Poetry

The Golden Boat

  1. Do the gods feel sorry?

Do the gods feel sorry?
Yes, they do.
Why?
Because men surpass them.

Does God feel sorry?
Yes, He does.
Why?
Because most men
Do not dare to play with Him,
Let alone compete with
Or surpass
Him.

  1. Motion and rest

Motion and rest
Complete God’s Game.
Motion and rest
Are two brothers.

Rest prepares;
Motion distributes.
Rest dives deep within;
Motion flies far without.

In rest God dreams
His Reality-life.
In motion God becomes
One and inseparable
With His Dream-fulfilled Boat.

  1. What is it?

Wisdom, what is it?
Peace.
Peace, what is it?
Satisfaction.
Satisfaction, what is it?
Perfection.
Perfection, what is it?
Light,
More Light,
Abundant Light,
Light infinite.

  1. After the long inner struggle

There was a time
When he was far removed from Truth.
But
Now he measures
Not only
His life
But also
The immensity of God’s Depth
And
The infinity of God’s Height.
After the long inner struggle
He sees the meaning of life,
He feels the meaning of light.

  1. Contradictions

Human birth
And
Life-freedom
Are contradictory.

Human life
And
Love-perfection
Are contradictory.

Human goal
And
God-Smile
Are contradictory.

  1. No sin, no virtue

When sin plagues him
He cries aloud.
When virtue plagues him
He cries aloud.
His Lord today tells him:
“No sin, no virtue, My son.
Only think that
I experience the life-breath
Of every moment
In a different way,
That’s all.”

  1. When I confide

When I confide my secrets
To my mind,
My mind betrays me
In a jungle of confusion.

When I confide my secrets
To my vital,
My vital throws me
Into a tornado of destruction.

When I confide my secrets
To my heart,
My heart takes me
To my soul
For special guidance.

And when I confide my secrets
To my soul,
My God-Goal immediately
Runs towards me.

  1. Words

A man of strength
Is a man of few words.

A man of silence
Speaks no words.

A man of divinity
Uses words
To please God,
To bring down God,
To manifest God the Dream on earth
And
To fulfil God the Dreamer in Heaven.

  1. Of you, for you

You have seen
What was never kept concealed.
You have found
What was never kept hidden.
You have found your God,
Who has always been
In the heart of your love-light.
No matter how sincere you are,
No matter how hard you work
To disqualify yourself for God-realisation,
You shall sadly fail.
For God’s Transcendental Dream is of you,
And God’s Universal Reality is for you.

  1. Expectations

I expect nothing from earth,
I expect nothing from Heaven.
My Supreme expects
In and through me
From earth’s life.
My Supreme expects
In and through me
From Heaven’s soul.
Earth has fulfilled our expectation:
Service-Might.
Heaven has fulfilled our expectation:
Light-Delight.

  1. Two wicked sinners, two loving friends

Doubt and jealousy are
Two wicked sinners.

Faith and hope are
Two loving friends.

Courage and sacrifice are
Two noble souls.

Beauty and Purity are
The seeker’s heart.

Truth and God are
Reality’s eyes.

  1. One with extinction’s sigh

He avoided humanity
Because humanity was sick and weak.

He avoided Divinity
Because Divinity was strong
and indifferent.

He stayed inside his fearful cave
and tearful heart
Until he become one with extinction’s sigh.

  1. Three messages

He had only three messages to give:
One to Heaven,
One to earth,
One to hell.
“Dear Heaven,
Be careful of your indifference-power.
Dear earth,
Be careful of your ignorance-length.
Dear hell,
Be careful of Satan’s autocracy.”

(Sri Chinmoy, The Golden Boat, part 5)

  1. Earth

It is my joy, my privilege,
To talk to you, earth.
My silver hope
And
My golden faith
Are centred inside the breath
Of your heart.
Heaven is God’s Dream,
Nothing more.
You are God’s Reality.
Something more:
You are God’s own Progress.

  1. A real Guru

Who is a real Guru?
A real Guru is he
Who does not call you stupid,
Undivine and useless.
A real Guru is he who says:
“You have knowledge,
But you need more knowledge.
Try, you certainly can!”

A real Guru is he who says:
“You are divine,
But you can be more divine.
Try, you certainly can!”

A real Guru is he who says:
“You are useful,
Infinitely more useful
Than you ever can imagine.
But you can be more useful.
Try, you certainly can!”

A real Guru is he who says:
“You are God’s chosen instrument.
You are useful,
You are fruitful,
You are indispensable
To the divine Vision of God.”

  1. The builders

Don’t forget,
You are the builders
Of tomorrow’s world.
What do you have?
Inspiration-flood.
That is enough.
What else do you have?
Aspiration-blood.
That is more than enough.
God has a message for you:
Don’t imitate,
But create something new
That will forever last.

  1. Why do you suffer?

Why do you suffer?
You suffer
Because
You trust idle rumours.

Why do you suffer?
You suffer
Because
You do a lot of hasty thinking.

Why do you suffer?
You suffer
Because
You do not eschew clever opportunism.

Why do you suffer?
You suffer
Because
You ceaselessly expect popularity.

  1. Don’t you know?

Don’t you know
That your doubtful mind
Is a big blot
On your soul’s fair smile?

Don’t you know
That your suspicious mind
Is a big blot
On your heart’s deep cry?

Don’t you know
That your argumentative mind
Is a big blot
On your God’s Compassion?

Don’t you know
That there is no difference
Between your doubtful mind
And your militaristic mind?

Don’t you know
That there is no difference
Between your suspicious mind
And your imperialistic mind?

Don’t you know
That there is no difference
Between your argumentative
And your unrealistic mind?

  1. Because you are great

Your body loves you
Because
You are a great sleeper.

Your vital loves you
Because
You are a great warrior.

Your mind loves you
Because
You are a great debater.

Your heart loves you
Because
You are a great server.

Your soul loves you
Because
You are a great observer.

Your God loves you
Because
You are a great dreamer.

  1. Don’t speak ill of them

Don’t speak ill of your poor body.
It regularly feeds itself;
You are just not aware of it.

Don’t speak ill of your poor vital.
It regularly widens itself;
You are just not aware of it.

Don’t speak ill of your poor mind.
It regularly empties itself;
You are just not aware of it.

Don’t speak ill of your poor heart.
It regularly fills itself;
You are just not aware of it.

Don’t speak ill of your poor God.
He regularly examines Himself;
You are just not aware of it.

  1. Look!

You are not blind.
Look at your mind.
Your mind is a rich awakening.

You are not weak.
Look at your heart.
Your heart is a rich resolve.

You are not hopeless.
Look at your soul.
Your soul is a rich harvest.

You are not useless.
Look at your God.
Your God is all for you,
For you alone.

  1. Remember one more thing

Ignorance-insincerity
Is the marked feature
Of your unlit mind.

Ignorance-insecurity
Is the marked feature
Of your unaspiring heart.

Remember, God needs your mind.
Remember, God needs your heart.
Remember one thing more:
What you call life-building..
.
I call that very thing
God-flowering.

  1. I am sorry

Why don’t you play,
Sing and dance?
Don’t you believe in
God’s universal Love
Of immortal Oneness?
If you fail to believe
I am sorry.
Your heart-life
Is nothing
But
A progressive poverty.

  1. His happiness

In his animal life
He was happy
Because
There was no human observer.

In his human life
He is happy
Because
He is always at the Feet
Of God the constant Forgiver.

In his divine life
He will be happy
Because
He will always play
With God the unconditional Lover.

  1. This will really make me happy

Lord, accept me
As a dreamer
In Your Heaven.
This will really make me happy.

Lord, accept me
As a striver
On Your earth.
This will really make me happy.

Lord, accept me
As a searcher
Outside Your Body.
This will really make me happy.

Lord, accept me
As a lover
Inside Your Heart.
This will really make me happy.

  1. Why God is so pleased with you

Do you know
Why God is so pleased with you?
He is pleased with you
Because
You have realised
That there is no stranger
In the kingdom of humanity.

Do you know
Why God is so pleased with you?
He is pleased with you
Because
You have realised
That there is no intruder
In the country of Divinity.

(Sri Chinmoy, The Golden Boat, part 10)

 What do I do?

What do I do?
I meditate.
On whom?
On God.
For whom?
For God.

And what do I do
In my spare time?
I write love-letters to God.
I compose love-songs for God.

  1. I can wait for Him

I know that
My Lord Supreme
Will come at His choice Hour.
I know that everything in me
Will reach Perfection’s height.
Devotedly I can wait for Him.
I certainly can.

  1. Thinking, planning, doing

Father Supreme,
You know what I am thinking,
You know what I am planning,
You know what I shall be doing.

In case You do not know,
Let me tell You:
I am thinking of loving You more.
I am planning to serve You more.
I shall be doing everything for You
Unconditionally.
Beloved Supreme, I sincerely mean it.

  1. I am happy

My sweet Lord,
I am happy
Because
I am always in Your world.
I am happier
Because
You are always in charge of my life.
I am happiest
Because
I need You only.

  1. Oneness-heart

Doubt, I am sorry,
I have already told you
That I shall go with somebody else.
I may, however, do you a last favour.
You want to know who he is?
He is my very old, forgotten friend
And your eternal enemy:
Oneness-heart.

  1. Earth and Heaven, what is happening?

Earth, what is happening?
Why are you so sad?
You mean you do not know
That God needs you?
I tell you, He definitely needs you.
For God’s sake, do not treasure
False thought-world.

Heaven, what is happening?
Why are you dancing?
You mean God always needs you?
Don’t be a fool.
God can perfectly live without you.
I warn you,
He certainly can.

  1. Supreme reliance

Yesterday
I was super-confident
Of my success-life.

Today
I am confident
Of my progress-life.

Tomorrow
I shall rely only on God’s
Unconditional Compassion-Life.

  1. You are more than beautiful

O my surrender-light,
All the divine qualities
Are beautiful,
But you are more than beautiful;
You are fruitful.

Love I need
To see the Face of God.
Devotion I need
To feel within my heart
The Presence of God.
But
You I need
To please God constantly,
To fulfil God unconditionally.

  1. In common

Earth, I need you,
Although
We do not have anything
In common.

Heaven, I love you,
Although
We do not have anything
In common.

God, I need you,
I love You
Since
You and I have many things
In common.

Alas, where are You?
And where am I?

  1. God is charmed by me

Alas, why did I fall
In love with ignorance-night?
I should have known long before
What it was really like.

Now God is unmistakably
Charmed by me.
Alas, will I be able to give Him
All my attention
And
Pay Him His absolute due?

I hope it is not too late —
Alas, alas!

  1. Earth-promise and Heaven-indulgence

When
You are on earth,
Be pure in your heart,
Be sure of your life.

When
You are in Heaven,
Be sincere to your earth-promise,
Be careful of your Heaven-indulgence.

  1. My presence and Your Presence

Lord Supreme, the difference
Between
My presence in You
And
Your Presence in me
Is this:
My presence helps You
To relax and rest.
Your Presence makes me
Feel safe and secure.

(Sri Chinmoy, The Golden Boat, part 20)

(Text and music by Sri Chinmoy)

Translation:

O my Boat, o my Boatman,
O message of Transcendental Delight,
Carry me. My heart is thirsty and hungry,
And it is fast asleep at the same time.
Cary my heart to the other shore.
The dance of death I see all around.
The thunder of destruction indomitable I hear.
O my Inner Pilot, You are mine.
You are the Ocean of Compassion infinite.
In You I lose myself,
My all in You I lose.

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We are all leaves, flowers
And fruits
On the different religion-branches
Of the birthless and deathless
Life-tree.

(Sri Chinmoy)

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