Sri Chinmoy entered Mahasamadhi - the mystic process through which spiritual Masters leave the body - on the morning of 11 October 2007.
The day before Sri Chinmoy’s mahasamadhi on 10 October, he held a weekly meditation, where he sold a book of prayers My Christmas-New Year-Vacation-Aspiration-Prayers, (written during his stay in Langkawi, Malaysia in early 2006.) The last prayer in the book was:
“My physical death
Is not the end of my life –
I am an eternal journey.”
My Christmas-New Year-Vacation-Aspiration-Prayers, Part 52
In a nutshell, this encapsulates Sri Chinmoy's philosophy on death and reincarnation. Also of note is this passage from Siddhartha Becomes the Buddha. In this particular scene the Buddha is on the verge of passing beyond his mortal coil and his dearest disciple Ananda is crying. The Buddha speaks:
"Ananda, do not cry for me. I tell all of you not to cry for me. Ananda, I have told you repeatedly that everything is transient on earth. There is nothing everlasting here. Anything that comes into life will have to give up life. ... My spiritual journey began with renunciation and compassion, and today, at the end of my journey's close, I offer to the world the same message: renunciation and compassion. O Ananda, do not grieve."
Sri Chinmoy, Siddhartha Becomes the Buddha
Tributes to Sri Chinmoy
After Sri Chinmoy's passing many renowned world figures offered their kind tributes.
“With deep regret I have learned that my long-term close friend, the friend of my family and of our Foundation, Sri Chinmoy, passed away yesterday…This is a loss for the whole world. Through many years of his selfless work for the sake of peace, Sri Chinmoy has gained recognition and love in the farthest corners of our planet…In our hearts he will forever remain a man who dedicated his whole life to peace… We shall remember Sri Chinmoy forever!”
— President Mikhail Gorbachev
More tributes at Sri Chinmoy.org
After Sri Chinmoy's passing, many came to Aspiration-Ground, New York to pray and meditate. The silence alternating with soulful performances by his disciples.
Performances from 2007 at Radio Sri Chinmoy
In 1974, Sri Chinmoy composed the song "When I am gone away, remember me" but asked that it would not be sung until his physical passing.
When I am gone away, remember me,
O children sweet.
No, not because I failed.
No, not because I cried.
No, not because I tried.
No, not because I saw my Lord in you.
No, not because I served my Lord in you.
No, not because I fulfilled my Lord in you.
No, not because I was your Pilot true.
No, not because I was your ‘Infinite’ blue.
O, but because my life was all gratitude, gratitude, gratitude
To you, to you, my children sweet, to you.
When I am gone away, remember me.
The Great Comet of 2007
Question: What is the significance of a comet?
Sri Chinmoy: When something most precious leaves the earth-consciousness, then a comet will be visible. From the spiritual point of view, when you see a comet, something very significant has taken place on earth. When Sri Ramana Maharshi passed on, everybody saw a comet in the South Indian sky.
Sri Chinmoy, Sri Chinmoy Answers, Part 9, Agni Press, New York, 1999
Comet Holmes was discovered in 1892 by Edwin Holmes, normally, it is a very faint object but on 23-24 October (13 days after Sri Chinmoy's mahasamadhi) it unexpectedly brightened by a factor of one million times making it clearly visible to the naked eye. It was reported in a scientific publication as the largest known outburst by a comet thus far.
"The massive outburst of the comet 17P/Holmes in 2007 October is the largest known outburst by a comet thus far." Royal Astronomical Society
Interestingly 2007 was notable for a very rare astronomical double feature. Comet McNaught, first discovered in August 2006, passed exceptionally close to the sun in January 2007.
The number 13 has always been very significant in Sri Chinmoy's life, such as his arrival in New York on 13 April 1964.
Related
- Tributes to Sri Chinmoy
- Sri Chinmoy's Passing at the New York Times