PANAMA HONOURS, SRI CHINMOY BOWS

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“PANAMA HONOURS, SRI CHINMOY BOWS “

Photos by Richard Howard and Lloyd Hart

Copyright © 1981 by Sri Chinmoy


Photos from Original booklet to be added at appropriate places in text below:

See also individual page images and PDF-OCR format of original Booklet at end of this section.


“Sri Chinmoy has shown how much can be done by having faith in the dignity and worth of the human person – in children, in youth, in the elderly, in men and women alike . All of us here have tears and smiles of joy in our hearts in paying a tribute of gratitude to Sri Chinmoy on the occasion of his fiftieth birthday. Sri Chinmoy is a guiding light that leads to the way of oneness and to the supreme Oneness itself. I would say that through his teachings he has given us Heaven-vision and earth-reality.”

With these words Foreign Minister Illueca of Panama presented Sri Chinmoy with his country’s highest decoration, the Order of Vasco Nuiiez de Balboa in the rank of Great Cross, in recognition of his work toward world peace. The occasion was the fiftieth birthday salute to Sri Chinmoy held at the United Nations in New York, where Sri Chinmoy has been leading meditations for delegates and staff for the past eleven years. Dr. Illueca continuously offered his strong support to the ideals and activities of Sri Chinmoy Meditation at the United Nations while he served as his country’s Ambassador to the U.N. After his appointment as Panama’s Foreign Minister in February 1981, Dr. Illueca continued to encourage the group in its efforts to serve the world community.

While in New York attending Security Council meetings, Dr. Illueca participated in the programme honouring Sri Chinmoy on 20 August 1981. As the final speaker in the programme, which was held in the Chapel of the Church Center for the United Nations, Foreign Minister Illueca told the gathering:

“Sri Chinmoy has said that a nation is a drop – a tiny drop or a mighty drop – in the vast ocean of divine, fulfilling and fruitful consciousness. My government and my people want to honour Sri Chinmoy today since he has done so much for all of us. The President of Panama and I , as Foreign Minister, have decided to grant him the National Decoration of the Republic of Panama , the Order of Vasco Nunez de Balboa, the discoverer of the Pacific Ocean. We want Sri Chinmoy to have this decoration because he has in his heart an ocean of the qualities of love, understanding and oneness. We always will keep the image of Sri Chinmoy in our hearts.”

Dr . Illueca then placed a maroon and gold sash around Sri Chinmoy’s shoulders and read out, in Spanish, a proclamation from his Government which he translated as follows :

“The President of the Republic of Panama, Grand Master of the Order of Vasco Nunez de Balboa, confers the decoration of the Order of Vasco Nunez de Balboa in the rank of Great Cross on the honourable Sri Chinmoy in recognition of his eminence. Given in Panama this 7th day of August 1981.”

The presentation of Panama’s highest honour had been a well-kept secret, a “surprise” decoration from the Panamanian Government for the spiritual leader’s fiftieth birthday.

Deeply moved by the presentation – the first national decoration that he had received-and by the Foreign Minister’s gracious tribute, Sri Chinmoy expressed his gratitude to Dr. Illueca and the soul of Panama:

“This is a most remarkable day for us and a most joyous experience that the soul of Panama is giving us in and through its choicest representative, its beloved son, Illueca. In accepting this most blessingful gift from him, I am bowing again and again to the soul of Panama. This is not only an honour but also a most blessingful gift which my life of dedication and my heart of aspiration will treasure until I breathe my last. What I have done for Panama or for the world is next to nothing. But what my Beloved Supreme is doing for me, in and through His creation, is beyond my imagination and far beyond my capacity to express in words. Therefore, in silence I can only offer my constant gratitude to my Beloved Supreme and also to those whom He has chosen, such as my dearest Brother Illueca, as His choicest instruments to love Him and serve Him soulfully and devotedly here on earth .

“I wish to invite the Meditation Group singers to sing the song that I composed in honour of Panama. They are quite unprepared to sing this song, but I am sure that the soul of Panama will forgive them even if they make many mistakes, because the soul of Panama knows that we deeply love her and adore her. Our heart of implicit oneness the soul of Panama will feel.”

(The singers performed the song.)

After the Meditation Group singers sang the song dedicated to Panama, as well as several other songs dedicated to the United Nations, Sri Chinmoy renewed his pledge of unconditional love and service to humanity. Looking back over nearly a half-century of spiritual achievement, he declared:

“My dearest brothers and dearest sisters, to each of you I wish to offer my heart of love, my soul of oneness, my life of concern and my God of Satisfaction.

“When I was an infant, God wanted me to be a God-dreamer. Indeed, it was a sweet experience.

“When I was a little boy, God wanted me to be a God-seeker. Indeed, it was a soulful experience.

“When I was a youth, God wanted me to be a God-lover. Indeed, it was an illumining experience.

“When I became an adult, God wanted me to be a God-server. And now that I am fast approaching my fiftieth birthday, God wants me to remain a God -server .

“Out of His infinite Bounty my Beloved Supreme has taught me how to love Him and how to serve Him unconditionally. Now He has a special Message for me, a special Command which I must needs execute. His Command is that I love and serve unconditionally His entire creation – His children, my brothers and sisters throughout the world-in the same way that I have been able to love and serve Him unconditionally from the day He made me sleeplessly and inseparably one with Him, out of His Compassion infinite and Love immortal, many, many years ago, before I crossed the threshold of teenage-hood. I pray to my Beloved Supreme to grant me this capacity, and I am sure that He has already granted it. For my Beloved Supreme would never ask me to do anything without having first given me the capacity in ample measure to fulfil His Will. I pray to Him to execute His Will in and through me. I pray that from today on I shall love and love and serve and serve His creation vast-my dear and sweet brothers and sisters on this earth -planet – unconditionally.”

* * *

Above: Foreign Minister Illueca of Panama decorates Sri Chinmoy with the Order of Balboa, his country’s highest decoration. Below: Dr. Illueca reads a proclamation from the President of Panama.

(image of proclamation)

The President of the Republic of Panama Grand Master of the Order of Vasco Nlliiez de Balboa confers the decoration of the Order of Vasco Nlliiez de Balboa in the rank of Great Cross on the honourable Sri Chinmoy in recognition of his eminence.

Given in Panama this 7th day of August 1981.

( Signed) lorge E. Illueca                                                                                          (Signed) Aristides Royo

      Minister of Foreign Affairs

Grand Chancellor of the Order

 

Noted on page 6 of the respective book

(Signed) Luis Arrita Aleman

Director of Protocol

 

Several weeks later Sri Chinmoy had the opportunity to express his sincere gratitude privately when he and several members of the Meditation Group joined DL Illueca and his family at the Panama Mission to celebrate the Foreign Minister’s birthday on 17 September Presenting  Dr. Illueca with a bouquet of flowers and a cake with his portrait etched in icing, Sri Chinmoy said:

“My heart of love and my soul of oneness forever and forever are with you. Also, I pray to the Absolute Supreme on this most auspicious day to grant you His infinite Love and His infinite Blessings so that you can fulfil your mission most satisfactorily, as you have been doing all along, not only for your country but also for the entire humanity. To me you are most precious, for you have pleased your Inner Pilot. This is the goal of all human beings_ We are all aiming at the selfsame goal, the goal that you have already reached.

We are all trying to please the Heavenly Father, which is what you have already done so soulfully, powerfully and perfectly.”

Dr. Illueca spontaneously replied, “You are overwhelming me_ When I am with you, I have another personality. I don’t have enough words to express my gratitude and appreciation. In fact , I feel with all humility that I don’t deserve the feelings and kind of friendship and affection that you have given me. I hope that the Supreme Being will give Ille the opportunity to do something really meaningful. ”

Later the Foreign Minister explained the history of the Order of Balboa: “In 1513 Balboa discovered the Pacific Ocean after crossing PanaIlla, and the award that we gave Sri ChinIlloy is in honour of the discovery of the Pacific Ocean. The same ocean also borders Japan and China in the Far East. Because of this interesting background we thought that , with his universal view of Panama, it was appropriate to give Sri Chinmoy the award.

The Panama Canal has been in operation since the early part of this century. But it was Vasco Nunez de Balboa who made it very clear to the Spanish kings that this kind of passageway across Panama was the logical way to go from one ocean to another.

“The Order of Balboa was established in the 1940’s. It was granted to Sri Chinmoy with the same degree of Great Cross that is given to heads of diplomatic missions and Ambassadors. We wanted to honour him and we do hope that it will have a special meaning to him .”

Sri Chinmoy assured Dr. Illueca that the decoration indeed held a special meaning for him : “My students and I will always be grateful to Panama. Panama is the pioneer country in giving me this kind of award. We are especially grateful to you because it is you who represent Panama – the soul and the body of Panama. So for us it is your kindness and oneness that have come forward to appreciate us and what little we do for mankind.

This appreciation we take as a blessingful  gift, and with this gift we shall try to continue our journey. You have truly considerably helped us in the little effort for peace that we have been making in the world with our prayers and meditations. Your oneness with our aspiration has helped us and will continue to help us beyond your imagination.

“It is our greatest joy and honour that you have  appreciated – not only appreciated but also  increased – our capacity at the United Nations.  Our soulful capacity has been increased enormously  by your constant support and guidance in  so many ways. In the United Nations you are one of  our strongest supporters. In the inner world we feel  your strong support, and in the outer world we see  it in all the activities that we do for the United  Nations. In you we have found a true spiritual  brother-a brother of fondness, a brother who has  the illumination to guide his other brothers and  sisters. My heart’s feeling I am unable to express  through mere words. My heart knows, my heart  feels and my heart is able to express only in silence  how deeply my students and I are grateful to you .”

Dr. Illueca thanked Sri Chinmoy, saying, “You  know that perhaps due to the good thoughts of  you, Sri Chinmoy, and our dear friends in the  Meditation Group, we were successful in getting  elected to the vice-presidency of the General  Assembly. Panama is one of the three Latin American  countries to have the post of Vice- President of  the General Assembly during the thirty-sixth  session. ”

The Foreign Minister then gave Sri Chinmoy and  each member of the Meditation Group a flower,  remarking with a smile, “I feel that giving a rose or  a flower is like bringing out our inner feelings. This  is something I have learned from you.”

* * *

The close friendship between Dr. Illueca and Sri  Chinmoy and the Meditation Group has grown  over the years since Dr. Illueca and Sri Chinmoy  first met in December 1977 at one of the group’s  programmes at the U.N., “Oneness-Earth.” Dr.  Illueca represented Panama at this “celebration of  universal brotherhood and unity evoked in this  season of holidays,” which was bmadcast by  CBS-TV on Christmas Day. Since then, Dr. Illueca   has participated in many of the group’s activties,  including programmes for V .N. Charter Day,  Human Rights Day and the anniversary of  Panama’s joining the V.N. In 1979, which was  declared by the U.N . as the International Year of  the Child, Dr. Illueca hosted a reception for the  diplomatic community commemorating the Year of  the Child, held in a gallery which was having an  exhibit of Sri Chinmoy’s paintings. In April 1980  Panama and the Meditation Group co-sponsored a  free concert for the U.N. community by the world famous  jazz guitarist Devadip Carlos Santana.  When Dr. Illueca was unexpectedly called out of  the country, Mrs. Illueca served as Master of  Ceremonies.

* * *

Sri Chinmoy’s friendship with Dr. Illueca, along  with his admiration for the Republic of Panama,  inspired him to set music to the motto of Panama,  “Honour, Justice and Liberty,” and also to write  songs dedicated to Dr. Illueca and Panama. The  words of the songs dedicated to Panama and Dr.  Illueca are as follows :

Panama, Panama, Panama!

o heart-feeding panorama!

The world’s sleepless attention,

Your Panama-beauty’s perfection.

Small in body, large in hear~

To smash the pride of ignorance-dart.

For all, your Panama Canal-soul.

All long for its possession-goal.

(27 June 1979)

Ambassador Illueca!

Professor, Editor Illueca!

Barrister, Mentor Illueca!

Congressman, Chairman, President prominent,

Server, Brother Illueca!

A great illumination-mind

In you we find, in you we find.

A good perfection-heart

Has smashed darkness-dart.

A supreme oneness-life

Beyond ignorance-knife,

A God-satisfaction-soul.

Within your ken, your Goal.

(12 November 1978)

* * *

Sri Chinmoy was also inspired to dedicate a song  to the President of the Republic of Panama ,  Aristides Royo. During his first visit to New York  on 29 and 30 September 1981 , President Royo  addressed the United Nations General Assembly,  and also hosted a reception in honour of SecretaryGeneral  Kurt Waldheim at the Grand Hyatt Hotel.

It was at this reception that the President and Sri  Chinmoy met for the first time. SI1 Chinmoy  thanked the President for having given him  Panama’s highest honour, and presented him with  a copy of the song he had written. Deeply moved.  President Royo requested some of the Meditation  Group singers accompanying Sri Chinmoy to sing it  then and there. After the impromptu performance.  the President said to Sri Chinmoy : “Thank you  very much for this song. This is the most beautiful  gift that I have received here in New York .”

Following are the words of the song dedicated to  President Royo:

PRESIDENT ROYO: A VISION-SUN

President Royo, 0 pinnacle-pride of Panama!

A vision-sun in God’s Cosmic Drama.

o swiftest deer-speed, 0 bravest lion-strength!

Yours is the heart of boundless oneness-length.

* * *

Above: Sri Chinmoy expresses his gratitude to Dr.  Illueca when members of the Meditation Group  joined with Dr. Illueca and his family at the  Panama Mission to celebrate the Foreign Minister’s  birthday on 17 September 1981 . Below: Mrs.  Illueca displays a cake presented by Sri Chinmoy  with Dr. Illueca’s portrait etched in icing.

Above: President Royo of Panama greets Sri Chinmoy  at the Panama State reception on 30 September  1981 .

Below: Sri Chinmoy presents the President with a  copy of the song he had written in his honour.

H .E. Dr. Carlos Ozores Typaldos, Permanent Representative  of Panama to the United Nations (left)  speaks with Sri Chinmoy at the Panama reception.

For more photos of the 1981 Sep – 3oth programme: https://www.srichinmoypeacemeditationatun.org/1981/09/30/president-of-republic-of-panama-aristides-royo-1st-visit-n-y-29-and-30-sep-1981/


 

 

Above: Dr. Illueca joins Sri Chinmoy and members  of the diplomatic community in December 1977 in  a programme called “Oneness-Earth, ” which was  televised over CBS- TV.  Brief excerpts from the programme follow:

H.E. Dr. Jorge E. Illueca, Permanent Representative  of Panama: On this occasion we do well  to meditate on the main purpose of the United Nations,  which is to be a centre for harmonising the  actions of nations in the peaceful attainment of  international cooperation . .. . In their quest for  peace, brotherhood and harmony, the peoples of  the world share common beliefs, hopes and  dreams, and they should come closer to one another  at a time when this “Oneness-Earth” 1S approaching  the twenty-first century. 16

H.E. Mr. Allard Lowenstein, Alternate Representative  of the United States : People must  remember, in this season , how much they have to  learn from one another, how much they have to  give to one another, and how much they lose by  despoiling one another.

Mr. Thami Mhlambiso, Representative of the  African National Congress : Let us resolve to bring  an end to apartheid and to fight the enemies of  freedom and justice. Let us remember also all our  brothers and sisters who are homeless today, for it  must be our task and duty to see that they also have  a place in the sun, so that oneness on earth will  flourish .

Dr. John Grun, Director of the International  Year of the Child Secretariat: If there is one issue  on which the world is in agreement, it is surely the  child. Men and women everywhere agree with the  Declaration of the Rights of the Child when it says  that the world owes the child the best it has to give.  That world, of course, is us, all of us.

Monsignor G. Chell~ Permanent Observer of the  Holy See : The beautiful traditions of Christmas  and occasions like this, when we can get together to  share our thoughts and feelings at this season, are  an inspiration to us to renew our love for our  Creator and all of creation. We know that if all  would have love for one another and for the  universe which has been given to us, then all the  problems of the world would be resolved.

 

Dr. Robert Muller, Deputy Under-SecretaryGeneral:  Never before has there been such an  opportunity for the fulfilment, for the flowering of  human life into an unbelievable consciousness, if  we work together at it, not only with our minds,  with our hands and intelligence, but also with our  hearts and with our souls.

Sri Chinmoy: The desire-man demands divisionearth.  The aspiration-man yearns for OnenessEarth.  Oneness-Earth means God-Satisfaction in its  universal Dream-Reality. Dream is the oneness of  the earth-family; Reality is the perfection ever transcending  of the earth-family.

* * *

Dr. Illueca hosts an International Year of the Child  observance in August 1979, attended by Ambassadors  and representatives Jrom Costa Rica, India,  the Philippines, the Seychelles, the Dominican  Rep1tblic and Mexico.

 

Brief excerpts from the programme follow :

H.E. Dr. Jorge E. Illueca, Permanent Representative  of Panama : The purpose which guides us  today is to promote, during the International Year  of the Child and in years ahead, programmes of  action to supply basic services for children on the  national , regional and international levels, and to  stimulate the world community to renew and  reaffirm its determination to meet children’s needs  and to secure their fundamental rights.

H .E. Dr. Francisco Cuevas Cancino, Permanent  Representative of Mexico: In the beginning the  concern about children was in some ways a means  of assuring the propogation of the species. We have  transcended that. The human species is not in  danger. Therefore, we have to care about something  beyond this: that the children of today, who  are the men of tomorrow, will be able to achieve  what we are not able to do; that they should be  spiritually better; that they should be educationally  more qualified; that their outlook should be  more universal ; and that, in spite of our present  failings in this organisation, they should be able to  go ahead and to do all those things that we are  dreaming of.

H .E. Mr. Alejandro D. Yango, Permanent  Representative of the Philippines: Children are a  great national asset. No one will gainsay that they  are also our resource in promoting fellowship ,  international understanding and cooperation. If  our children are raised with love and righteousness ,  we can look forward to a world of peace and  harmony in which their creative energies are wholly  devoted to peaceful pursuits.

 

H.E. Dr. Emmanuel Esquea-GuerreroJ Permanent  Representative of the Dominican Republic:  My country has shown solidarity with the cause of  the children of the world, and this year, which has  been declared by the United Nations as the International  Year of the Child, we have not hesitated  to incorporate ourselves in the struggle launched by  the committee in charge of the activities of this  year.

Mrs. Maryanne NsubugaJ Charge d’Affaires of  the Permanent Mission of the Seychelles : I assure  you that my Government and the people of the  Seychelles have considered this International Year  of the Child very seriously, for we regard this as a  building process for the future. Whatever we do  today, we are bearing in mind the children’s future  development, education and place in society and  the international community.  Ms. Nina SibalJ First Secretary of the Permanent

Mission of India: The advocacy of the rights of the  child has long been a tradition in India, and it is very  much a living tradition today. In fact, the needs of  children and the duties of adults to children form a  part of our Constitution . . . . Keeping that in mind,  and inspired also by the United Nations Declaration  of the Rights (‘+ the Child in 1974, the Indian  Government evolved a national policy for children.

Then came the United Nations proclamation of the  International Year vf the Child, and we evolved  from our national policy a national plan of action  for this year.

* * *

Above: Ambassador Illueca and members of the  Panama Mission sing their national anthem at the  Panama Day celebration in November 1978.

Below : Mrs. Illueca, shown with her daughter  Martha, serving as Master of Ceremonies at the  Devadip Carlos Santana concert at the U.N. in  April 1980.

 

Sri Chinmoy offers Dr. Illueca a trophy for his  appointment as Foreign Minister on 17 February  1981 at a ceremony in which he was honoured by  members of the international community. Mrs.  Illueca and Ambassadors Davidson Hepburn of the  Bahamas and T.J.X. Muwamba of Malawi look  on.

Brief excerpts from the programme follow:  Ambassador Zenon Rossides, Permanent Mission  of Cyprus to the United Nations: Amb assador  Illueca is a distinguished figure, not only for his  ability as a diplomat, but above all for his  character. What we need today in the United  Nations and in the world is character-the ability  to stand for what is right and not for what is  pleasant to others, the ability to do what is right  and to do it with the grace, the good will and the  kindness that Ambassador Illueca has shown in his  work.

H.E. Mr. Ignatius Benedict Fonseka, Permanent  Representatz·ve of Sri Lanka : I need hardly say that it  is a recognition of the great qualities, the performance  and the acceptability of Foreign Minister  Illueca to have been called by his government to  head its Foreign Ministry.

H.E. Mr. T. J. X. Muwamba, Permanent Representative  of Malawi: If we have had here at the  United Nations a man whom you might call a  silent diplomat, that man is Ambassador Illueca.  We have had several explosive issues to contend  with here, and wherever we involved Ambassador  Illueca , we were sure of coming up with a compromise  of some kind.

 

SRI CHINMOY MEDITATION

AT THE UNITED NATIONS

United Nations:

the Heart-Home

of the World-Body

WE BELIEVE and we hold that each man has the  potentiality of reaching the Ultimate Truth. We  also believe that man cannot and will not remain  imperfect forever. Each man is an instrument of  God. When the hour strikes, each individual soul  listens to the inner dictates of God. When man  listens to God, his imperfections are turned into  perfections, his ignorance into knowledge, his  searching mind into revealing light and his uncertain  reality into all-fulfilling Divinity.

For information please write:

Sri Chinmoy Meditation at the United Nations

GPO 20 – Room 1837

United Nations, New York 10017

 

Sri Chinmoy Meditation at the United Nations is  an association of U.N. delegates, staff, NCO representatives  and accredited press correspondents.

This information is presented as a service and does  not necessarily represent the official views of the  United Nations or its Agencies.

 

 

 

“PANAMA HONOURS, SRI CHINMOY BOWS “

Photos by Richard Howard and Lloyd Hart

Copyright © 1981 by Sri Chinmoy

“Sri Chinmoy has shown how much can be done by having faith in the dignity and worth of the human person – in children, in youth, in the elderly, in men and women alike . All of us here have tears and smiles of joy in our hearts in paying a tribute of gratitude to Sri Chinmoy on the occasion of his fiftieth birthday. Sri Chinmoy is a guiding light that leads to the way of oneness and to the supreme Oneness itself. I would say that through his teachings he has given us Heaven-vision and earth-reality.”

With these words Foreign Minister Illueca of Panama presented Sri Chinmoy with his country’s highest decoration, the Order of Vasco Nuiiez de Balboa in the rank of Great Cross, in recognition of his work toward world peace. The occasion was the fiftieth birthday salute to Sri Chinmoy held at the United Nations in New York, where Sri Chinmoy has been leading meditations for delegates and staff for the past eleven years. Dr. Illueca continuously offered his strong support to the ideals and activities of Sri Chinmoy Meditation at the United Nations while he served as his country’s Ambassador to the U.N. After his appointment as Panama’s Foreign Minister in February 1981, Dr. Illueca continued to encourage the group in its efforts to serve the world community.

While in New York attending Security Council meetings, Dr. Illueca participated in the programme honouring Sri Chinmoy on 20 August 1981. As the final speaker in the programme, which was held in the Chapel of the Church Center for the United Nations, Foreign Minister Illueca told the gathering:

“Sri Chinmoy has said that a nation is a drop – a tiny drop or a mighty drop – in the vast ocean of divine, fulfilling and fruitful consciousness. My government and my people want to honour Sri Chinmoy today since he has done so much for all of us. The President of Panama and I , as Foreign Minister, have decided to grant him the National Decoration of the Republic of Panama , the Order of Vasco Nunez de Balboa, the discoverer of the Pacific Ocean. We want Sri Chinmoy to have this decoration because he has in his heart an ocean of the qualities of love, understanding and oneness. We always will keep the image of Sri Chinmoy in our hearts.”

Dr . Illueca then placed a maroon and gold sash around Sri Chinmoy’s shoulders and read out, in Spanish, a proclamation from his Government which he translated as follows :

“The President of the Republic of Panama, Grand Master of the Order of Vasco Nunez de Balboa, confers the decoration of the Order of Vasco Nunez de Balboa in the rank of Great Cross on the honourable Sri Chinmoy in recognition of his eminence. Given in Panama this 7th day of August 1981.”

The presentation of Panama’s highest honour had been a well-kept secret, a “surprise” decoration from the Panamanian Government for the spiritual leader’s fiftieth birthday.

 Deeply moved by the presentation – the first national decoration that he had received-and by the Foreign Minister’s gracious tribute, Sri Chinmoy expressed his gratitude to Dr. Illueca and the soul of Panama:

“This is a most remarkable day for us and a most joyous experience that the soul of Panama is giving us in and through its choicest representative, its beloved son, Illueca. In accepting this most blessingful gift from him, I am bowing again and again to the soul of Panama. This is not only an honour but also a most blessingful gift which my life of dedication and my heart of aspiration will treasure until I breathe my last. What I have done for Panama or for the world is next to nothing. But what my Beloved Supreme is doing for me, in and through His creation, is beyond my imagination and far beyond my capacity to express in words. Therefore, in silence I can only offer my constant gratitude to my Beloved Supreme and also to those whom He has chosen, such as my dearest Brother Illueca, as His choicest instruments to love Him and serve Him soulfully and devotedly here on earth .

“I wish to invite the Meditation Group singers to sing the song that I composed in honour of Panama. They are quite unprepared to sing this song, but I am sure that the soul of Panama will forgive them even if they make many mistakes, because the soul of Panama knows that we deeply love her and adore her. Our heart of implicit oneness the soul of Panama will feel.”

 (The singers performed the song.)

After the Meditation Group singers sang the song dedicated to Panama, as well as several other songs dedicated to the United Nations, Sri Chinmoy renewed his pledge of unconditional love and service to humanity. Looking back over nearly a half-century of spiritual achievement, he declared:

“My dearest brothers and dearest sisters, to each of you I wish to offer my heart of love, my soul of oneness, my life of concern and my God of Satisfaction.

“When I was an infant, God wanted me to be a God-dreamer. Indeed, it was a sweet experience.

“When I was a little boy, God wanted me to be a God-seeker. Indeed, it was a soulful experience.

“When I was a youth, God wanted me to be a God-lover. Indeed, it was an illumining experience.

“When I became an adult, God wanted me to be a God-server. And now that I am fast approaching my fiftieth birthday, God wants me to remain a God -server .

“Out of His infinite Bounty my Beloved Supreme has taught me how to love Him and how to serve Him unconditionally. Now He has a special Message for me, a special Command which I must needs execute. His Command is that I love and serve unconditionally His entire creation – His children, my brothers and sisters throughout the world-in the same way that I have been able to love and serve Him unconditionally from the day He made me sleeplessly and inseparably one with Him, out of His Compassion infinite and Love immortal, many, many years ago, before I crossed the threshold of teenage-hood. I pray to my Beloved Supreme to grant me this capacity, and I am sure that He has already granted it. For my Beloved Supreme would never ask me to do anything without having first given me the capacity in ample measure to fulfil His Will. I pray to Him to execute His Will in and through me. I pray that from today on I shall love and love and serve and serve His creation vast-my dear and sweet brothers and sisters on this earth -planet – unconditionally.”

* * *

Above: Foreign Minister Illueca of Panama decorates Sri Chinmoy with the Order of Balboa, his country’s highest decoration. Below: Dr. Illueca reads a proclamation from the President of Panama.

(image of proclamation)

The President of the Republic of Panama Grand Master of the Order of Vasco Nlliiez de Balboa confers the decoration of the Order of Vasco Nlliiez de Balboa in the rank of Great Cross on the honourable Sri Chinmoy in recognition of his eminence.

Given in Panama this 7th day of August 1981.

( Signed) lorge E. Illueca                                                                                          (Signed) Aristides Royo

      Minister of Foreign Affairs

Grand Chancellor of the Order

Noted on page 6 of the respective book

(Signed) Luis Arrita Aleman

Director of Protocol

Several weeks later Sri Chinmoy had the opportunity to express his sincere gratitude privately when he and several members of the Meditation Group joined DL Illueca and his family at the Panama Mission to celebrate the Foreign Minister’s birthday on 17 September Presenting  Dr. Illueca with a bouquet of flowers and a cake with his portrait etched in icing, Sri Chinmoy said:

“My heart of love and my soul of oneness forever and forever are with you. Also, I pray to the Absolute Supreme on this most auspicious day to grant you His infinite Love and His infinite Blessings so that you can fulfil your mission most satisfactorily, as you have been doing all along, not only for your country but also for the entire humanity. To me you are most precious, for you have pleased your Inner Pilot. This is the goal of all human beings_ We are all aiming at the selfsame goal, the goal that you have already reached.

We are all trying to please the Heavenly Father, which is what you have already done so soulfully, powerfully and perfectly.”

Dr. Illueca spontaneously replied, “You are overwhelming me_ When I am with you, I have another personality. I don’t have enough words to express my gratitude and appreciation. In fact , I feel with all humility that I don’t deserve the feelings and kind of friendship and affection that you have given me. I hope that the Supreme Being will give Ille the opportunity to do something really meaningful. “

Later the Foreign Minister explained the history of the Order of Balboa: “In 1513 Balboa discovered the Pacific Ocean after crossing PanaIlla, and the award that we gave Sri ChinIlloy is in honour of the discovery of the Pacific Ocean. The same ocean also borders Japan and China in the Far East. Because of this interesting background we thought that , with his universal view of Panama, it was appropriate to give Sri Chinmoy the award.

The Panama Canal has been in operation since the early part of this century. But it was Vasco Nunez de Balboa who made it very clear to the Spanish kings that this kind of passageway across Panama was the logical way to go from one ocean to another.

“The Order of Balboa was established in the 1940’s. It was granted to Sri Chinmoy with the same degree of Great Cross that is given to heads of diplomatic missions and Ambassadors. We wanted to honour him and we do hope that it will have a special meaning to him .”

Sri Chinmoy assured Dr. Illueca that the decoration indeed held a special meaning for him : “My students and I will always be grateful to Panama. Panama is the pioneer country in giving me this kind of award. We are especially grateful to you because it is you who represent Panama – the soul and the body of Panama. So for us it is your kindness and oneness that have come forward to appreciate us and what little we do for mankind.

This appreciation we take as a blessingful  gift, and with this gift we shall try to continue our journey. You have truly considerably helped us in the little effort for peace that we have been making in the world with our prayers and meditations. Your oneness with our aspiration has helped us and will continue to help us beyond your imagination.

“It is our greatest joy and honour that you have  appreciated – not only appreciated but also  increased – our capacity at the United Nations.  Our soulful capacity has been increased enormously  by your constant support and guidance in  so many ways. In the United Nations you are one of  our strongest supporters. In the inner world we feel  your strong support, and in the outer world we see  it in all the activities that we do for the United  Nations. In you we have found a true spiritual  brother-a brother of fondness, a brother who has  the illumination to guide his other brothers and  sisters. My heart’s feeling I am unable to express  through mere words. My heart knows, my heart  feels and my heart is able to express only in silence  how deeply my students and I are grateful to you .”

Dr. Illueca thanked Sri Chinmoy, saying, “You  know that perhaps due to the good thoughts of  you, Sri Chinmoy, and our dear friends in the  Meditation Group, we were successful in getting  elected to the vice-presidency of the General  Assembly. Panama is one of the three Latin American  countries to have the post of Vice- President of  the General Assembly during the thirty-sixth  session. “

The Foreign Minister then gave Sri Chinmoy and  each member of the Meditation Group a flower,  remarking with a smile, “I feel that giving a rose or  a flower is like bringing out our inner feelings. This  is something I have learned from you.”

* * *

The close friendship between Dr. Illueca and Sri  Chinmoy and the Meditation Group has grown  over the years since Dr. Illueca and Sri Chinmoy  first met in December 1977 at one of the group’s  programmes at the U.N., “Oneness-Earth.” Dr.  Illueca represented Panama at this “celebration of  universal brotherhood and unity evoked in this  season of holidays,” which was bmadcast by  CBS-TV on Christmas Day. Since then, Dr. Illueca   has participated in many of the group’s activties,  including programmes for V .N. Charter Day,  Human Rights Day and the anniversary of  Panama’s joining the V.N. In 1979, which was  declared by the U.N . as the International Year of  the Child, Dr. Illueca hosted a reception for the  diplomatic community commemorating the Year of  the Child, held in a gallery which was having an  exhibit of Sri Chinmoy’s paintings. In April 1980  Panama and the Meditation Group co-sponsored a  free concert for the U.N. community by the world famous  jazz guitarist Devadip Carlos Santana.  When Dr. Illueca was unexpectedly called out of  the country, Mrs. Illueca served as Master of  Ceremonies.

* * *

Sri Chinmoy’s friendship with Dr. Illueca, along  with his admiration for the Republic of Panama,  inspired him to set music to the motto of Panama,  “Honour, Justice and Liberty,” and also to write  songs dedicated to Dr. Illueca and Panama. The  words of the songs dedicated to Panama and Dr.  Illueca are as follows :

Panama, Panama, Panama!

o heart-feeding panorama!

The world’s sleepless attention,

Your Panama-beauty’s perfection.

Small in body, large in hear~

To smash the pride of ignorance-dart.

For all, your Panama Canal-soul.

All long for its possession-goal.

(27 June 1979)

Ambassador Illueca!

Professor, Editor Illueca!

Barrister, Mentor Illueca!

Congressman, Chairman, President prominent,

Server, Brother Illueca!

A great illumination-mind

In you we find, in you we find.

A good perfection-heart

Has smashed darkness-dart.

A supreme oneness-life

Beyond ignorance-knife,

A God-satisfaction-soul.

Within your ken, your Goal.

(12 November 1978)

* * *

Sri Chinmoy was also inspired to dedicate a song  to the President of the Republic of Panama ,  Aristides Royo. During his first visit to New York  on 29 and 30 September 1981 , President Royo  addressed the United Nations General Assembly,  and also hosted a reception in honour of SecretaryGeneral  Kurt Waldheim at the Grand Hyatt Hotel.

It was at this reception that the President and Sri  Chinmoy met for the first time. SI1 Chinmoy  thanked the President for having given him  Panama’s highest honour, and presented him with  a copy of the song he had written. Deeply moved.  President Royo requested some of the Meditation  Group singers accompanying Sri Chinmoy to sing it  then and there. After the impromptu performance.  the President said to Sri Chinmoy : “Thank you  very much for this song. This is the most beautiful  gift that I have received here in New York .” 

Following are the words of the song dedicated to  President Royo:

PRESIDENT ROYO: A VISION-SUN

President Royo, 0 pinnacle-pride of Panama!

A vision-sun in God’s Cosmic Drama.

o swiftest deer-speed, 0 bravest lion-strength!

Yours is the heart of boundless oneness-length.

* * *

Above: Sri Chinmoy expresses his gratitude to Dr.  Illueca when members of the Meditation Group  joined with Dr. Illueca and his family at the  Panama Mission to celebrate the Foreign Minister’s  birthday on 17 September 1981 . Below: Mrs.  Illueca displays a cake presented by Sri Chinmoy  with Dr. Illueca’s portrait etched in icing. 

Above: President Royo of Panama greets Sri Chinmoy  at the Panama State reception on 30 September  1981 .

Below: Sri Chinmoy presents the President with a  copy of the song he had written in his honour.

H .E. Dr. Carlos Ozores Typaldos, Permanent Representative  of Panama to the United Nations (left)  speaks with Sri Chinmoy at the Panama reception.

Above: Dr. Illueca joins Sri Chinmoy and members  of the diplomatic community in December 1977 in  a programme called “Oneness-Earth, ” which was  televised over CBS- TV.  Brief excerpts from the programme follow:

H.E. Dr. Jorge E. Illueca, Permanent Representative  of Panama: On this occasion we do well  to meditate on the main purpose of the United Nations,  which is to be a centre for harmonising the  actions of nations in the peaceful attainment of  international cooperation . .. . In their quest for  peace, brotherhood and harmony, the peoples of  the world share common beliefs, hopes and  dreams, and they should come closer to one another  at a time when this “Oneness-Earth” 1S approaching  the twenty-first century. 16

H.E. Mr. Allard Lowenstein, Alternate Representative  of the United States : People must  remember, in this season , how much they have to  learn from one another, how much they have to  give to one another, and how much they lose by  despoiling one another.

Mr. Thami Mhlambiso, Representative of the  African National Congress : Let us resolve to bring  an end to apartheid and to fight the enemies of  freedom and justice. Let us remember also all our  brothers and sisters who are homeless today, for it  must be our task and duty to see that they also have  a place in the sun, so that oneness on earth will  flourish .

Dr. John Grun, Director of the International  Year of the Child Secretariat: If there is one issue  on which the world is in agreement, it is surely the  child. Men and women everywhere agree with the  Declaration of the Rights of the Child when it says  that the world owes the child the best it has to give.  That world, of course, is us, all of us.

Monsignor G. Chell~ Permanent Observer of the  Holy See : The beautiful traditions of Christmas  and occasions like this, when we can get together to  share our thoughts and feelings at this season, are  an inspiration to us to renew our love for our  Creator and all of creation. We know that if all  would have love for one another and for the  universe which has been given to us, then all the  problems of the world would be resolved.

Dr. Robert Muller, Deputy Under-SecretaryGeneral:  Never before has there been such an  opportunity for the fulfilment, for the flowering of  human life into an unbelievable consciousness, if  we work together at it, not only with our minds,  with our hands and intelligence, but also with our  hearts and with our souls.

Sri Chinmoy: The desire-man demands divisionearth.  The aspiration-man yearns for OnenessEarth.  Oneness-Earth means God-Satisfaction in its  universal Dream-Reality. Dream is the oneness of  the earth-family; Reality is the perfection ever transcending  of the earth-family.

* * *

Dr. Illueca hosts an International Year of the Child  observance in August 1979, attended by Ambassadors  and representatives Jrom Costa Rica, India,  the Philippines, the Seychelles, the Dominican  Rep1tblic and Mexico.

Brief excerpts from the programme follow :

H.E. Dr. Jorge E. Illueca, Permanent Representative  of Panama : The purpose which guides us  today is to promote, during the International Year  of the Child and in years ahead, programmes of  action to supply basic services for children on the  national , regional and international levels, and to  stimulate the world community to renew and  reaffirm its determination to meet children’s needs  and to secure their fundamental rights.

H .E. Dr. Francisco Cuevas Cancino, Permanent  Representative of Mexico: In the beginning the  concern about children was in some ways a means  of assuring the propogation of the species. We have  transcended that. The human species is not in  danger. Therefore, we have to care about something  beyond this: that the children of today, who  are the men of tomorrow, will be able to achieve  what we are not able to do; that they should be  spiritually better; that they should be educationally  more qualified; that their outlook should be  more universal ; and that, in spite of our present  failings in this organisation, they should be able to  go ahead and to do all those things that we are  dreaming of.

H .E. Mr. Alejandro D. Yango, Permanent  Representative of the Philippines: Children are a  great national asset. No one will gainsay that they  are also our resource in promoting fellowship ,  international understanding and cooperation. If  our children are raised with love and righteousness ,  we can look forward to a world of peace and  harmony in which their creative energies are wholly  devoted to peaceful pursuits.

H.E. Dr. Emmanuel Esquea-GuerreroJ Permanent  Representative of the Dominican Republic:  My country has shown solidarity with the cause of  the children of the world, and this year, which has  been declared by the United Nations as the International  Year of the Child, we have not hesitated  to incorporate ourselves in the struggle launched by  the committee in charge of the activities of this  year.

Mrs. Maryanne NsubugaJ Charge d’Affaires of  the Permanent Mission of the Seychelles : I assure  you that my Government and the people of the  Seychelles have considered this International Year  of the Child very seriously, for we regard this as a  building process for the future. Whatever we do  today, we are bearing in mind the children’s future  development, education and place in society and  the international community.  Ms. Nina SibalJ First Secretary of the Permanent

Mission of India: The advocacy of the rights of the  child has long been a tradition in India, and it is very  much a living tradition today. In fact, the needs of  children and the duties of adults to children form a  part of our Constitution . . . . Keeping that in mind,  and inspired also by the United Nations Declaration  of the Rights (‘+ the Child in 1974, the Indian  Government evolved a national policy for children.

Then came the United Nations proclamation of the  International Year vf the Child, and we evolved  from our national policy a national plan of action  for this year.

* * *

Above: Ambassador Illueca and members of the  Panama Mission sing their national anthem at the  Panama Day celebration in November 1978.

Below : Mrs. Illueca, shown with her daughter  Martha, serving as Master of Ceremonies at the  Devadip Carlos Santana concert at the U.N. in  April 1980.

Sri Chinmoy offers Dr. Illueca a trophy for his  appointment as Foreign Minister on 17 February  1981 at a ceremony in which he was honoured by  members of the international community. Mrs.  Illueca and Ambassadors Davidson Hepburn of the  Bahamas and T.J.X. Muwamba of Malawi look  on.

Brief excerpts from the programme follow:  Ambassador Zenon Rossides, Permanent Mission  of Cyprus to the United Nations: Amb assador  Illueca is a distinguished figure, not only for his  ability as a diplomat, but above all for his  character. What we need today in the United  Nations and in the world is character-the ability  to stand for what is right and not for what is  pleasant to others, the ability to do what is right  and to do it with the grace, the good will and the  kindness that Ambassador Illueca has shown in his  work.

H.E. Mr. Ignatius Benedict Fonseka, Permanent  Representatz·ve of Sri Lanka : I need hardly say that it  is a recognition of the great qualities, the performance  and the acceptability of Foreign Minister  Illueca to have been called by his government to  head its Foreign Ministry.

H.E. Mr. T. J. X. Muwamba, Permanent Representative  of Malawi: If we have had here at the  United Nations a man whom you might call a  silent diplomat, that man is Ambassador Illueca.  We have had several explosive issues to contend  with here, and wherever we involved Ambassador  Illueca , we were sure of coming up with a compromise  of some kind.

SRI CHINMOY MEDITATION

AT THE UNITED NATIONS

United Nations:

the Heart-Home

of the World-Body

WE BELIEVE and we hold that each man has the  potentiality of reaching the Ultimate Truth. We  also believe that man cannot and will not remain  imperfect forever. Each man is an instrument of  God. When the hour strikes, each individual soul  listens to the inner dictates of God. When man  listens to God, his imperfections are turned into  perfections, his ignorance into knowledge, his  searching mind into revealing light and his uncertain  reality into all-fulfilling Divinity.

 

Sri Chinmoy Meditation at the United Nations is  an association of U.N. delegates, staff, NCO representatives  and accredited press correspondents.

This information is presented as a service and does  not necessarily represent the official views of the  United Nations or its Agencies.

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