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The nation that soulfully cries for inner development and devotedly cries for outer growth can alone be in the vanguard of the teeming nations. A nation falls when it deliberately and vehemently resists the idea of being on the side of Truth. A nation can flourish when it loves the world, not for what the world will give in return, but for the sake of love. Selfless love, true love, never ends, never fails. Love is its own immediate reward.

To me, the real worth of nations lies in their united principles.  The united principles must needs have cooperation. If there is no cooperation, then the united principles will bear no fruit whatsoever. The present-day world needs cooperation.

Supremely significant are the words of former Secretary-General U Thant: “I can think of no worthier task for a man or a woman to be engaged in than that of creating the tools for international cooperation and working for the betterment of his fellow human beings.” Also, he soulfully affirmed: “Our work at the United Nations gives us the privilege of contributing actively from day to day in the ardent process of building peace.”

Each nation right now needs peace. Man seeks peace because he needs peace desperately. Man welcomes peace because it is in peace alone that he can have his own true achievement and fulfilment. The moment he needs peace, he has to feel that sooner or later he will receive it. And when his inner being is flooded with peace, he has to spread this peace.

War and peace. Inner war is constant. At every moment a sincere seeker has to fight against his own doubt, imperfections, limitations, bondage and death.

War and peace. Man invents war. Man discovers peace. Man invents war from without. Man discovers peace from within.

– Sri Chinmoy, The Garland of Nation-Souls, 1972

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