Pranati – Obeisance

On September 20th, 2002, at the Del Mar Hilton Hotel in San Diego, Sri Chinmoy presented Maestro Ravi Shankar with the U Thant Peace Award on behalf of The Peace Meditation at the United Nations.

“Your music not only elevates our consciousness…very, very high but also intensifies our aspiration…very, very deep,” Sri Chinmoy declared. “Something more, to our greatest delight, we see divinity streaming from your God-dreaming eyes, lightning-speed fingers and towering confidence-hands and arms.”

Ravi Shankar replied, “I am so overwhelmed and emotional. I feel choked with the love that you have shown towards me and by this great honour that you have given me.”

Sri Chinmoy and Ravi Shankar, San Diego, 2002

Afterwards, Sri Chinmoy lifted Ravi Shankar, his wife Sukanya and his daughter, Anoushka. As he was leaving, Ravi Shankar told the audience of Sri Chinmoy’s students, “You are so lucky to have him as your guide in life.”

Next morning, one of the head monks at the Yogananda Ashram in California, escorted Sri Chinmoy around the Hermitage grounds. Ravi Shankar, who had invited the Master to the hermitage, accompanied them.

Ravi Shankar, Sri Chinmoy and Sudhahota Carl Lewis visiting the Hermitage and Retreat of Paramahansa Yogananda in Encinitas, California.

On October 10 Sri Chinmoy and his students performed for Ravi Shankar and his wife Sukanya at PS.86 in Queens, New York and performed the Ravi Shankar Song (track 1). Sri Chinmoy played on a new esraj-like instrument (track 2). Ravi Shankar later blessed and named the instrument “Chinmoy Beena”. There were also several musical performances by Sri Chinmoy’s students.

The following evening Ravi Shankar and his daughter Anoushka reciprocated, performing a special concert for Sri Chinmoy his students and invited guests under a huge tent at Aspiration-Ground.

At the start of the concert, Sri Chinmoy told the classical virtuoso: “When you play, your heart becomes a Heaven-climbing flame… and your Inner Pilot speaks to you from His transcendental Summit.” He added: “Each time you play, you unreservedly inspire us to drink deep Nectar-Delight far beyond this world.”

To Anoushka he said, “When you play, your aspiration-heart becomes a God-Beauty-revelation and your dedication-hands become a God-Duty manifestation.”

Sri Chinmoy first heard Ravi Shankar perform around 1947 when he visited the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in South India. Sri Chinmoy was then a young boy of fifteen or sixteen and he was fortunate to sit on the floor only a few meters away from the maestro. He never forgot that sublime experience.

Their first meeting in the west happened in September 20th 1973 when this legendary sitar player met with Sri Chinmoy in Queens, New York.

Artist: Sri Chinmoy
Name: Pranati – Obeisance
Release year: 2002
Duration: 0:20:27
Acknowledgements: Sri Chinmoy
Page Created: Ashish Zubaty / Tejvan Pettinger
Format: Advanced Audio Coding