2301. My simplicity and my sincerity

My simplicity and my sincerity
May not live together
In the same aspiration-house,
But they are immediate neighbours,
And they love each other deeply.

2302. My purity and my oneness

My purity and my feeling of oneness
May not live together
In the same aspiration-house,
But they are immediate neighbours,
And they love each other deeply.

2303. My realisation and my God-satisfaction

My realisation and my God-satisfaction
Always live together
In my aspiration-house.
They need each other,
They love each other
And
They immortalise each other.

2304. You can realise Me today

My child,
You are giving Me all the reasons
Why you will not be able
To realise Me today.
I tell you, My child,
You are wrong, absolutely wrong!
You can easily
Realise Me today.

2305. God's Time

If you think and feel
That you belong to God,
Then you have to think and feel
That your time also belongs to God.
Such being the case,
You have no right to waste
God’s Time.

2306. First become a follower

First become
A perfect lamb-like follower.
Then only can you become
A perfect lion-like leader.

2307. A relationship

A relationship:
In your outer life
And
In your desire life,
What is it?
Is it a chain or oneness?
In your inner life
And
In your aspiration-life,
What is it?
Is it your oneness or a chain?

2308. Faith means

Faith does not mean
That you should
Close your eyes to reality.
Faith means
That you should
Open your eyes widely and soulfully
So that you can dance with reality.

2309. Supreme truths

Not yesterday but today
The world has discovered
A supreme truth:
You are a true God-lover.

Not today but tomorrow
The world will discover
Another supreme truth:
You are destined to become
A perfect God.

2310. Discipline yourself!

Discipline yourself,
Discipline yourself!
Your disciplined life
Will glorify your capacity
And multiply God’s Confidence in you.
Discipline yourself,
Discipline yourself!

2311. Do not surrender to struggles

Do not surrender to struggles.
Your ultimate and only goal
Is peace in joy
And joy in peace.
Do not surrender to struggles.

2312. The light is waiting

What are you waiting for?
The outer light is eagerly waiting
To show you the way.
The inner light is unconditionally waiting
To help you reach
The transcendental Goal.

2313. You have not failed!

He is an unpardonable liar
Who tells you that you have failed.
She is an unpardonable liar
Who tells you that you have failed.
No, you have not failed!
You have only acquired
A necessary experience
While walking along Eternity’s Road.

2314. Two Gods

The God in Heaven
And the God in man
Have the same Reality-Existence.
The God in Heaven
Sees, knows and wills.
The God in man
Grows, becomes and transcends.

2315. No excuse

My Lord’s sleepless Forgiveness-Assurance
Is no excuse
For my careless,
Thoughtless
And
Senseless living.

2316. Two soulful prayers

My Lord Supreme,
This morning I have
Two soulful prayers to offer You:
My Lord,
Let my aspiring, loving and self-giving heart
Speak to You
For the entire day;
My Lord,
Let Your Blessing, Compassion and Forgiveness
Speak through my mind
For my entire life.

2317. Peace above all else

O my soulful peace,
O my fruitful peace,
Even if you are going to last
For only sixty fleeting seconds,
I shall value you and treasure you
Above all else.

2318. Expectation and frustration

Expectation and frustration
Are two inseparable existence-realities.
We cannot accept one
And reject the other.
We have to either accept both
Or reject both.

2319. Your own unparalleled reward

O my body’s stupidity,
You do not need any other punishment.
You are your own pounding punishment.

O my vital’s impurity,
You do not need any other punishment.
You are your own pounding punishment.

O my mind’s insincerity,
You do not need any other punishment.
You are your own pounding punishment.

O my heart’s insecurity,
You do not need any other punishment.
You are your own pounding punishment.

O my soul’s luminosity,
You do not need any other reward.
You are your own unparalleled reward.

2320. My life's oneness

My Lord, my Lord,
My mind’s greatness
Cannot satisfy me.
My heart’s goodness
Cannot satisfy me.
Only my life’s oneness with Your Will
Can satisfy me,
For my life’s oneness with Your Will
Transcends at once
My mind’s greatness
And
My heart’s goodness.

2321. The return-journey

Greatness is a matter
Of a moment.
Goodness is the work
Of a lifetime.
Oneness is the return-journey home
Of Eternity.

2322. You win God's Crown

When you show no interest
In ego-competition,
You at once win
God’s Crown and God’s Throne.

2323. A true God-seeker

A true God-seeker
Is above using his divided life
Against his fellow seekers.
What he has for them
Is his soulful love,
And what he is to them
Is his fruitful oneness.

2324. Conscious self-examination

Conscious self-examination
Is the most auspicious beginning
Of God-realisation.

2325. When the vital challenges

Only when our dynamic vital
Challenges the wild emotional vital
Can our soul erase
Our deplorable past mistakes.
Only then, in our life of aspiration,
Shall we feel continuous success
And continuous progress.

2326. The Supreme likes

The body likes
Convincing idlers.
The vital likes
Convincing flatterers.
The mind likes
Convincing doubters.
The heart likes
Convincing seekers.
The soul likes
Convincing followers.
The Supreme likes
Convincing self-givers.

2327. Cheerfulness is progress

Cheerfulness is progress.
Progress is satisfaction.
Satisfaction is God Himself.

2328. Disobedience is destructive

There is no such thing
As harmless disobedience
In the inner world.
Disobedience, in its very nature,
Is harmful and destructive,
And obedience, in its very nature,
Is beautiful, soulful, peaceful and fruitful.

2329. To please my Lord Supreme

In order to please my Lord Supreme
In my outer life,
I have liberated myself
From the doubting mind.

In order to please my Beloved Supreme
In my inner life,
I have liberated my heart
From the nightmare of uncertainty.

2330. Beauty from Heaven

Beauty from Heaven
Descends
Only when purity from earth
Ascends.

2331. I have nothing to tell

I have nothing to tell the world,
For the world never understands me.
I have nothing to tell God,
For I am all ignorance.

2332. My beautiful eyes cannot see

My beautiful eyes cannot see
The flood of Delight.
Do you know why?
Because my doubting mind
Does not allow my beautiful eyes
To see the flood of Delight.

2333. My beautiful heart cannot feel

My beautiful heart cannot feel
The sea of Delight.
Do you know why?
Because my impure vital
Does not allow my beautiful heart
To feel the sea of Delight.

2334. My beautiful life does not know

My beautiful life does not even know
That the sun of Delight exists.
Do you know why?
Because my sleeping body
Does not allow my beautiful life
To know that the sun of Delight exists.

2335. Three enemies to conquer

Not one, but three enemies
I have to conquer —
My sleeping body,
My impure vital
And my doubting mind —
If I really and truly want to grow
Into infinite Satisfaction-Delight.

2336. Each prayer

On earth
Each prayer is a beautiful flower
Inside my heart-garden.

In Heaven
Each prayer is a powerful weapon
In God’s Omnipotence-Armoury.

2337. O earth, O Heaven

O earth,
I do not know
And I do not want to know
The answers to your questions.

O Heaven,
I do not know
But I am most eager to know
The answers to your questions.

2338. My three teachers

I have three teachers:
My soul, my heart and my mind.
My soul-teacher tells me
That it is not a difficult task
To love God.
My heart-teacher tells me
That it is not a difficult task
To love mankind.
My mind-teacher tells me
That it is absolutely
The most difficult task
To love myself.

2339. Three rare achievements

You are the possessor
Of not one, not two, but three
Rare achievements:
Eternity’s aspiration-seed,
Infinity’s service-tree
And
Immortality’s surrender-fruit.

2340. Do you want to be happy?

Do you want to be happy,
At least temporarily,
On the practical plane?
Then try to do the things
God is asking you to do,
Starting with your body,
Vital and mind.

2341. Start struggling with your body

Do you want to be happy?
Then start struggling
With your struggling body.

Do you want to be happy?
Then start serving
With your serving body.

2342. Start tormenting your vital

Do you want to be happy?
Then start tormenting
Your tormenting vital.

Do you want to be happy?
Then start blinding
Your blinding vital.

2343. Start doubting your mind

Do you want to be happy?
Then start doubting
Your doubting mind.

Do you want to be happy?
Then start questioning
Your questioning mind.

2344. Start crying and loving

Do you want to be permanently happy
On the spiritual plane?
Then start crying
With your crying heart,
And start loving
With your loving heart.

2345. Start smiling and flying

Do you want to be permanently happy
On the spiritual plane?
Then start smiling
At your smiling soul,
And start flying
With your flying soul.

2346. My heart's peace

My mind’s excellence
Cannot be my heart’s peace.
My life’s dedication-flood
Is my heart’s peace-sea.

2347. One second of hope

One second of hope embodies
Eternity’s infinite joy
And
Immortality’s satisfaction-life.

2348. If your mind is thought-bound

If your mind is thought-bound,
Then beauty-flower will not blossom
And purity-day will not dawn
Inside your heart-world.

2349. A kind of strength

Each desire
Is a kind of strength.
But we cannot trust this strength
For it quite often fails us.
What is worse,
At times it even strangles us.

2350. My first aspiration

My last desire:
I shall not expect anything
From God.

My first aspiration:
Mine will be the life
Of surrender unconditional.

2351. His Master's unwritten message

His Master’s unwritten message:
The human life is only
A series of humours and rumours.

His Master’s unmanifested message:
Only the divine hunger
Satisfies God.

2352. The same boat

O my cheerless body,
O my hopeless vital,
O my goalless mind,
O my soulless heart,
We are all sailing
In the boat
That is plying
Between
Nothingness-shore
And
Destruction-shore.

2353. A new affair

For many years
He has been having an affair
With his temptation-vital.
But today is the beginning
Of a new affair,
An affair with his dedication-life.

2354. An unfamiliar hope

I love God.
Therefore
God will give me
Whatever I want.
This is a familiar hope.

God loves me.
Therefore
God will give me
Only the things that He wants.
This is an unfamiliar hope.

2355. Your peculiar realisation

Because of your peculiar realisation —
“Progress-life is limited” —
Today you are doomed
To a life of abysmal failure.

2356. God gave me instead

I prayed to God
To grant me His Thunder-Foot
For my life-purification.
God gave me instead
His Compassion-Eye
For my life-liberation.

2357. The balloons of your pretence

Finally
The balloons of your pretence
Have all burst.

Before long
Your silver sincerity will multiply
Your achievement-trees.

2358. Your volcano-aspiration

God will forgive you
If you suspect
His Compassion-Sea.
But God will not forgive you
If you suspect
Your volcano-aspiration.

2359. Your Himalayan self-command

A loving past you had,
An aspiring present you have,
An inspiring future you will have
By virtue of your
Himalayan self-command.

2360. No failure is final

No failure is final.
Therefore,
I shall try once again.

No despair is destined.
Therefore,
I am bound to succeed.

2361. His mind is now really happy

His mind is now really happy.
Do you know why?
Because a stream of silver faith
Is flowing sweetly.

2362. His heart is now really happy

His heart is now really happy.
Do you know why?
Because a most beautiful gratitude-flower
Is lovingly blossoming.

2363. Success is action

Success is action.
Therefore,
I am smiling at God.

Progress is action.
Therefore,
God and I are dancing together.

2364. His life's unexplained mysteries

His life’s two unexplained mysteries:
Why did he sing so powerfully
With ignorance-day?
Why did he dance so openly
With ignorance-night?

2365. He knows when to fight back

Nothing can permanently defeat him,
For he knows when to fight back.
When?
In the immediacy of today.
Where will he get help?
From God’s own two beautiful Eyes
And God’s own two powerful Arms.

2366. A symphony of prosperity

His mind is enjoying today
A symphony of prosperity.
How can it be true?
Look,
His mind has surrendered
To his heart,
And his heart has transformed
His vital and his body.

2367. The company of silence

I enjoy the company of silence.
It is at once
Soulful and fruitful.

I enjoy the company of sound.
It is at once
Meaningful and powerful.

2368. Sincerity rises

Sincerity rises
After each fall.
Purity listens
To the inner call.
Humility is
God’s own fond doll.

2369. The dependence is mutual

The dependence is mutual.
My mind depends on my heart
For its soulfulness.
My heart depends on my mind
For its alertness.

2370. A perfect leader

A great leader
Is a great servant.
A good leader
Is a good slave.
A perfect leader
Is earth’s perfect smile.

2371. Dreamers and lovers

As a dreamer,
He is loved by God
Constantly.

As a Lover,
God is loved by him
Unconditionally.

2372. A tomorrow that never comes

A tomorrow that never comes
Shall come to him alone,
For he is determined
To transcend himself
Within and without.

2373. He will never suffer from defects

He will never suffer
From abiding defects,
For every defect he takes
As a pure and sure
Strengthening experience-light.

2374. Simplicity has solved my problems

Two problems I had.
My simplicity has at last
Solved them.
My simplicity has transformed
My hesitating mind
Into a daring mind.
My simplicity has transformed
My fearing heart
Into a cheering heart.

2375. The vision-light of Heaven

The vision-light of Heaven
Is subtle but not obscure.
The manifestation-might of earth
Is obscure but not subtle.

2376. My Self-Transcendence-Height

My Lord,
If I obey You
The way You want me to obey You,
What will You give me?

My child,
I shall give you
My Wings to reach
My Self-Transcendence-Height.

2377. Two sure homes

Do you know
What my mind is?
It is the sure home
Of hopeless thoughts.

Do you know
What my heart is?
It is the sure home
Of my blessingful God.

2378. Worries of the mind

Three most deplorable
Worries of the mind:
In the morning
It knows too little.
In the afternoon
It knows too much.
At night
It either forgets everything
Or misuses everything.

2379. They never fail

A Satisfaction-God
Never fails.
A perfection-soul
Never fails.
A purity-heart
Never fails.
A gratitude-life
Never fails.

2380. The hour of patience

Surprisingly beautiful
Is the hour of patience.
Amazingly fruitful
Is the power of patience.

2381. Question your mind dauntlessly

Question your mind dauntlessly,
Search your heart carefully.
You will be able to fathom Heaven
Inside your dedication-life.

2382. God's Compassion-Heights

God’s Forgiveness-Depths
Cover my littleness
Secretly.

God’s Compassion-Heights
Magnify and multiply my greatness
Openly.

2383. Saviour of the mind

How can the mind forever remain imprisoned
Even if it scatters darkness
All around?
Who does not know
That its saviour
Is its own all-forgiving soul?

2384. My heart's sacred thoughts

My sweet Lord,
Quickly and proudly You lead me,
But only when I tell You
My secret heart’s
Sacred thoughts.

2385. Three special freedoms

My mind enjoys
The freedom of speculation.

My heart enjoys
The freedom of perfection.

My soul enjoys
The freedom of satisfaction.

2386. Titan eyes

His is the mind
That has
The titan eyes.
But
His is the heart
That has
The sun-melting rays.

2387. A smile on his blue-gold face

When a smile crept over
His blue-gold face
At last,
It immediately quenched
My long-tormenting thirst.

2388. An armour of proof

What my mind needs
Is a strong armour of proof.
What my heart needs
Is a sweet ripple of belief.

2389. The grand palace of will-power

O mind,
O my poor, blind mind!
Nobody can force you
To live inside
A dark, deep thought-cave,
Nobody.
Why not start living
From today on
In the grand palace of will-power?

2390. When I look at him

When I look at him,
I see in him an earthly host.
When I think of him,
I feel in him a Heavenly guest.

2391. More changeful than the tide

It is not your mind
That is more changeful
Than the tide.

It is not even your thoughts
That are more changeful
Than the tide.

It is your love of God
That is more changeful
Than the tide.

2392. The gates of laughter wild

The gates of laughter wild
Opened themselves wide
When I promised that
My mind would visit God
Every day
And my life would invite God
Every day.

2393. A flower in his life

His mind has now become
A withering flower
In his life.

His heart forever remains
A blossoming and glowing flower
In his life.

2394. When I unconditionally meditate

When I do not soulfully meditate,
My mind becomes self-deceiving fears.
When I unconditionally meditate,
My heart becomes God-winning tears.

2395. If your heart is empty

If your mind is empty of desires,
Then God Himself will feed you
His morning manna.

If your heart is empty of insecurities,
Then God Himself will feed you
His evening manna.

2396. A poor beggar-singer

His heart’s blue bird flies away
The moment he starts singing.
Helpless as he is,
He has no other choice.
Alas, none can sympathise
With this poor beggar-singer.

2397. If your mind surrenders

If your mind surrenders
To even one intruding thought,
Then you will, without fail, be caught
In the snare of ignorance-sleep.

2398. The perfection-dawn

What is doubt,
If not an imminent disaster?
What is faith,
If not the perfection-dawn
Of a satisfaction-day?

2399. Silence succeeds

Silence succeeds
Quickly.
Silence-light proceeds
Steadily.
Silence-delight prevails
Eternally.

2400. One idol, one hero

I have only one idol
And that idol is my crying heart.
I have only one hero
And that hero is my smiling soul.

Editor's introduction to the first edition

This is the twenty-fourth volume in a series of ten thousand “flaming flower-poems” which Sri Chinmoy is placing devotedly, unreservedly and unconditionally at the Compassion-Feet of God, our Beloved Supreme. They stand as a supreme offering from the unfolding beauty of his flower-heart and the flaming heights of his realisation-sun. Indeed, a treasure-tower which will at once be claimed by humanity’s self-ascending cry and Divinity’s God-descending Smile.

Editor's note to cover photo

Sri Chinmoy presents Rafael Hernández-Colón (then Governor of Puerto Rico) with several gifts, including the straw hat, at a special function held in the Governor’s honour.

Governor Hernández-Colón said to Sri Chinmoy, “In all my imperfections I can only say that to be beside you and to feel and contemplate your spirituality and your holiness is a great source of inspiration, of light and of guidance. I only wish that you could guide me and help me to grow in spirituality so that I may be of service to my people and mankind everywhere.”

Since then Sri Chinmoy and Hernández-Colón have met together several times, both in New York and Puerto Rico.

Editor's note

Some poems in this first edition were later selected by the author for a special collection of 207 Flower-Flames (FFP). The author also chose to revise some of his original poems for this anthology:

FF-2321: FFP 103 (revised version).
FF-2388: FFP 102 (revised version).