We are most grateful for the heart-felt comments and tributes left by such a wide variety of people. (see full list of tributes…)
This is just a small sample from the first 140 comments. Many thanks again to all who have left comments.
See also: Selected Tributes II
See also: tributes from world leaders and dignitaries at Sri Chinmoy.org
Selected Tributes on Sri Chinmoy
The entire Integral Yoga organization and all the students of Sri Swami Satchidananda join in loving and respectful remembrance of Sri Chinmoy. Sri Chinmoy continues to be a great inspiration to so many and his message of peace and unity will always be in our hearts.
We extend all our love and prayers to the sangha of Sri Chinmoy. May all continue to feel his blessings, guidance and spiritual presence always. OM Shanthi.
Rev. Prem Anjali
Yoga and Peace.org
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Our heartfelt prayers and condolences are extended to all the students of Sri Sri Chinmoy at this time of his passing. His was a truly divine life dedicated to humanity. Tonight ¨Yoga in Daily Life¨ members dedicated one minute´s silent prayer in his memory.
His Holiness Vishwaguru Mahamandaleshwar Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda
Yoga in Daily Life
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We have lost a great spiritual leader
The world is a poorer place without Sri Chinmoy
I am grateful he has left such a legacy of work and teachings with us and I am sure his spirit will continue to work through many of us
Alison Streeter
‘Queen of the Channel’
Holder of the record for swimming across the English channel, with 43 crossings.
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WHAT A SAD LOSS FOR ULTRA-RUNNING AND ULTRA-RACING !!!!!!!!!!
My BIG BIG condolences to all in the Sri Chinmoy community !!!
Was fortunate to meet disciples and Sri Chinmoy during different occations at world run 1. Allways made a deep impression to carry your warmth with me forward on the endless roads – I’ll carry it with me however long I may last on world run 2 !
With best wishes of enjoyable running to all, where ever You are 🙂
Jesper Olsen
Became the first man to achieve a fully documented run around the world in 2005; Jesper is due to start a north-south ‘lap’ of the globe in 2008
www.worldrun.org
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My personal condolences to my friends in the Sri Chinmoy Marathon team. You have always had a smile on your face. Please keep it.
Phil Essam
Australian ultrarunning legend
Planet Ultramarathon
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I am very sad at this moment to hear of the passing of the Great Sri Chinmoy.
He has influeneced my life greatly.
I use his books to inspire myself and others.
Just yesterday I quoted Sri Chinmoy “We are the body of our Beliefsâ€
My hope is that his followers will be able to carry on his mission of Peace.
Vic Lindal
Former National Volleyball Coach Canada.
TV broadcaster
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Sri Chinmoy’s life has been dedicated to spread peace and harmony around the world. With his generosity and positive energy he has touched the hearts of millions. Like his soul his message will live forever.
Francois Gay
President, Swiss Natural Body Building and Fitness Federation.
Natural Mr. Universe, 1992
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I’m sending my love to Sri Chinmoy and to all his
disciples from Sedona, Arizona. I was playing harp
today at an opening Peace Ceremony & thinking of
Sri Chinmoy and how his heart is so full of Love and Light that he was promoted for all of his Great Work
and Love he always Shares with One and All in so many beautiful ways.
I feel that Sri Chinmoy is now on his Cosmic Vacation
I’m very sure he is very happy and wants us all to be happy too.
He is still with us only on another vibration. We are so very blessed to have all his beautiful blessings.
I am so happy to have met him and have been so graced and inspired by him in so many ways.
Mia Margaret “Angelica”
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This is a great loss for those who have been working for the world peace. We have known him for the last 20 years and shared his views all along and will do so for ever. Let us hope we keep drawing inspiration from his life. Guru! please bestow your blessings on us for ever.
Rathin & Suparna Chowdhury
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I remember knowing Guru from the time I was a child — I lived directly up the street from him on 85th drive. I remember mostly, his warm and engaging smile when he would be on his walking regimes and wave to me. He was always very kind to the neighborhood children!
I now live out of state, and just received the sad word of his passing. He is in my thoughts and prayers, as is the entire community of Sri Chinmoy’s followers.
May God bless you all at this time of loss. Be at peace; he will continue to guide and inspire you!
Many blessings, Donna
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Although He was not my Guru I admire and respect Him as one of the greatest spiritual leaders and geniuses of our times. I cannot feel anything else but an immense gratitude for everything He has done for every and each of us.
Tamara
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A good example never dies, and I wish more people (particularly Christians and alleged Christians) would follow his. Religion shouldn’t divide us… if it does, it’s bad religion, pure and simple.
Namaste
Rev. Worthington Enslow
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Let us not be sadden by the passing of a great spritual leader, but rather rejoice in his life and the message he leaves us. His body may no longer be in this realm but his spirit lives on in all who he touched. His unconditional love of the Supreme and humanity transcends death and so does our love for him. May we all each in our own way, carry forth his message of peace, love and harmony to all we come in contact with and work together to create a better world. Gurudev, may the influence of your great heart, speak to us from beyond the veil of eternity.
Peace be upon you.
Ria
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Since 1986 I have had a picture of this inspiring and inspired man, this Avatar of Peace, in my home; and privileged too on a number of occasions to have met and experienced his unique presence.
It was life changing.
Sri Chinmoy’s abiding love, compassion and humility is indelibly etched on my life experience and, like so many others, I owe a debt of gratitude for his life.
In particular for imparting his eternal values of oneness, for his teachings and for his total understanding of the human condition.
My hope for us all is that the Smile of the Beyond which is now his will soon be enjoyed by all humanity.
Daniel Rounding, Ipswich, UK
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Dear Teacher,
Although I did not know you, your radiance reverberates forever in the hearts of my friends who did. I cannot wait to meet all the others, for I feel a part of your tribe of love and light and peace. Truly your legacy is immortally enshrined in the now and future human spirit.
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Sad news I received yesterday from a friend who informed me of the Sri Chinmoy’s passing. I shall keep a found souvenir of my various ultra races in New York, including the 1 000 miler world championship in 1988, when Guru’s presence and support were key to my personal success. Sri Chinmoy certainly deserves respect and admiration for the good he has done and for the inspiration he provided to other individuals in the achievement of their own personal goals. He knew how to motivate people.
Michel Careau
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Although Sri Chinmoy was not my spiritual leader, I have witnessed over the past 20 years, his profound gracious, loving and peac3ful effect he has on his followers. My only wish is that Sri Chinmoy be an exception, and be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize this year, that he is a front runner for, posthumously. My sincere condolences to all his disciples worldwide, with extra heartfelt sympathies for his disciples in San Francisco.
Chrissy Brady Light,
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Diving from Sri Chinmoy’s Platform
Timid toes touch shallow shoals of bliss.
In the vast, bottomless river of the Divine,
Mother and Sri Aurobindo coax us
From somnambulist shores.
Teaching us to swim,
They carry us floating through floods,
Drowning only our fears.Surfing on his flute,
Sri Chinmoy says the water is warm.
I dive in—
Breathing the ambrosian waters.
Bill Leon
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I was not a follower of Sri Chinmoy, but years ago, when I lived in Boston, he came to play at a local cathedral and I went and heard. In that part of the world, to hear and see anyone with a scrap of celeb status costs an arm and a leg, but Sri Chinmoy played for free. He spoke before playing, saying that his purpose there was not to amaze us with musicianship, but to facilitate our meditation, so meditate I did while he played. I could say that I enjoyed the experience, but I understand that enjoyment was not his purpose.
I am saddened by his passing. He was one decent chap.
jeffreydj on 10.12.07 at 5:56 pm
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Sri Chinmoy and all his followers have been a great inspiration and support to all of us in multiday running. May his example of peacefulness and determination live long in the future.
Dave Luljak
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I grew up in Jamaica Hills – down the street from Sri Chinmoy. I was fortunate to have met him as a child when he performed several concerts at night in my elementary school (one with Carlos Santana). It was a very moving experience. My whole family was saddened to learn of his passing because of the years we spent living in the same neighborhood as he and his followers, who we always found to be peaceful and kind people. May he be forever at peace.
Ann on 10.12.07 at 10:07 pm
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What you have given my brother whilst he has been your disciple, I see a model for what you have given to humanity. Your message and gifts have done much to bring the earth closer to a sense of oneness. I hope those you have touched in your time here are inspired to open their hearts even more and sing your message even louder with your passing from the physical world.
Eternal gratitude for the inspiration, peace and love you have given the world and me.
Ian Cunningham on 10.13.07 at 5:17 pm
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- Photo by Unmesh Swanson
Among the countless talents and gifts you have, the power to become one with others and the power to uplift the consciousness of others are the 2 main divine gift.
As you wrote, the death of the physical body is not the end. Your uplifting power remains in the consciousness world and is available to all mankind, thanks to the millions of traces you left in the earth sphere: your songs, books, paintings, talks and initiatives.
Meeting you on my life’s journey, “is” and not was the greatest gift, the deepest honour and the highest delight.
With all my Smiles and Heart’s Gratitude Tears
Yours, Subimal
Jai Sri Hari.
Sri Chinmoy was definitely a divine personality who will live on in the hearts of many the world over. May he rest in peace, and may God bless and comfort his disciples during this time of need.
Janardana Dasa
Conyers, Georgia
As a close friend of our family we call him chinmoyda, when ever he visited his spiritual home town of pondicherry i never missed to meet him in my in-laws house. i was gifted everytime to take him round in my car. Today i am honoured to live in his house and our whole family is grieved on his demise.
we pray to the Divine mother for his soul to rest in peace.
I wish to extend my deepest sympathies to everyone in the Sri Chinmoy centre. I was a former member and my father still is. I have many fond memories of him from my younger years and are sad that he has passed on.
Gratitude Guru, Gratitude, I am always with you, more than ever. You blessed me and my life. Gratitude Guru
You Smile and Smile and Smile. You Live in my Heart. Gratitude, gratitude, gratitude to You.
A big soul has left this world, a great spirit went on a journey, a unique personality has touched many hearts and will always be with us.
Brigitte McMahon, Olympic champion triathlon
Guru Sri Chinmoy was the God man of All God men…He
lived and breathed for the Supreme every time All the
Time….He will be missed, His energy phenomenal. His
promise of love, devotion and Surrender the
best….Only we His Disciples will understand the
gravity of this loss, for we were with him on a daily
basis….We wish all God Lovers to pause and reflect
on the Heart love of the Good and Great Man Guru Sri
Chinmoy…There Will Be no More Like Him…We must
cherish his existence every day all day till the end
of time with a smile of love and heart of cries and a
life of Devotion to God…Eternally we will miss you
Guru, Love Your Narada Michael Walden
Narada Michael Walden
I sent this letter to the New York Times :
The liberal Israeli novelist Amos Oz once wrote that, at the end of the 20th century, we had all expected to enter the 21st century, and what a surprise that instead we would head into the 9th, of religious war and extremism. And so it was a bittersweet pleasure to read in the Times its extensive generous coverage of the death of Sri Chinmoy, who recognized the
inherently peaceful nature of all the world’s religions.
For many decades, and even more urgently now in Oz’s strife-torn “9th century,” Chinmoy has been one of the world’s most exuberant and appealing voices, including through music and painting and poetry, for moderation and healing and reconciliation. He will be missed, and yet his universal message will be carried forward, both by his community and by all peoples of similar views — whether or not they have even heard of him — of all the world’s faiths and outlooks.
Long will we miss our beloved Guru and his life of leadership by example of righteous God loving and God serving ceaseless devotion. Long will we cherish the memories of being with him in person. Long will we feel his eternal presence and guidance. Jai, Jai,and Jai Gurudeva.
When I heard of Sri Chinmoy’s passing, a tremendous shock wave propagated through my entire being. I have been most fortunate to be his student for the last 17 years. Out of his unconditional love and compassion, he has done so very much in a tangible visible way for me and my family. I shall be eternally grateful to you, my beloved Guru.
My Dearest Guru,
I gave you my children, my precious jewels, and placed them at Your Feet when they were one month and 2 years old.
Your Narendra, “King among men, Supreme among men,” whose golden curls fell gently to his shoulders, and Your Durdam, “Indomitable Divine Warrior,” who wrestled You into a headlock and later wiped away Your tears.
My joy knew no bounds as I watched them gaze into Your eyes, Your image reflecting on their young faces.
Two brothers, dressed alike, who belonged to You and to each other. You were more father than I was mother.
My boys are grown up now. Your Light is brighter in their eyes than my pride.
Thank you, Guru, for Your Love, Your Compassion, Your Concern, Your Pride, Your Blessings and Your Joy. We will share Your Love with the whole world. I will not fail You.
Your spiritual daughter of 37 years,
Gayatri
Sri Chinmoy,
I was so grateful to thank you in person in Munich for helping me when you visited Cape Town. I had lost hope and you gave me hope. Thank you for your friendship ,for putting your life down for the cause of Peace. Peace is not the absence of wars but a flood of love into the human family. You are that flood of love and may the peace that you radiated be reflected in the hearts of all those you have touched. The past is dust and my own gratitude heart is all that matters. Thank you for teaching me so much and enlightening me. Shanti Shanti Shanti
O my beloved Guru, my life is all gratitude to You for you have accepted me. You are more closer to me than ever.I can feel Your presence more vividly while I pray, meditate, sing and sing.Guru,how I wanted to meet You and see You in person at least once in this lifetime. But You have come to me instead with all your light and compassion in Your ever illumining form.I shall always remember You Guru. I love You only Guru and I need You only Guru. Gratitude Guru, Gratitude Guru, Gratitude for accepting me.
Dearest Guru,
I first saw your Transcendental picture at a meditation group at Uconn in 1971. After you accepted me that year You gave me the Blessingful opportunity to work with Brihaspati to construct “Beyond Within”; and to produce radio programs on your philosophy. You have always given Your children the Light and Force to creatively manifest the Supreme. I’m certain You will continue
to feed the aspiration of crying humanity.
Your love, compassion and dedication follow our enthuasiasm, challenges and appeciation-tear-smile forever, our beloved Guru.
Thanks for all your selfless efforts in health and wellness.
You are alive in our heart!
Dear Guru,
Gratitude Gratitude Gratitude. You taught me everything I know. I feel privileged. Peace, light Joy to you my Lord and the continuity of your teachings. OM!
Priscilla
These tributes really serve the divine, and personally help me to deal with Guru’s passing. A tribute mentioning the book “Beyond Within” reminds me of a very powerful experience. I was reading the book and had such positive affirming emotions as I read it. Everything seemed a new revelation. I entered my bedroom after reading and noticed a green haze in the room. I looked down to see that my chest was completely green from shoulder to shoulder and down to the navel in a emerald triangle of light. My body was transparent to the light emenating from my chest. What do I do now? I looked at the light for some time , then sat and meditated on Guru’s picture. When I stopped the light was gone. I was a brand new disciple and I am so grateful for this vision of the heart chakra and of many other divine experiences. Love Prakash
my dearest GURU its an odd feeling knowing you are ‘dead’ the strangest bit is you seem bigger and more alive than before a wonderful soul who surely in this way SHOWS us that life goes on my dearest dearest wonderful kind GURU jill england