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Sri Chinmoy's biography, written by one of the most famous Bengali authors
This is one of the stories in our Story-Gems project, a collection of our experiences with our Guru, Sri Chinmoy. Project homepage »
Sri Chinmoy with Mani Shankar Mukherjee
The story started long before I became a disciple. Anwarul Chowdhury was the deputy secretary general of the United Nations. He was at the UN for many years and he loved Guru, just loved Guru. He eventually became an ambassador, so Guru always called him Ambassador Chowdhury.
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Ambassador Chowdhury speaks at the launch of Sri Chinmoy's book The Jewels of Happiness
Ambassador Chowdhury is a very literary person and he knew one of the best writers, the most famous writers of Bengal. Not from Bangladesh, but actually from Calcutta. The writer's name is Mani Shankar Mukherjee, but people just call him Shankar. His books are so famous that they have been made into films by well-known filmmakers.
Shankar was very, very impressed to see that Guru, as a Bengali, came twice a week to the UN to give the peace meditation and also inspired his disciples to wear saris, which they did when they went to the UN.
A letter from Sri Chinmoy to Sankar congratulatinng him on his biography of Swami Vivekananda
Shankar is also a spiritual person. He loves Swami Vivekananda and has written many books on Swami Vivekananda. He was inspired to write a biography of Guru. This was in 1988 when he first met Guru.
Many years passed. Shankar came, I think, one more time. He also got to meet Guru in 2005. Guru sent him a lot of material, and he started writing his book. But just before Guru's passing something happened and somehow the book project stopped.
Later, I went to India and I heard there that Shankar's wife had passed. I sent him flowers and spoke to him. We talked about restarting the project. Eventually the book got finished. I invited Shankar to come to New York again to sign the book and present it to the disciples.
The Hindi version of
Sankar's biography
Shankar is a good writer. The book is beautiful and very well written. Bengalis in different parts of India have read the book, and some have come to the United States and made a trip to the Sri Chinmoy Centre Aspiration-Ground just to know who Guru is.
This book has also been translated into Hindi, the main language, the common language, of India. Vijay and his family from Nepal and other disciples, including Mahavir-ji, have also given copies of the book to many, many people in India.
God's biography,
Abridged and condensed,
Is the earthly life Of an Avatar.
This is one of the stories in our Story-Gems project, a collection of our experiences with our Guru, Sri Chinmoy. Project homepage »
Sri Chinmoy, 1969
The night before I met Guru for the first time, I had dreamt that I was at the Centre and there was a meditation happening. It was extremely powerful. Guru did not talk much. At the end of the meditation, Guru said, “The meeting is over, please go home.” Then he mentioned the names of five or six disciples and asked them to stay. All of them were the younger ones of the group at that time.
I tried to get up to leave but I could not. I was forcing myself to stand up and walk out, but I could not move. It was like I was glued to the chair. So I decided to stay a little longer until I could get up and walk.
I stayed and meditated and after some time, I opened my eyes and looked around. I saw that the meditation room was completely empty. There was nobody there. I started to get up to leave and a force came through my heart. It forced me to walk toward the entrance of the room where Guru was with the disciples he had asked to stay. Guru was lying down on the couch. I looked at Guru and told him, “For good or bad, I am your son.”
Guru replied, “If you are my son, cut your hair, shave your beard, and follow me. I shall lead you to the Golden Shore of the Eternal Beyond.”
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Then I woke up. I could not wait to go to meditation that Sunday morning. I just could not wait to see him.
So I went to the Centre. Guru started to meditate, and it was an extremely high and powerful meditation. I don’t recall if Guru said anything and I don’t know how long we were there either.
At some point, Guru said, “The meeting is over. Please go home. I will see you again when I come back in February.” This was in December of 1969.
I tried to get up and leave and I couldn’t get up. I tried again and still couldn’t get up. I placed my hands at the edge of the chair to push myself up, but I couldn’t get up. As much as I tries, I just couldn’t get up from the chair. I decided to stay and meditate until I could get up.
I started to meditate and was surrounded by this powerful love. I opened my eyes and looked around. I was all alone in the meditation room. I tried to get up and I was able to. The moment I got up, a force entered into my heart and took me right to the room where Guru was. Guru was lying on a divan and the disciples were on the floor in front of him.
Immediately Guru looked straight at me and asked, “What do you have to say?”
My mouth opened up and I said, “For good or bad, I am your son.”
He looked at me with the sweetest eyes and the sweetest face and said, “If you are my son, cut your hair, shave your beard, and follow me. I shall lead you to the Golden Shore of the Eternal Beyond.” Word for word as I had dreamt it. Everything was exactly the same.
But then he added, “I will see you in February and I will initiate you. In May, I will give you your soul’s name.” In those days we used to get our spiritual names very early on.
This experience stayed with me to this day. In fact, all of my experiences with Guru have stayed with me to this day.
Sri Chinmoy, May 1969
My Supreme, my Supreme, my Supreme!
May all my God-dreams blossom
In my aspiring heart-garden.
My Supreme, my Supreme, my Supreme!
This is one of the stories in our Story-Gems project, a collection of our experiences with our Guru, Sri Chinmoy. Project homepage »
I was 13 or I might have been 14. I was going to school, and my school was one hour away from where I lived. Every day I went on the bus to school. Very occasionally, I would get off the bus halfway through and catch the train the rest of the way. That was only if I was really late or something had happened.
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One day I decided I was going to catch the train. I was with my cousins who I lived with. They were persuading me to catch the bus because we could travel together. I said, "No, I'm going to catch the train today."
I came out of the train station and as soon as I did, Guru walked by. He was on a secret visit to London.
He would go back via India, from India to New York. We were lucky that he would stop by London. That particular time he was staying in London for three days, but to rest and totally secretly. Nobody was allowed to know that he was there.
Because I was young, I said, "Guru are you coming to the Centre? Can you come to the Centre?" He said, "Yes, tell everybody I will come."
Then I was late for school. I said, "Guru, I'm going to be late for school."
At that time, the school was very, very strict. Everybody that was late on that day was in serious trouble—except me—because the teacher just didn't notice me. I was the latest of all of them, but Guru protected me.
Sri Chinmoy in a relaxed mood
As long as we stay
Inside God’s Compassion-Heart
And at his Protection-Feet,
We shall be able to protect
Both the divine and the human
In our lives.
This is one of the stories in our Story-Gems project, a collection of our experiences with our Guru, Sri Chinmoy. Project homepage »
Bhavani and her two sons, Devashishu and Sahadeva, meditate with Sri Chinmoy. Bhavani passed away unexpectedly in December 2000.
We would ask Guru many questions about Bhavani—what she is doing in the soul’s world and if she wants to come back to Earth. Guru said: “A disciple like Bhavani wants to be in Heaven for when her Master passes. She wants to be there for the celebrations in Heaven.”
Guru said one time that Bhavani, in the soul's world, came to visit Guru on the Christmas trip. It was during the night and Guru was meditating on Mother Kali. As she approached Guru, she saw Guru facing this light and she was afraid of the light. She asked Guru, "What is it?" Guru said, "This is Mother Kali." Guru said Bhavani's soul was afraid, but from Guru's point of view, he said he found it very charming. Then Guru finished meditating with Mother Kali, and Bhavani came and sat in front of Guru.
Sri Chinmoy with images of Mother Kali in the background. Mother Kali was Sri Chinmoy's family deity when he was growing up.
As soon as she came, she got frightened to death when she saw me meditating, high, higher, highest, looking at the picture of Mother Kali. The picture frame has some bright lights inside it. Bhavani asked, “What is this? What is this?”
I said, “You cannot recognise yourself?” Bhavani is an aspect of Mother Durga and Mother Kali! The electric lights were dazzling her and her soul got frightened. This is what happens. If you have not realised God, then even if you are a soul, you are bound to be frightened by these dazzling lights.
Then Guru said: “We talked politics and world affairs.” Guru said she spoke just like she did when she was on Earth, very fast and lots of words. It was all about politics.
One of the things that Guru really showed us, me and my brother Devashishu and everybody, was that you never really die. One thing is you can just say: “Oh, that's the soul.” But when you actually start to have experiences through Guru of your mother still being alive, saying all these things, you really know and you really feel that the person is completely still alive.
Every year after Bhavani's passing, Sri Chinmoy would observe her birthday, along with her husband Kaivalya (right) and her sons Devashishu and Sahadeva
Bhavani came today only for her son Sahadeva’s birthday. These souls are just on the next floor. There is a big mirror in between, so they can see us.
Guru said, "You have to imagine like your mother is in New York and you are in London. She's in a different place. You cannot see her, but she is still alive."
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The Kingdom of Heaven
The Kingdom of Heaven
Is not for a darkened mind.
The Kingdom of Heaven
Is not for a trembling heart.
The Kingdom of Heaven
Is not for an unloving life.
The Kingdom of Heaven
Is only for the God-dreaming
And God-pleasing soul.
This is one of the stories in our Story-Gems project, a collection of our experiences with our Guru, Sri Chinmoy. Project homepage »
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I’m going to tell a cute story about Sarama, who taught my first meditation classes and who I helped in her manifestation projects.
Sarama had a cat called Inky. She told me that when she came home one night and opened the door, Inky was sitting on the floor waiting for her. As soon as Sarama came in, Inky died. The cat had waited for Sarama to come home and then died.
Guru found out about it, and told Sarama that he had contacted Inky’s soul. He said that he would give the cat a human incarnation in its next incarnation. But Inky’s soul said it had seen a picture of a cow, and wanted to come back as a cow.
Man’s human glory begins when his animal story ends.
His divine glory begins when his human story ends.
His supreme Glory has neither birth nor death.
This is one of the stories in our Story-Gems project, a collection of our experiences with our Guru, Sri Chinmoy. Project homepage »
Pulak was introduced to Sri Chinmoy through Sarama, who gave yoga and meditation classes near where Pulak lived.
So the thing about Sarama is, she didn't just bring people to Guru if she didn't feel they were quite ready. With me, she realised that I needed a little work before I would be ready. I was a little maybe – I don't know what you would say – bohemian or so.
She said I had to stop smoking to see Guru. So I think I was working at the Bronx Zoo and I just said, OK, well, I'm going to quit smoking today. And I was able to do it like in just one day. And it was an interesting process. Every time I felt I needed a cigarette, I just sort of like said, well, no, you don't need it.
Sri Chinmoy meditates at the beginning of Celebrations, April 1972
I managed to clean up my act enough for Sarama to get me invited to April 13th Celebrations. The Celebrations that year was held at the Victoria Congregational Church right on 148th Street and 87th Avenue.
I remember when I was walking through the hall, I saw that Mahavishnu (John McLaughlin) was a disciple. While I was in Europe, I had become an admirer of his music. At Celebrations, he played acoustic guitar very beautifully. All the performances were so soulful and heartfelt. I'd never experienced anything like that before.
The first time I saw Guru, he was meditating to open the function on April the 13th, and then during the function he would sit there watching everything. Guru would be sitting there, in such a majestic way, watching.
Sri Chinmoy in the audience while his students perform
Guru was just magnificent. Just seeing him, I mean, seeing him in person — I'm sure many have felt this — you see Guru in person and it's just like you're ready to do anything he asks you to do. In 1972 he was only 41 years old—a young person, a very beautiful presence.
Guru played the harmonium and sang. Then, I think it was one of the first performances of Tanima's group. The whole function, the whole feeling—I was just so transported by the atmosphere. Afterwards, there was a meal downstairs.
So, I went down and then Sarama introduced me to Guru. I forget what she actually said to Guru. Guru was kind of was looking above my head. He wasn't looking right at me, he was looking a little above my head. I don't know what he saw there, but he was concentrating there. Then he asked me what I did. I said, “I just do a lot of temporary jobs.” He looked at me for a moment and said, “Very good.” Then he walked off.
Well, that was my first personal encounter with Guru. The next day I got the message that Guru had accepted me and that I was in the Connecticut Centre.
A performance by Sri Chinmoy's students during that April Celebrations, 1972
The outer teacher shows us the way
To reach the destination.
The inner teacher carries us
Compassionately, self-givingly,
Smilingly and proudly
To the destination itself.
This is one of the stories in our Story-Gems project, a collection of our experiences with our Guru, Sri Chinmoy. Project homepage »
Sri Chinmoy with Peter, New York, 1983
In the mid-1980’s, Guru came to Ottawa and offered a public meditation and concert.
There were about 200 seekers in attendance. As was Guru’s habit at that time, at the end of the function, Guru would personally offer prasad, an orange, to each seeker.
Everyone approached the stage in a long line, and one by one, we went up to Guru to receive the orange. The line moved slowly, as Guru spent one or two seconds with each individual.
Suddenly, the line came to a halt as an order gentleman stood in front of Guru. Guru meditated on this man for two or three minutes. This was so unusual that all the disciples knew something extraordinary was going on. We were eager to find out what it was.
Sri Chinmoy gives a one-person performance of his play 'The Son' about the life of Christ, 1974
The next day the leader of the Ottawa Centre, who was Guru’s driver during the visit, told us the following: As this man approached Guru, the Christ appeared out of the ether and asked him to please bless “his Peter.” Guru said that 2,000 years ago, he had been one of the direct disciples of Jesus.
The Ottawa disciples got to know Peter a little. One time, he and his wife, Frederika, invited me to their home for lunch. Peter was in the kitchen preparing the meal, and from the living room, I could hear him sweetly singing various hymns. Frederika said he often sang to Jesus as he cooked.
Both Peter and Frederika were deeply spiritual people. After the meal, Peter showed me a video of a seminar given by a well-known Catholic theologian. He asked me to watch how he spoke about Jesus. Then he pointed out that this person was not theorizing. He spoke about Jesus as though he had personally known him.
Then Peter recounted a story. He and Frederika had attended a talk given by this theologian. At the end of the talk, a number of people formed a queue, waiting to speak to him personally. When Peter got to the head of the line, the two men looked into each other’s eyes, and then both burst into tears and began hugging each other. Peter felt certain that this theologian had also been one of the Christ’s disciples.
After their meeting with Guru at the meditation/concert, Peter and Frederika always came to functions whenever Guru was in Ottawa. They even travelled to New York to see Guru on several occasions. This became quite a challenge, for as time went on, Peter became dependant on a wheelchair.
Peter passed away peacefully in the early 1990’s, and the Ottawa disciples who were present sensed a deep feeling of peace and joy as he slipped away into the other world. Frederika continued her friendship with the Ottawa Centre. In her later years, Guru gave her the spiritual name Devatripti.
Peter and Devatripti
If you are wise,
Then do not wait
For the Christ to return.
You can go and see him
In Heaven
With your aspiration-heart
And surrender-life.
Guru was just magnificent. Just seeing him, I mean, seeing him in person — I'm sure many have felt this — you see Guru in person and it's just like you're ready to do anything he asks you to do. In 1972 he was only 41 years old—a young person, a very beautiful presence.
