Life of Sri Chinmoy

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The Life of Sri Chinmoy - Biography

Born Chinmoy Kumar Ghose in the small village of Shakpura in East Bengal (now Bangladesh) in 1931, Sri Chinmoy was the youngest of seven children.

Though named Chinmoy, which is the Sanskrit word meaning "full of divine consciousness" the youngest member of the family was so active and noisy that  he earned the nickname Madal, meaning "little kettledrum" [Brothers and Sisters: Mantu, Lily, Hriday, Arpita, Chitta, Ahana]

Young Madal-Chinmoy had a happy childhood, but at eleven he lost his father [Shashi Kumar Ghosh] and a year later his mother [Yogamaya]

 In 1944, at the age of 12, Sri Chinmoy entered an ashram or spiritual community in Pondicherry India and thus began 20 years of intense spiritual practice

The ashram was presided over by the celebrated Sri Aurobindo and Madam Alfasa [The Mother] [Click for a quote from the Mother describing the inner significance of the ashram]

He spent long hours  in meditation, practicing athletics, writing poetry, essays and singing spiritual songs.

He made his mark in Athletics by winning the 100 meters for two consecutive years and the decathlon twice, running. [Now after reaching seventy he still keeps up his athletic pursuits with weightlifting and walking. By his example he encourages others to accept the challenge and patience required by sport: since in this respect, it is not unlike the inner discipline required to make spiritual progress.

When his education was over, he fulfilled certain roles in the daily life of the ashram and for a number of years acted as the secretary of the Bengali writer Nolini, from whom he gained an abiding appreciation of Western Literature.

During the late 'fifties he wrote a number of sketches of Indian poets, scholars, scientists, political leaders, spiritual masters and thinkers who had awakened the national spirit in that great subcontinent during the hundred years before independence.

His inner work, necessary he says to perfect his realization, continued until the early 'sixties; when at lest he felt an inner command to fulfill his appointed work of divine manifestation, by offering the fruits of his realization in the West

In 1964, he arrived in New York City, where he stil lives, and began work at the Indian Consulate.

In a short time a number of  people who met him were impressed with his simple and intense manner which implied a wisdom beyond his earthly years.

At first by word of mouth, a circle of students grew and he began to share his inner wealth with sincere seekers in the West.

He stressed the path of the heart and encouraged his budding community to strive to become attuned to the way of "love, devotion and surrender"  to the highest.

Today, Sri Chinmoy continues to encourage a balanced lifestyle that incorporates inner disciplines such as meditation with the dynamism of contemporary life.

Sri Chinmoy does not charge a fee for his spiritual guidance, concerts, lectures and public meditations.

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