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by Arpan DeAngelo, New York

To continue some inspiring stories about Sri Chinmoy's pioneering events of the 70's, I wish to tell a personal experience from July 13, 1977. During that month Sri Chinmoy was creating and offering extremely inspiring and elevating talks which were mostly extemporaneous, called 'Everest-Aspiration', as many of you well know.

There were six talks given the evening of July 13, 1977 at Yoga-Life Perfection, an enterprise where I worked as a yoga teacher.

It was a hot summer night and the studio was a large loft on the second floor of a big building on the East Side around 35th St. There were only about 30 people invited which made the room full enough for an intimate function which included some plays and songs. But the crowning event was Sri Chinmoy reading the latest Everest-Aspiration talks that he had just created during the day and on his way to Manhattan.

It was around 9:30 p.m. when Sri Chinmoy started soulfully reading out the talks. In the past he had many times extemporaneously created them as he recited them in a very high trance-like consciousness. He seemed to enjoy reading them that night while still maintaining a very high state of consciousness. We were all very inspired and excited because some of them were about Yoga, Perfection and Intuition.

I also noticed something a bit peculiar. Sri Chinmoy had a battery powered portable flashlight with a little fan on the other end of it which I never had seen him with before. For some reason I noticed that he had it with him the whole time since he had walked into the studio. During one of the talks, around 9:40 or so, the lights all of a sudden went out along with the air conditioner which was on as there were no open windows to speak of. Immediately Sri Chinmoy turned on his trusty little flashlight and fan almost as if he had known there would be a power failure. He just kept on reading his talks, unfazed by the sudden event which turned out to be the biggest blackout in New York history. Some of the guys scrambled to see if the breakers had tripped in the building and I went to open a window for some air. When I looked out the window, I noticed that there were no lights anywhere in New York City. Realizing that we would not get any lights or air conditioner back, some of the boys starting fanning our Teacher with prasad trays. I think Adhiratha was doing it with me, if he can recall it.

I was both amused and worried that Sri Chinmoy would be too hot or uncomfortable to finish the talks. But he did finish with the incredible "If You Have, Then Come To Me" talk. When you read that poem or talk, just try to visualise Sri Chinmoy seated in a hot, dark second floor loft in the middle of Manhattan at the start of a very serious blackout sitting with his trusty penlight-fan and being cooled by plastic food trays while still maintaining an incredibly high and soulful consciousness as he was creating another Immortal Everest-Aspiration gem.

Soon after the last talk and a short meditation, some of his students escorted him down the stairwell with flashlights as the elevator was not working either. I believe that most of the students from Jamaica, Queens had come in a yellow school bus they used back then. I stayed in Manhattan since the subways were not operating and I had to go to work the next day close by.

Walking to work from a friend's apartment in Manhattan was an eerie but peaceful feeling. There were no traffic lights, so traffic was quite slow and was being directed by police and volunteers. Everywhere there seemed to be a feeling of oneness, of sharing a common serious problem which required people cooperating with a sense of oneness.

Of course there were exceptions to this golden rule, but in general it seemed as if a great Spiritual Master had left an impression on the City that night with his soul stirring talks about oneness, perfection and intuition, which he so clearly demonstrated with his own actions and words.

One more thing which most people may not know. Notice the dates of the talks which started on July 1 and ended on July 20th. Sri Chinmoy's wish was to give 100 talks and, I believe, 100 esraj concerts in the month of July, a seemingly impossible task. But the impossible once again surrendered to this Great Master as it only took twenty days, and not the whole 31 days of July, to give the talks.

Sarama's reflections at Sri Chinmoy Centre

• Sarama's reflections on the 13 July talks at Sri Chinmoy Centre
• Sweet moments with Sri Chinmoy at Sri Chinmoy Centre

These talks can be found at Everest Aspiration Part 2, Agni Press, 1977

• 'You And Your Perfection',
• 'Yoga And Oneness', 
• 'Hatha Yoga', 
• 'Intuition', 
• 'Perfection',
• 'If You Have, Then Come To Me' 

Note: In photo from 1978, Arpan had not yet received his spiritual name. In 2004, Arpan DeAngelo completed the Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence Race

• Arpan's personal page at Sri Chinmoy Centre.

On 22 July 1966, Sri Chinmoy inaugurated the first AUM Centre — later known as the Sri Chinmoy Centre — in Miramar, Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico. This was an important milestone in his mission in the West, and was reached just over two years after arriving in NY, US on April 13th, 1964.

At the time, Sri Chinmoy was still working in the Indian Consulate, but had been invited by a seeker, Sudha, to visit Puerto Rico. During his first visit to the island, Sri Chinmoy gave a talk, entitled ‘My Puerto Rico’, under the auspices of the YMCA of Santurce, Puerto Rico. A few days later, the first AUM centre was inaugurated.

Sri Chinmoy recounts the origins of his first Sri Chinmoy Centre.

The Beginning of the Puerto Rican Centre

"Our Sudha went to Swami Vishnudevananda’s Centre in Montreal. There she became friends with Gariyasi. After some time, they did not continue there. One day Gariyasi said to Sudha, “My sister is in an Ashram in India. Soon a great Yogi from there will be coming to New York.” Then Sudha made enquiries and found out when I would be arriving in New York.

I started working at the Indian Consulate. One day, out of the blue, Sudha called me. I did not know who she was. She said, “I know you are a great Yogi! Marcia [Gariyasi] has told me all about you. Will you come to Puerto Rico? I would like to have a Centre here.”

We started our AUM Magazine. We sent it to Sudha and she read it eagerly. Then I accepted her invitation and went to Puerto Rico. That is how our Centre started. From where to where! At Swami Vishnudevananda’s Centre, Sudha found out about me. Then she became our first and foremost disciple in Puerto Rico."

- Sri Chinmoy, I Wanted to be a Seeker of The Infinite, Agni Press, New York, 2012

The AUM Centre was legally incorporated on 12 August 1966. Over the next few years, Sri Chinmoy would frequently visit the island and the centres would play an important role in his manifestation, including the publishing of his books. For his 35th birthday on 27 August, Sri Chinmoy sent this message to the Puerto Rico centre.

To my dear students in Puerto Rico

O Children of the Supreme! I bow to the Supreme within you.

Today my body completes thirty-five years of its earthly existence. You are entering into me with your hearts' joy and your souls' aspiration. I am placing your divine wealth at the Feet of the Supreme. I am also offering to the Supreme all that you have and all that you are.

A song without notes is no song. A song breathes because it has a Singer. The Singer is the Supreme.

A tree without branches is no tree. A tree lives because it has a Root. The Root is the Supreme.

O Flames of my Spirit's fire, Fly into the Transcendental Beyond.

This message was sent to the AUM CENTRE, INC. on the occasion of Sri Chinmoy's birthday, 27 August 1966. This is the first time the name “Sri Chinmoy” was published in AUM magazine. Sri Chinmoy, AUM — Vol. 2, No. 2, 27 September 1966, Boro Park Printers, Brooklyn, New York, 1966

Sri Chinmoy would always remain grateful to the heart and soul of Puerto Rico, where seekers first accepted his mission.

The Puerto Ricans' love for me

"Puerto Rico: the land of sun and sea. If I write a book on Puerto Rico, it will be at least three hundred pages, if not more. I have so many stories! Many funny things happened with my Puerto Rican disciples.

Again, serious things also happened in Puerto Rico. So many songs I composed in Puerto Rico. Super-super-excellent experiences I had in Puerto Rico. And in terms of love and affection for me, nobody can come near the Puerto Ricans. Such pure love, pure affection they have offered me. Their affection and their love for me cannot be equaled by others. They are very kind, very affectionate, very devoted. Again, they do not believe in time! My Puerto Rican disciples live in eternal time.

I love my Puerto Rico. Long before anybody cared for me, my Puerto Rico accepted me and cared for me. I wrote a song with those words."

Sri Chinmoy, The Path of my Inner Pilot, Agni Press, New York, 2015.

“Seven years ago, when I was totally unknown to the seekers’ world, it was Puerto Rico that saw something in me. Call it Light, call it Peace, call it Bliss... That is why it opened its heart’s door and welcomed me to be of dedicated service to the Supreme here.

As long as I am on earth and when I am gone, when the soul leaves the body-cage, I shall remember Puerto Rico with my heart’s eternal gratitude and my soul’s concern-light.”

 Informal talk given at the Sri Chinmoy Centre in Puerto Rico, on September 29, 1974

Puerto Rico Manifestation

“Puerto Rico honours us. This is something true. But something infinitely more significant than this is that Puerto Rico gives us the opportunity to be of service to the Supreme. Puerto Rico accepts us with whatever we have. Whatever we want to offer Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico accepts gladly and soulfully. 

“Puerto Rico has accepted our philosophy unreservedly and wholeheartedly. All of Puerto Rico, its leaders and people, know who we are and accept us. This is very significant."

Sri Chinmoy, AUM — Vol. 2, No. 2, 27 February 1975, Vishma Press, New York, 1975 

On 27 January 1976, Sri Chinmoy had a most soulful two-and-a-half hour conversation with the world's greatest boxer, Muhammad Ali, in the champion's hotel room in Puerto Rico. The transcript can be viewed at Muhammad Ali and Sri Chinmoy meditate.

Hon. Hernandez Colon: I thank you very much for your visit and I hope that I will be able to receive all the fruits that can be received from it, in order to guide my country. I appreciate very much the help you have given me and I am sure that it will be a great contribution to the tasks that I have ahead.

Sri Chinmoy: My prayer is my service to you. To be of service to you is to be of service to the soul of Puerto Rico, and to be of service to the soul of Puerto Rico is to be of service to the immortal in you.

Sri Chinmoy, AUM — Vol. 2, No. 2, 27 February 1975, Vishma Press, New York, 1975

On 5 October 1972, Don Pablo Casals welcomed Sri Chinmoy and a small group of Sri Chinmoy's students to his home in Puerto Rico for a memorable exchange of philosophy, meditation and music.  

Further Reading

• My Puerto Rico - talk given 19 July 1966 under the auspices of the YMCA of Santurce, Puerto Rico.
• Spaniards Came - poem written on 19 July 1966.
• My Consulate Years - a brief chronology
• The Impact of a Yogi on my Life - Agni (José Luis Casanova) was an early disciple of Sri Chinmoy from Puerto Rico. This is a riveting account of how his life changed after meeting his Master, Sri Chinmoy. Agni was a spiritual name given by Sri Chinmoy. It refers to the fire-god and god of aspiration.  Agni passed away on 14 March 1974.  

On 7th July 2004, Sri Chinmoy was invited to open the week-long Fourth Parliament of the World’s Religions at the Universal Forum of Cultures in Barcelona, Spain, with a silent meditation and a performance of his music on the esraj.

Video of Sri Chinmoy's meditation

Opening Meditation

The Council for the Parliament officially asked Sri Chinmoy to lead the opening of this momentous event in silence as a “perfect entry for participants into the Parliament experience,” adding, “We can think of no one better to do it than you.”

Sri Chinmoy said about his opening meditation, “During my opening meditation I am praying for the oneness of all religions.”

"While I was in Barcelona, I wrote thirty-five prayers, composed twenty-eight songs in English and Bengali, and drew a number of birds to symbolise the aspiration of the human soul. Together with my silent meditation and esraj performance during the opening session, these are my soulful and prayerful offerings to the illumining soul of the Parliament of Religions." - Sri Chinmoy

Love begins the Cosmic Game.
Oneness completes the Cosmic Game.

#12

I wish to become
A climbing flame
And not a devouring fire.

#25

We all must know
That God’s only real Name is
Forgiveness, Forgiveness, Forgiveness.

#35

News Coverage

There was extensive media coverage of Sri Chinmoy's opening meditation, with many news outlets choosing the iconic photo of Sri Chinmoy to symbolise the inner message of the Parliament. Full list of news.

The Parliament of World Religions

1893 Chicago. The Parliament of the World’s Religions was held for the first time as part of the Columbian Exhibition. This historic gathering is regarded as the beginning of the interfaith movement worldwide. One of the most inspiring and magnetic speakers was Swami Vivekananda, a young Hindu monk from India.

1993 Chicago

To celebrate the centenary of the first Parliament, eight thousand people from various faiths came together in Chicago for a second Parliament. Sri Chinmoy was chosen by the organisers to open the convocation with a few moments of silent meditation.

Interestingly, Sri Chinmoy was a great admirer of Swami Vivekananda and in 1993, answered a question about his significance to the Parliament of Religions.

"I strongly feel that today’s centenary [1993] of the Parliament of Religions is taking place precisely because of Vivekananda. He was the dreamer, the lover and the possessor of a truly universal spirit. People came to the original Parliament of Religions from various religions and various cultures. In most cases they came to preach or speak about their respective religious beliefs. But Vivekananda came as a lover of humanity to sing the song of a oneness-world-home. He did not come here to propagate the views of his Hindu religion. He came to propagate the one religion that is known as Man. He spoke of the individual man who is evolving into the universal man and consciously accepting the world as his own, very own. Vivekananda was at once an ancient silence-heart and a modern dynamism-life."

Sri Chinmoy, Sri Chinmoy Answers, Part 6, Agni Press, New York, 1995

Image

I Bow to the Soul of the Parliament of Religions by Sri Chinmoy.

Published by Agni Press, New York in 2004.