Question: If meditation gives you such a marvellous feeling, why don't you stay in your highest meditation twenty-four hours a day? Why do you come here and give a lecture, for example?

Sri Chinmoy: What does one do when he has studied for quite a few years and has received his Master’s degree? He starts teaching. In my case, my eternal Father has given me a big heart. I know how I suffered to realise Him; I know what kind of pangs and agonies I went through to realise the Highest. Now I am seeing these pangs in my brothers and sisters. They are suffering as I did. Once upon a time, I, too, was wallowing in the pleasures of ignorance. Now I see that same thing happening to them. Since God, out of His infinite Bounty, gave me Love, Light and other divine qualities, let me offer them to that part of suffering humanity which is crying for them. I am not for the entire world. I am only for those who really want Light from me. If God wants me to be of service to my brothers and sisters who really need light, then by serving humanity I am pleasing God.

A God-realised soul is he who wants to please God in God’s own Way. Since God wants me to be of service to aspiring human beings, then that is what gives me greatest joy, and not staying in my highest consciousness, which I could easily do. Very often I show that consciousness to my disciples and students during our meditations. They have seen it often. But if I stay in that consciousness all the time, who will derive any benefit from me? I will be acting like a selfish fellow. I have the wealth, but if I keep it all for myself, then what good is it to the poverty-stricken world? If I use it for others who are desperately in need of it, only then will God be pleased with me. These people need God, and God also needs them. I am the intermediary. I go to God with folded hands because He has something to offer. I take what He has and with folded hands I offer it to mankind. Mankind also has something to offer. Its offering is ignorance. I just exchange God’s offering, Light, for man’s offering, ignorance.

"The real work, if there be any, of a Guru is to show the world that his deeds are in perfect harmony with his teachings."
  — Sri Chinmoy