Sri Chinmoy lived in America since 1964, residing in the New York area until his passing in October, 2007. While still in India he wrote many soulful tributes to America. Sri Chinmoy has also composed numerous stirring songs dedicated to America. The below text is exerpted from Sri Chinmoy's writings.
May America the Beautiful forever shine bright-brighter-brightest in the Heart of God the Creator and God the Creation.
Sri Chinmoy
September 15th, 2001
O Dignity-Majesty-Divinity-Reality-flooded Soul of American Liberty! These are the good, better, best qualities of the real America, the America which is to raise the consciousness of the world, and why I came here. This is the America I envisioned in India. “Beautiful” — the real Beauty of the Absolute Supreme, universal Beauty of the Supreme, America the country embodies.
America is the land of hope, the land of promise. There will be countless Americans who will be able to bask in the sunshine of America’s divine reality. America means not only the West but entire globe.
America: the fairest child of freedom, the first to fight for the divine gift of freedom and win it for the New World. None has a keener perception of freedom's worth. America!
The whole freedom-loving world salutes you. The holy flame that burned in your heart when you were smarting under the injustices of imperial domination is still alive in you. Your one single claim to Immortality is this flame. You live not for yourself alone. You live for freedom and for those who share your love for it. The years 1914-1918 and 1939-1945 bear shining witness to your heaven-kissing flame.
You have conquered matter, but you have kept it from conquering you. That is why your fund of scientific knowledge and your bountiful wealth you freely place at the service of suffering humanity.
Brought up in the atmosphere of freedom, you have self-confidence in all your undertakings. The benefits of your freedom have fostered in you a sense of responsibility in all matters of national and international interest.
Your progressive spirit, striving towards perfection in everything, is a divine blessing. But for your magnanimous participation in many fields of international activity, the world would not be knit together as closely as it is now.
Victory in the War of Independence is the foundation stone of American nationality. The average American cannot conceive of the idea of defeat anywhere. It goes ill with his national pride.
America is wealth. America is heart.
America is sacrifice.
Before long in America hopefully
There will shine forth the world's collective soul.
America in Her Depths
Many countries, large and small,
have shared in America's munificence.
Not only her generosity
but also her ever-progressive mind and dynamic spirit
have been an asset to the whole international community.
America's evolving spirit, being the essence of her national Self, is bound to transcend its present limits and soar to the heights of spiritual oneness. In the works of her advanced thinkers there are already indications of her mental growth towards the summit of her evolution, a summit which will manifest the successful spiritual transformation of her life and thought. She may well be the first to respond to the call of God, to the unique task of self-transmutation into the consciousness of the Soul. If in a post-war world she has been a great helper, what role will be hers in the world of tomorrow, when God's Voice will be heard through all human lips?
Every nation has its soul. The soul of a nation consists of its aspirations, aptitudes and capacities placed at the service of the Supreme. Judging by her history, America holds the brightest promise of placing at the service of the Divine her aspirations, aptitudes and capacities, as she has often, in times of need, placed them at the service of humanity.
