February 10

1978

I Pray

A talk by Sri Chinmoy
at Columbia University, New York

I pray. I pray because I am hungry. I have an inner hunger for my Lord's Compassion-Flood and Satisfaction-Sea.

My prayer is a two-way conversation between my heart's soulful cry and my Lord's blessingful Smile.

My prayer is at once my assurance and my confidence. I assure my body, my vital and my mind that they are of the Supreme and for the Supreme. I offer confidence to those who are sailing in the same boat and heading towards the selfsame destined Goal as I, and yet are wanting in confidence.

Each day I renew my prayer. That means that each day I intensify and strengthen my commitment to my Beloved Supreme. It is my commitment, my sole commitment, to please Him in His own Way constantly, unreservedly and unconditionally.

I pray to my Lord Supreme that I will be conscious that His Existence is constantly with me. I pray to my Lord Supreme that I will be constantly, consciously with Him. I feel that when He is with me, I am partially perfect, but when I am with Him, I am totally perfect.

My Lord Supreme, out of His infinite Bounty, has already chosen me to be His devoted and surrendered instrument. Now it is I who have to choose Him as my Eternity's only Pilot Supreme. It is I who have to make the supreme decision of choosing Him all the time on the strength of my inner cry. When I choose God unconditionally and when I remain with God constantly, at that time I am completely perfect.

My life is a combination of unanswered prayers and unoffered prayers. When my prayers are not fulfilled, I am not sad. At that time sorrow does not torture me, for I know that my unanswered prayers are blessings in disguise. It is my unoffered prayers that pain me constantly. My unoffered prayers take me far, farther farthest from God's Justice-Light and Compassion-Height, while my unanswered prayers are always helping me far beyond my imagination. The divine seeker and the divine lover in me teach my unconscious body, my uncontrolled vital and my unillumined mind that my unanswered prayers are blessings in disguise, for my Beloved Supreme knows what is best for me always.

My prayers are my Lord's Compassion-cultivation and my own satisfaction-harvest. I pray, I pray.

Published in Wisdom-Waves in New York, part 1

2002