japan.

At the time I started painting, one artist-teacher of mine happened to be a very close friend of my family in India -- Sanjivan Bishwas. When he saw my paintings, he said to my elder brother Chitta, "Tell Madal (my nickname) what a ridiculous waste of time his painting is! Tell Madal that he will never be an artist."

Two years later in New York some great artists and curators had a different opinion. They highly appreciated my paintings. My brother Chitta showed some of my paintings to the same artist-teacher in India. This time he exclaimed, "O my God! O my God! Madal has so much capacity! Tell him to continue. Tell him to continue." See how he changed his mind when he heard others' appreciation!

There is a popular adage by Victor Cousin, "Art for art's sake." Being a God-seeker and God-lover, I always say that art is for God's sake. No matter how great an artist is, he has to feel that the Source is God. So my philosophy is, "Art for God's sake."

My art is at once my selfless effort and my Lord's unconditional Grace.

Art and heart have to remain always inseparable. May my art express the blissful innocence of a child's heart.

The mind can never be a just judge.

The mind cannot differentiate between earth-beauty and Heaven-Fragrance; whereas the heart easily can. Indeed, the heart never even judges. It only loves, encourages, strengthens and intensifies all that is beautiful and soulful in a seeker-artist's life.

When we look at a work of art with our human mind, the mind shows us the sound-power of art.

Doubt, specially self-doubt, has to be banished from the mind, for doubt short-circuits our heart-connection with God's Compassion.

My request to all art-lovers, if they really want happiness from art, is not to use the thinking mind, but to surcharge the twinkling heart.

A divine artist is God's Heart.

Each new art of an artist can change his mind and transform his life.

When my heart cries to express the inner beauty through my art, God immediately beckons me to join Him in His universal Play: Art.

As I said before, I have drawn over 15 million birds. Each bird reminds me of freedom in Infinity's sky.

I have also painted over 200,000 paintings. My paintings are mostly abstract. I wish to offer simplicity, which I feel is next to spirituality, through my art.

Spirituality means God-oneness. In abstract art, I try to see not only the finite in the Infinite, but also the Infinite in the finite.

It is like a drop and the ocean. If we look at the drop, we see that the drop is inside the ocean. Again, with our inner eye, we can see the entire ocean inside a single drop.

Nature's art is nature's untouched beauty and purity.

Our art is, indeed, a God-manifested beauty in every sphere of life.

When we look at a beautiful piece of art, we become exceedingly happy. Unlike other happiness, this happiness cannot be stolen. This happiness forever lasts inside the heart. For what is art, if not a renaissance-consciousness?

When there is an excellent piece of art, and we offer our gratitude for the art and the artist, we enjoy the presence of ecstasy-plenitude.

An artist's desire-fame-hunger blights his life.

There are artists who take hours, even days, to complete a piece of art. Along the march of time, if they only perspire in their artistic creation, I am afraid God will not be so happy. God wants the artist to immediately climb up the aspiration-ladder so that he may discover a beautiful piece of art.

If we take art as a God-service of our heart, then this service will always succeed and never err.

The process of thinking must go. The wings of intuition-bird must spread all-where for an artist to reach the acme of art.

In art, intuition can play a major role.

Intuition reveals and then manifests the beauty of Truth par excellence.

The mind's determination is not the answer.

My heart watches and washes God's Feet spellbound, and then I prayerfully start my artwork. I feel this is what a God-seeker-artist should do.

I take my artwork as an act of devotion. I try for every heartbeat of mine to pulsate with God-devotion, so that I can create a most beautiful artwork.

An artist's sole longing is to see his art beyond all heights and beyond all depths. This can only be possible if the artist is the flaming joy of a God-surrendered heart and the blossoming bliss of an unconditional God-loving soul.

If an artist can bathe in the light of gratitude at the end of his art-creativity, he is bound to win a vast Smile from God.

My art is not for self-mastery.

```

Inside my art-life

The ancient art-lover

The modern art-lover.

Each one wanted to declare his supremacy.

"As far as I am concerned,

Who is superior

I am only concerned with

Who is teaching me

The Art of unconditional surrender

In all my activities."

11.

[Sri Chinmoy's students displayed some of his newly created bird drawings in black, green and red. The Master then requested the singers to perform his "Thank You" song.]

Sri Chinmoy: I am offering this "Thank You" song to the authorities of the Mongolian University of Culture and Arts. My heart of boundless gratitude I am offering to you while my students are singing the ''Thank You" song for you.

Dr Mend-Ooyo: I am very pleased to announce on my behalf and on behalf of other artists and art-lovers that we have received so much during these days from Sri Chinmoy's activities. I would like to invite the Rector of the Calligraphy Association of Mongolia, the renowned artist-calligrapher Mr. D. Battumur. He would like to present his own latest calligraphy work to Sri Chinmoy.

Mr. Battumur presented to Sri Chinmoy a large framed artwork featuring an abstract black design and vertical calligraphy.

Dr Mend-Ooyo: The name of this work is "Mountain." On this side is written,

Sri Chinmoy: Your immortal poem!

Dr. Mend-Ooyo smilingly acknowledged Sri Chinmoy's appreciation with folded hands.

Sri Chinmoy [shaking hands with the artist, who in turn folded his hands]: Thank you, thank you!

Dr Mend-Ooyo: Let me spring a small surprise. I would like to express, but I do not have words to express my gratitude to Sri Chinmoy, such a renowned person, a world figure, who has accepted my invitation, a humble poet's invitation, to come to Mongolia and share his artistic works and activities. I do not have words to express my gratitude. You have given us so much through your artistic work, through your melodic music, through your poetic words, encouragement and strength to all of us, the art-lovers, the poetry-lovers. I cannot express my inner feeling, my inner gratitude for all of this.

The most appropriate way to express my gratitude to Sri Chinmoy, I believe, is with my latest book, the expression of nomadic life in a poetic way. It is called Nomadic Lyrics. I would like to present to Sri Chinmoy my book, which has just come off the printing press. The first page of the book says, "Dedicated to my brother Sri Chinmoy."

Dr. Mend-Ooyo offered his book to Sri Chinmoy with a gift, and placed a royal blue sash with an embossed mandala pattern around Sri Chinmoy's neck over the gold sash accompanying the honorary degree. Then, smiling broadly, Dr. Mend-Ooyo folded his hands, as the audience warmly applauded.

Sri Chinmoy Answers Questions from Professors of the Mongolian University of Culture and Arts, 21 May 2007

11. Question: Some scholars maintain that Mongolia is the centre of world energy, and therefore Mongolians believe that Heaven's Force and Heaven's most powerful Blessings are on Mongolia. What is your opinion?

12. Question: In ancient tales of Mongolia, even little children play an important role. What is your opinion?

13. Question: Aside from earthly time, is there such a thing as Heavenly time and space?

14. Sri Chinmoy Lifts The White Horses of Mongolia, 19 And 23 May 2007

Below: Sri Chinmoy receives a white horse as a gift.]

In the course of his remarkable weightlifting career, Sri Chinmoy created the "Lifting Up the World with a Oneness-Heart" award to honour individuals from all walks of life who had inspired and uplifted humanity. As they stood on a specially constructed platform, Sri Chinmoy lifted the recipients overhead with either one arm or both arms.

15. A dream becomes reality

Before travelling to Mongolia, Sri Chinmoy expressed the fervent wish to lift fifty white horses during his visit. On 17 May, he composed a song about the white horse:

```

You give me the joy and pride of a real Olympian.

On this day also Sri Chinmoy lifted Mr. Hamid Sardar, who pledged to help Sri Chinmoy fulfil his dream of lifting fifty white horses.

Homagni Baptista [student of Sri Chinmoy]: I would like to formally welcome Hamid Sardar and thank him for being with us here today, and receiving the "Lifting Up the World with a Oneness-Heart Award" from Sri Chinmoy.

Hamid Sardar is involved in so many activities that it is very difficult to express the full spectrum of his life. He is a scholar of Tibetan Buddhism, a scholar of Sanskrit, an anthropologist, and recently also a documentary filmmaker. I first came in contact with him when I was doing research into horses in Mongolia. I saw some of the photos that he had taken, and I discovered that he was also the founder of a company called Wind Horse Tours. Since I arrived in Mongolia, he has been extremely welcoming and so helpful in trying to contact the owners of the white horses.

I am so grateful that you were able to come here today, Hamid, and receive this award. Thank you.

Mr Sardar: (after being lifted by Sri Chinmoy): Dear Guru Sri Chinmoy and everybody, welcome to Mongolia, the Land of the Horse. [Applause] This is an ocean of grassland -- or it used to be, at least, and still is in large part. And the horse is the vessel with which we navigate this ocean. As one old nomad friend once told me, to be without a horse here is like being a bird with broken wings. And a lot of energy and time of the Mongol nomad goes into taking care of horses and searching for them, because here they are not put in stables; they are left to run wild and free.

On this occasion of Master Sri Chinmoy's visit to Mongolia, we are trying our best to gather the fifty white horses necessary for this feat which, I think, will be a great blessing for this land, specially this year when we need harmony. There has been little rain, so I hope this ritual will not only inspire the nomads, but will fundamentally bring harmony to the land's spirit as well. It is still May, the grass is not green yet, the horses are far out in the pastures, and we have sent people to try to bring the fifty white horses down from various valleys. I hope we will be able to do this in the next couple of days. And I will be in touch with everybody. Thank you. [Sustained applause]

Sri Chinmoy: I am extremely, extremely, extremely happy. I am extremely, extremely grateful to you and I am extremely, extremely proud of you. You are serving God inside the animals. They are our younger brothers and sisters. When we take care of our younger ones, God becomes very, very pleased with us. You are doing something that I feel is most sacred. You are performing a sacred task to please God in His own Way. For that, my dear Brother-Friend Hamid, I am extremely, extremely grateful to you and extremely, extremely proud of you, proud of you, proud of you.

Mr Sardar: Yes. Ever since ancient times, this land has been home to successive dynasties of nomads -- from the Huns to the Turks to the Mongols. And all the kings have always been buried with their horses. Horses have been known to carry the soul of the deceased into the afterlife. It has always been sacrifice, not in a negative way, but in the sense that they will follow their master on the journey into the other world.

Although there are many domestic animals in Mongolia, it is always the horse which is glorified. The horse does not only serve as something to ride. There is a Mongolian saying that the horse is a symbol for one's inner strength, which we call "wind horse," or Khiimori in Mongolian. By performing certain rituals, we say we raise the wind horse in ourselves. Your coming here, Master Sri Chinmoy, and performing these lifts, is a most unique and wonderful way in which you will raise the wind horse of Mongolia.

Mr Sardar: That is wonderful, and it is the key to longevity for you and for everybody else.

On 19 May a special naadam (festival) was held at the Hotel Mongolia in the Gachuurt area, an eastern suburb of Ulaanbaatar. A number of children fearlessly circled the dusty area on horseback, shouting in a vigorous drone as though to bring forth all their exceptional strength.

Mr Sardar: replied, "Yes, but that does not mean you have to take it back! They will keep it here for you."

Sri Chinmoy also received a bowed Mongolian instrument with a horse-head as a gift. Mr Sardar: explained, "This bow is made from the tail of the fastest horse. There are many stories behind this instrument, but the most popular legend is that there was a warrior who used to travel to visit his lover on a winged horse. When the horse was killed, the warrior, out of his grief, fashioned an instrument from the parts of the horse, making the strings out of tail hairs, using the leather of the horse as the drum and carving the likeness of his favourite horse as the head. In Mongolia it has been considered also a magic instrument."

Sri Chinmoy played the instrument briefly and invited the donors of the horses to join him for photographs. A very small, cherubic boy and girl stood to the side of his folding chair, undaunted by the wind and seeming to capture the essence of Mongolia. They remained still and serious as Sri Chinmoy placed a blue-gloved hand on each of their heads in an affectionate blessing, then patted them very gently on the shoulder.

Sri Chinmoy next watched some spirited and free-wheeling wrestling matches among the young Mongolian boys. He lifted all the boys together on the platform, eliciting instant laughter and applause from them with a victorious exclamation after the lift. Sri Chinmoy then said, "Hamid, you have done everything for us! Kindly stand behind them." He lifted the group again, with Mr Sardar: among them, and offered Mr Sardar: two framed photographs commemorating their first encounter. Finally Mr Sardar: presented a gold-pointed Mongolian hat to Sri Chinmoy, who then invited all the children present, boys and girls, to pass by and take a container of juice as his gift.

Sri Chinmoy stood up to leave, bedecked in the hat and sash symbolising the boundless self-offering of this unique land.

Asked how it was possible for him to accomplish these lifts, Sri Chinmoy responded, "I am able to lift the horses because I love them; I become one with their hearts. When you become one with anybody's heart, everything becomes lighter than the lightest. I love horses and it was my dream that one day I would be able to serve the white horses. These horses are my little brothers and sisters. I have established my oneness with my little brothers and sisters. Therefore, they are not at all heavy for me. When there is oneness, there is no heaviness. On the strength of my oneness, I have lifted them, and I have found that they are very, very, very light."

On 23 May, a second naadam was held at the Tiara Resort in Terelj National Park. The horses were again lifted in groups of three on the standing calf raise machine from a ground platform. On this occasion, Sri Chinmoy lifted a total of 41 white horses and a number of horsemen. Rough-hewn and ruddy-faced, wearing heavy, colourful robes, the horsemen had no easy task in persuading the clomping and whinnying horses to tread onto the lifting platform.

One mounted horseman had a golden hunting eagle perched on his arm, its powerful wings fully extended. After the lift, Sri Chinmoy concentrated intently on this imposing bird with its crested head.

During an interlude, a horseman, gently cradling one of the two foals that had been lifted, stood before Sri Chinmoy, who lovingly blessed the tranquil creature on its dark mane.

One lone young horsewoman prayerfully and smilingly folded her hands as she was lifted on a horse. She was Ms. Oiyuka of Tseren Tours, who had kindly assisted in the arrangements for this event.

Sri Chinmoy lifted a number of horsemen together, and they cheered heartily, raising their arms, after the lift. All of these nomadic herders, young and old, then knelt in turn before Sri Chinmoy, removing their hats to be garlanded with a medallion by his hands.

During an interview after these lifts, Sri Chinmoy again reflected on his aspiration to travel to Mongolia and to lift the white horses: "I came to Mongolia to love Mongolia and to serve Mongolia. I have tremendous fascination for Mongolia, and this fascination started while I was in India. To visit Mongolia was a great dream of mine that I am able to fulfil now. I love Mongolia, and Mongolia loves me. The President of Mongolia has been extremely, extremely kind to me. Therefore, I am very grateful to him.

"While I was lifting the white horses, I got tremendous joy because I have love for them. When you have love for someone, you do something to give that person joy. Here I lifted the white horses and I became one with them, and I got tremendous, tremendous joy by serving them in a special way. These horses are my little brothers and sisters. Each horse is speed; each horse is self-giving. I like speed, and I also like the self-giving spirit."

16. Lifting Up The World With A Oneness-Heart, 22 May 2007

Among the honorees was Ms. Pratibha Mehta of India, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme and Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System in Mongolia. The singers performed for her one of Sri Chinmoy's songs dedicated to the UN.

The lifts, which took place in two sessions, included five people over 100 years old, who inspired the gathering with their childlike spirit. For each centenarian, Sri Chinmoy's students performed the song "I Am Not Old," which he had just composed that day. Sri Chinmoy received the "Noble Cause of Peace Medallion of Freedom" from Ms. Baasan Deleg, Head of the Open Association of Mongolian Elderly Citizens, for giving "his life-encouragement, joy and strength to elderly citizens." Sri Chinmoy was also made an honorary member of the association.

To thank Sri Chinmoy for honouring them, the centenarians performed a special song that seemed to evoke the ancient spirit of their country.

Also lifted was the tallest person in Mongolia, who, at 7 feet 5 inches (226 cm), towered over Sri Chinmoy. He was D. Ragchaa, a member of the Mongolian Basketball Association.

Deeldar introduced Mr. Yuraa Jigjid, the director of the Indian Cultural Centre and principal of the Rajiv Gandhi School, noting that he had been extremely helpful, cooperative and kind to Sri Chinmoy's students in Ulaanbaatar. Mr. Yuraa presented the highest award of his school, the "Rajiv Gandhi Medallion," to Sri Chinmoy.

The directors of Tseren Tours were lifted with appreciation for their assistance in facilitating the activities of Sri Chinmoy and his students in Mongolia, particularly the adventure of locating the white horses for Sri Chinmoy to lift.

In his special lift for married couples, which he had named "Oneness, Perfect Oneness of the Sun and the Moon," Sri Chinmoy honoured the parents of four of his Mongolian students. It was they who had offered Sri Chinmoy the white racing stallion and mare.

Most significantly, Sri Chinmoy lifted Deeldar and Niyojita, two of the leaders of his Centre in Ulaanbaatar, whose self-giving had made his Mongolian adventure possible. Between them, the devoted couple had offered almost twenty years of service to UNICEF (Mongolia, New York and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea) and the World Food Programme (DPRK).

17. Courtesy visit by Mr. Luvsan Bold, Director of the Art Gallery of the Union Of Mongolian Artists, 24 May 2007

Mr. Bold: [as translated]: Good morning, Sri Chinmoy, dear Sri Chinmoy, and everybody. Some time ago I was asked if we could host Sri Chinmoy's art exhibition at our art gallery, and I wondered. I could not believe that Sri Chinmoy wanted to hold his exhibition in the Union of Mongolian Artists Art Gallery. Sri Chinmoy is very famous and his name is very popular here in Mongolia, so I could not believe that he was coming to Mongolia and wanted to have an exhibition in our gallery. I was so happy to help arrange this exhibition. And as an artist, I would like to say thank you to Sri Chinmoy for his exhibition in Mongolia and for what he has done for the Mongolian people.

Sri Chinmoy: My very dear friend, I bow to the great sculptor in you.

Many, many years ago I was invited to visit the greatest sculptor in England, Henry Moore. He was a very, very famous sculptor. He showed me his sculptures. They were beyond my comprehension! Mentally I could not understand them, but inwardly and spiritually I did feel something most sublime in his work.

I am very, very happy to meet with you, another great sculptor, and also I am very, very grateful to you for accepting my artwork to be exhibited at your gallery. Physically you could not be there, but I am sure that in spirit you were with us when the President came to bless us at your gallery.

Now I am requesting my students to sing a song. The name of our art is ''Jharna-Kala." It is a Bengali name, and the English translation is "Fountain-Art." In honour of you I am inviting my students to sing the song.

18.<sup>18</sup>

My Lord,

Remembrance-Fragrance

Wherever I go.

19.

My life-breath

To my Lord's Heart.

20.

Every morning without fail

Awakens my sleeping heart.

21.

My eyes watch God's Footsteps,

And I count and count

God's Footsteps.

22.

Pray and meditate, pray and meditate!

Your mind's darkest midnight

23.

Be not a fool!

Your lost opportunities.

24.

My God-searching heart

My God-blossoming life.

25.<sup>25</sup>

First be a world-lover

Then you are entitled to become

```

26.

Be kind to every human being.

To a goalless shore.

27.

I pray to God

Not to become

But to become

Of His Heart.

28.

In my heart-garden,

New devotion-seeds.

29.

My choice

And nothing else.

30.

An aspiration-heart

In God's Heart-Garden.

31.

If you really love God,

To touch God's Feet.

32.

Yesterday I was

Today I have become

33.³³

I am always eager

That God loves me infinitely more

```

34.

Every moment

To please God

35.

The difference

Is this:

The heart radiates.

36.

There are many roads

But I have chosen

37.

Every morning and every evening

Our inseparable oneness-heart-songs.

38.

Surrender is the only secret

To live in God

39.

The first-class seekers

As Nectar-Delight.

Prayers given to children in Mongolia

40.<sup>40</sup>

God, I love You.

God, I bow to You.

```

41.⁴¹

My Lord,

That will always love You.

42.⁴²

When God and I meet together,

God looks at my heart.

43. Songs Composed by Sri Chinmoy for Mongolia, and during his Journey

Sri Chinmoy composed his original song for Mongolia in 2003, when he honoured champion Mongolian Sumo wrestler Asashoryu in New York with the "Lifting Up the World with a Oneness-Heart" Award.

"Good Morning, Mongolia!" was performed by Sri Chinmoy's students during the Master's interview with Mongolian National Broadcaster (MNB) on 17 May 2007 for the programme "Morning Guest."

Sri Chinmoy composed "Laksyavedi" in honour of his Mongolian student Laksyavedi Tsedevdorj, a champion sports rifle shooter.

"He Ghoreshar" was composed for the white racing stallion offered to Sri Chinmoy as a gift on 19 May 2007.

"I Am Not Old" was dedicated to the centenarians Sri Chinmoy lifted on 22 May 2007.

44. Mongolia

Mongolia, Mongolia, Mongolia!

In your inner life

Lord Buddha's Compassion Infinite.

Victory, victory, your victory we proclaim.

From children to octogenarians,

Is exquisitely charming.

Horse-speed-success-progress

45.

Mongolia, Mongolia, Mongolia

Buddha debatar karuna murati

Joy joy joy joy Mongolia

46.

Nambaryn Enkhbayar:

President Nambaryn Enkhbayar,

Mongolia's Pilot-Father, Brother of love,

Your life is flooded with the Lord Buddha's Grace.

47. My Hobby

Music By Sri Chinmoy, May 15, 2007

My hobby is to surpass and to know my possibilities.

48. Good Morning, Mongolia!

```

You are God's sweetness-child-heart-throbbing.

Sleepless, God's Victory your soul is singing.

49. Laksyavedi

Laksyavedi, you pierce into the target-goal.

50. Mongolian White Horse

Mongolian white horse, Mongolian white horse, Mongolian!

51. He Ghoreshar

He Ghoreshar He Ghoreshar

52. I Am Not Old

I am not old, I am not old,

Mine is the life-boat that sails and sails.

53. Korean Air Is By Far the Best!

Korean Air is by far the best!

54. Fifty Bengali Songs Composed In Mongolia, May 2007

Ogo Amar Sakal Guner Guni

Pakhi Ure Jai Dibase Nishite

Dhire Dhire Ati Dhire

Aghat Karo Aghat Karo

Bhoy Ar Maya Hate

Jani Ami Kato Ache

Lege Thako Lege Thako

Sabar Piche Matha Kare Nichu

Ogo Priyatama

Ogo Nirakar Tomar Akar

Nijer Majhe Nijer Kurup

Nitya Nutan Amar Gan

Katha Katha Shudhu Katha

Amar Age Guni Gyani

Tomare Kareche Bidhata Baran

Kailash Parbat Kailash Parbat

Smaran Manan Nitya Kare

Dak Shune Mar Chute

Pagli Mayer Pagla Chele

Nitya Jena Amai Heri

Namer Kangal Karona Ma

Jatri Ami Jatri Ami Jatri

Ami Jakhan Mayer Sathe Jukta

Charidike Ma Mitthya Maya

Ghum Bhengeche Ghum Bhengeche

55. Oga Amar Sakal Guner Guni

Ogo amar sakal guner guni

Tomar joy gan shuni

56. Dhara Prabhu Dhara Ebar

Dharo prabhu dharo ebar amar duti hat

57. Pakhi Ure Jai Dibase Nishite

Pakhi ure jai dibase nishite kothai kothai

58. Nil Pakhi Ure Jai

Nil pakhi ure jai bela jai bela jai

59. Dhire Dhire Ati Dhire

Dhire dhire ati dhire phul phute anginai

60. Kusum Kali Dake Amai

Kusum kali dake amai kache amai tane

61. Aghat Karo Aghat Karo

Aghat karo aghat karo bhango nidra ghor

62. Sanchoye Jar Tripti Sadhan

Sanchoye jar tripti sadhan ta je kebal pashur jiban

63. Bhoy Ar Maya Hate

Bhoy ar maya hate chaho jadi paritran

64. Ami Kothai Ami Kothai

Ami kothai ami kothai esechi keno ami hethai

65. Jani Ami Kato Ache

Jani ami kato ache ajanar

66. Nitya Tushta Kare Amai

Nitya tushta kare amai bhikkha jena kabhu ami karina

67. Lege Thako Lege Thako

Lege thako lege thako lege thako dudin age kiba dudin pare

68. Mulya Diye Kinte Habe

Mulya diye kinte habe kinte habe

69. Sabar Piche Matha Kare Nichu

Sabar piche matha kare nichu thakbona ar thakbona

70. Jani Premto Shudhu Atma Dan

Jani premto shudhu atma dan

71. Ogo Priyatama

Ogo priyatama alo alo alo alo

```

72. Bhakati Ashru Eshana Amar

Bhakati ashru eshana amar

73. Ogo Nirakar Tomar Akar

Ogo nirakar tomar akar heri jeno prati prane

74. Pade Pade Kar Kache Pran

Pade pade kar kache pran chalish mene har

75. Nijer Majhe Nijer Kurup

Nijer majhe nijer kurup rakish keno ar

76. Agnir Puja Amar Hiyar Sabita

Agnir puja amar hiyar sabita uday sadhana

77. Nitya Nutan Amar Gan

Nitya nutan amar gan thakbe tomar nam

78. Mukhe Bali Bhango Bhango Amai

Mukhe bali bhango bhango amai

79. Katha Katha Shudhu Katha

Katha katha shudhu katha kothai hiyar byakulata

80. Ogo Arup He Aparup

Ogo arup he aparup dekhao tomar bishwarup

81. Amar Age Guni Gyani

Amar age guni gyani kato ache ke jane

82. Dake Amai Dake Amai

Dake amai dake amai namer urdha dham

83. Tomare Kareche Bidhata Baran

Tomare kareche bidhata baran tumi mahajan ami abhajan

84. Mangala Hok Mangala Hok

Mangala hok mangala hok mangala hok sabakar

85. Kailash Parbat Kailash Parbat

Kailash parbat kailash parbat kailash

86. Prabhu Ami Tamar Hater Putul

Prabhu ami tomar hater putul

87. Smaran Manan Nitya Kare

Smaran manan nitya kare satyamoyer dak

```

88. Kalpana Mor Kalpana

Kalpana mor kalpana maner ranger alpana

89. Dak Shune Mar Chute

Dak shune mar chute asi hate chilo kusum rashi

Bhalobasi charan dhuli bhalobasi

90. Ar Katokal Hese Khele

Ar katokal hese khele britha amar jiban jabe

91. Pagli Mayer Pagla Chele

Pagli mayer pagla chele jiban kathai hese khele

92. Dhara Dao Dhara Dao

Dhara dao dhara dao dharo dui hat

93. Nitya Jena Amai Heri

Nitya jena amai heri sarba jibe prane

94. Jaya Jaya Jaya Mama Bhagaban

Jaya jaya jaya mama bhagaban sakala jiber tumi je paran

95. Namer Kangal Karona Ma

Namer kangal karona ma chahina bad nam

96. Ma Tor Deowa Amare Dui

Ma tor deowa amare dui maha mukta ankhi

97. Jatri Ami Jatri Ami Jatri

Jatri ami jatri ami jatri

Phutle hriday kali

98. Tomar Majhe Rahe Jeno

Tomar majhe rahe jeno nitya amar pran

99. Ami Jakhan Mayer Sathe Jukta

Ami jakhan mayer sathe jukta nityananda nitya mukta

100. Na Thakile Amar Kichu

Na thakile amar kichu mago nahi thakuk

101. Charidike Ma Mitthya Maya

Charidike ma mittya maya chalona

```

102. Ar Katokal Bhugbo Eman

Ar katokal bhugbo eman jatana

103. Ghum Bhengeche Ghum Bhengeche

Ghum bhengeche ghum bhengeche ghum bhengeche ghum

104. Binash Karo Dibas Rati

Binash karo dibas rati amar khudra abhiman

105. Sri Chinmoy's Interview with Mongolian National Broadcaster -- Mnb, 17 May 2007

Interviewer: Dear Sri Chinmoy, we would like to greet you.

Today in our studio we present Sri Chinmoy, the leader of Sri Chinmoy The Peace Meditation at the United Nations. Can you tell our viewers what is the purpose of your visit to Mongolia and elaborate on this?

Sri Chinmoy: This is my first visit to Mongolia. I have always had the deepest love, respect and admiration for Mongolia. The very name 'Mongolia' gives my heart enormous joy. There is something unique in the name itself. I have come here to be of service to all the Mongolians, to love and serve the soul of Mongolia. Yesterday I was able to be in the blessingful presence of President Enkhbayar, and he was extremely kind and compassionate to me. For that I shall remain eternally grateful to him. I am also happy to tell you that from my father's side, my great-ancestors came to India from Mongolia. I was born in India, but my great-ancestors were from Mongolia.

Interviewer: We believe that Mongolians will enthusiastically embrace your activities. What activities are you planning to have in Mongolia, and what will you start with?

Sri Chinmoy: In half an hour or so, we shall have the opening of an exhibit of my paintings. This is something quite significant for me. And I shall be offering a Peace Concert in a few days to inspire the people of Mongolia. I shall also be giving a talk on art and a talk on poetry.

Then, I have a hobby of lifting animals to offer my love to the animal kingdom!

And, in a few days' time, it is my hope that I shall be able to offer a very, very special award to the President. It is a Peace Award.

I understand that my students will be singing "Good Morning, Mongolia!" which is a song that I have dedicated to the soul and heart of Mongolia. It expresses my own feeling, my deep feeling, for Mongolia. I have also composed a song on Mongolia. If time permits, my students can sing that song for you as well.

Interviewer: You mentioned that you are serving the soul and heart of Mongolia and you have composed a song about Mongolia. What were your impressions and your knowledge about Mongolia before you came here?

Sri Chinmoy: I have a heart. I pray and meditate. If you pray and meditate, you enter into the inner world. If you can enter into the inner world, then you can see and feel the heart and soul of any country. I live in New York, in America, but when I pray and meditate, I have a free access to enter into the heart and soul of any country. At that time, there is no geography, there is no distance between New York and Mongolia. It can take between fourteen and seventeen hours to fly from New York to Mongolia, but when we pray and meditate, God, out of His infinite Bounty, gives us the capacity to fly infinitely faster to any country. So based on my inner feelings, the inner feelings that I get from my prayer and meditation, I composed this song.

Interviewer: Would you kindly let us hear your song that you dedicated to Mongolia, plus your song "Good Morning, Mongolia!"

Sri Chinmoy: Yes, my students will now sing.

[The singers performed Sri Chinmoy's Bengali song for Mongolia and the following song:]

```

You are God's sweetness-child-heart throbbing.

Sleepless, God's Victory your soul is singing."

Interviewer: Listening to these songs about Mongolia reminds me of the Mongolian national songs, their tune and their rhythm. Have you ever listened to Mongolian music before?

Sri Chinmoy: No, I have never heard any Mongolian music. Outwardly I have not heard it, but inwardly I do feel it. When you pray and meditate, you can hear the music, the songs, of any country; but outwardly I did not have the occasion or the opportunity to hear Mongolian music in New York.

Interviewer: I can see that you have come with so many of your followers. How many followers have come with you, and how many more followers do you have?

Sri Chinmoy: I have a little over seven thousand students all over the world. Here in Mongolia I have about one hundred students. And from the former Soviet Union about one hundred students have come here, but I have taught thousands and thousands of students in the former Soviet Union. For my visit to Mongolia some have come from America, England, France and Germany, and even from Australia -- all together four hundred students. They are able to meet with me here, and I have come to see them and to be of service to the soul, heart and life of Mongolia.

Interviewer: Thank you very much for taking time out of your busy schedule to give us this interview, and we wish you the best of success in all your activities for human development.

Sri Chinmoy: I wish to thank you from the very, very depths of my heart. You are so kind to me. You have given me ample opportunity to be of service to Mongolia, and for that I am extremely, extremely grateful to you.

Interviewer: And also thank you to your followers for offering us such a beautiful performance. Thank you for everything, and we apologise if we took up your time.

Sri Chinmoy: Thank you and thank you.

Second interviewer: We have heard that you have many professions. You are a poet, a musician, a composer, an athlete....

Sri Chinmoy: I am a "jack of all trades, master of none!" But I am so fortunate that whatever I do, I get tremendous appreciation from musicians, singers, artists and others. When I paint something, there will be some extraordinary artists who inspire me by encouraging me. And when I am lifting something heavy, again there will be world-renowned weightlifters and bodybuilders who encourage me. I have composed thousands of songs in my mother tongue, Bengali, as well as in English. Again, some world-famous musicians and singers appreciate my songs. They encourage me and, with their encouragement, I continue.

I do many things. My life-tree has quite a few branches: art, music and so on. Something most important is our torch relay run for peace. We call it the World Harmony Run. This Harmony Run has covered more than one hundred countries. We need peace badly. This world of ours has everything save and except peace. Peace is of paramount importance. My students go from one country to another spreading the message and light of peace. We try to carry the message of peace and bring forward the good qualities of human beings. This is something most important in my life.

I am a musician, singer, writer and many other things, but the most important thing in my life is to spread the message of peace. And my students are helping me in every possible way.

Interviewer: I would like to thank you, and I have one special request. We understand that your group is not a religious group. Your purpose is to establish world peace. This is very encouraging for us, the TV crew, so in this regard we have a special request for you to consider us as your followers and please keep us in your heart.

106. Sri Chinmoy's Interview With New Television –- Ntv, 22 May 2007

Interviewer: First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to you for coming here and encouraging Mongolia to join the movement for world peace. Can you please elaborate on the goal of your visit to Mongolia? I have heard that you have ancestors from Mongolia.

Sri Chinmoy: My ancestors from my father's side came from Mongolia. The very name 'Mongolia' gives me boundless joy and boundless inner thrill.

I have come to Mongolia to love the country and to be of service to Mongolia. Our beloved President Enkhbayar has given me boundless inspiration and encouragement. For that I shall remain eternally grateful to him. He has a child-like heart, and he is a devout Buddhist, an adorer of Lord Buddha. I have the deepest adoration for the Lord Buddha, so we have quite a few things in common, the President and I.

Interviewer: Can you please tell me your feelings about music?

Sri Chinmoy: Music is a universal language. I do not know even a single word of the Mongolian language. Yet, when I hear the Mongolian music, I get tremendous joy. The real music comes from the heart, and then again it goes back to the heart. The heart does not need to learn all the languages of the world -- no! The heart has developed an inner feeling for each and every human being on earth. When we play prayerful music, soulful music, then we can easily feel our oneness with each and every human being.

In my case, I am so fortunate that some of the world's greatest musicians and composers have not only inspired me, but also encouraged me to continue my music. It started with Pablo Casals, then Leonard Bernstein, Yehudi Menuhin, Ravi Shankar and others. They all have encouraged me enormously, and their kind appreciation has helped me enormously in composing hundreds and thousands of songs.

Interviewer: You have achieved astonishing results in many fields. What is the source of your strength?

Sri Chinmoy: I pray and meditate. I started praying at the age of four or five. And at the age of nine or ten, I started meditating. When you pray and meditate, you can enter into the inner world. The inner world is the source, not only of my creativity, but the creativity of all the artists, all the singers, all the musicians -- all, all. So if we pray and meditate, we can develop those capacities.

I did not pray to God to make me a great musician or a great singer -- no! I prayed to God only for the fulfilment of His Will. When we pray to God for the fulfilment of His Will, God encourages us and inspires us, and actually in and through us, He creates things to inspire the rest of the world.

Interviewer: It is said that whoever wants to become illumined needs help from a Teacher. In your case, who was your spiritual Teacher?

Sri Chinmoy: In the beginning, when I was a young boy, I came to a spiritual

Interviewer: Now I have a question about birds. Why do you draw so many birds?

Sri Chinmoy: I have drawn many, many birds -- over fifteen million. While drawing these birds, I get tremendous joy. Birds fly in the sky. The sky is so vast; it is infinite. There the birds fly and enjoy freedom. We, too, want freedom. But this is not the freedom to break something or to kill someone. No! This freedom is the freedom of oneness. The sky is so vast; it is infinite.

Interviewer: There are many religions in the world and apparently they all lead to the same goal, but when will it happen that all the religions will unite?

Sri Chinmoy: All the religions will lead us to the same goal; but I have no idea when. I cannot predict when they will unite. When, I cannot predict; but how,

If we sincerely pray, if we sincerely meditate, then we shall not find fault with anybody. We shall only feel oneness, oneness, oneness. But if we do not pray, if we do not meditate, then we shall find so many mistakes inside others. Our own mistakes we do not take as mistakes, whereas when we see the same mistakes in others, we immediately feel that these are mistakes. We must stop seeing mistakes in others' lives. We must only encourage and encourage one another. By virtue of encouragement, we shall fulfil one another, and we can establish a new world of harmony and peace.

Interviewer: What is happiness, and how can we achieve happiness?

Sri Chinmoy: We can achieve happiness by loving others and by praying to God to give us happiness -- not only our personal happiness, but happiness for all human beings. If we pray to God only for our own happiness, God will make us happy; but if we pray to God to make everybody in the world happy, then God will be extremely, extremely pleased with us. God wants us to feel that this world of ours is a family, just one family. In a family, if only one or two members are happy and the others are miserable, that family will not make any progress. All the members of the family should be happy. Only this happiness will keep us peaceful. If we are happy, we do not go out and fight, we do not quarrel. If we are unhappy, then we quarrel, we fight, we try to kill one another. Happiness comes only from prayer. Happiness comes from the feeling that all of us belong to one family.

Interviewer: God grants life to everyone on earth, but some people cry, some people smile. Why is there such a big difference in our lives?

Sri Chinmoy: Some people have joy. That is why they smile. And some people do not have joy. That is why they cry. But the question here is, when people cry, what do they cry for? If they cry for name, fame, wealth and material possessions, then they will never be happy; they will never be able to smile. But if they pray to God to please God in His own Way, if they cry for God, then one day they will become happy. If they cry for material possessions, for earthly belongings, they will never be happy. If they cry for God to make them happy, then God will definitely make them happy at His own Time.

Happiness comes from the inner feeling of oneness, the feeling that God is within us and He wants us all to be happy, happy. He does not want us to cry. But if we do cry, then we shall cry only for peace, light and bliss, and not for material possessions. If God fulfils our desires, then we shall feel miserable. But aspiration is a different type of desire which is divine, which only wants God, God, God. When we aspire, we say, "Let the world make progress, let the whole world think of God and pray to God." That kind of desire is very good. For that kind of desire we use the term "aspiration."

Interviewer: You have done many drawings while in Mongolia. What is your impression of Mongolia?

Sri Chinmoy: My impression of Mongolia is extremely good! Here I have been inspired, and I have had the opportunity to aspire as well. Because of the inspiration and encouragement that I have received in Mongolia, I have been able to do quite a few things. I was able to meditate with the President; two times he blessed me. And I was able to offer a Peace Concert, which unites everybody. I have also given talks on art and poetry. When we develop art in our inner life, we get tremendous joy and satisfaction. In every way, I am very, very sincerely and soulfully pleased with Mongolia, its inner life and outer life. Mongolia has inspired me and encouraged me in so many ways to bring forward my creativity. For that, I am very, very, very grateful to the soul, heart and life of Mongolia.

Interviewer: In conclusion, what would you like to say to the Mongolian viewers?

Sri Chinmoy: My brothers and sisters of Mongolia, I love you dearly. I am very, very pleased with you all. Here you have loved me and blessed me, and I wish you tremendous inner progress and tremendous outer success. Inner progress and outer success we all need.

Here I have noticed two most extraordinary things: you have inner speed and you also have outer strength. When the outer strength and the inner speed go together, we feel that we are absolutely certain to arrive at our destination, which is oneness, oneness, universal oneness.

Interviewer: Thank you.