A fourteen hour peace concert: Immensity-peace-sea-experiences. Sublimity-peace-sky-realisations

Notes

150 musical instruments from the four corners of the globe

The Peace concert was held at Public School 117 in Briarwood, New York, on Saturday, 25 November 1995.

It started at 9:05 in the morning and continued until 11:20 at night. There were six sessions with a brief intermission between each one.

Session one

Picture

1

The King of Heart-Smiles
Blessingfully taught
Everybody’s heart to smile.

Picture

1. Dove Ocarina
Switzerland

2

One hundred and fifty
Running, climbing and diving
Music-blooming, music-blossoming
And music-immortalising instruments.

Picture

2. Esraj
Bengal

3

Lord Supreme blissfully came
And powerfully restored
Everybody’s aspiration-heart-beauty.

Picture

3. Soprano Recorder
Germany

4

This is the era of peace-freedom-lovers
And not of world-renunciation cave-dwellers.

Picture

4. Mini Koto
Japan

5

This moment we became
The fragrance of our hearts.
Next moment we became
The beauty of our eyes.

Picture

5. Tote-a-Tune
Austria
Sri Chinmoy sang and played.

6

All our mind-questions were stilled
Inside the poise of our hearts.

Picture

6. Balalaika
Russia

7

The born questioners became
Perfect peace-dreamers and peace-lovers.

Picture

7. Bul-Bul-Tarang
India

8

The mind-doubt-edifice
Was utterly dismantled.

Picture

8. Tranverse Flute
Ireland

9

The mind had no more
Disobedience-stories.
It became all obedience-song.

Picture

9. Tenor Rauschpfeife
Renaissance Germany

10

The fourteen hours
Became the radiance
Of fourteen golden years.

Picture

10. Viola
Italy
Sri Chinmoy sang and played.

11

Self-glorification-desire became
God-Satisfaction-aspiration.

Picture

11. Yamaha SHS 10 Keyboard
Japan
Sri Chinmoy sang and played.

12

God whispered beautiful Hope-Flowers
And powerful Promise-Fruits.

Picture

12. Double Bamboo Flute
New Zealand

13

From now on, we shall be
Full-time God-lovers
And not remain
Part-time God-lovers
Anymore.

Picture

13. Frame Harp
Japan

14

Our heart’s gratitude-tears
Brought God
Near, nearer and nearest.

Picture

14. Gusli
Russia

15

God and God’s Hour were both eager
To successfully knock at our heart’s door.

Picture

15. Bell-Tree
U.S.A.

16

The dictatorial mind
Unconditionally surrendered
To the jovial heart.

Picture

16. Ceramic Flute
Mexico

17

This time God cradled
Our souls and hearts
Together.

Picture

17. Soprano Bowed Psaltery
Europe (Middle Ages)

18

Our peace-starved hearts
Feasted on
God’s Compassion-Rainbow.

Picture

18. Bouzouki
Greece

19

God Himself taught us
How to cry breathlessly
For Him.

Picture

19. Anklung
Indonesia

20

The undivine, hostile forces
Of the mind
Were threatened and shattered
By our purity-flooded hearts.

Picture

20. Kora (Harp-Lute)
West Africa

21

Lip-gratitude we were.
Now
Soul-gratitude we are.

Picture

21. Tuned Glass Rods
Germany

22

We not only remembered the joy
Of our past aspiration-heart,
But also, surprisingly, excelled it.

Picture

22. Harpsichord
Europe (Made in U.S.A.)

23

Triumphs of the soul
Were heralded
From the start to the finish.

Picture

23. Bass Drum
U.S.A.

24

Each seeker-heart
Became the fountain-beauty-smile
Of delight.

Picture

24. Chimes
Germany

25

The heart-sea-swimmers
Were playing with
The fulness-happiness-waves
Of the soul.

Picture

25. Tote-a-Tune
U.S.A.
Sri Chinmoy sang and played.

Picture

These four singer-musicians
Were my indispensable helpers.

Chinmoy Kumar Ghose
Sri Chinmoy

Session two

Picture

26

The heart’s gratitude-tears
Immensely increased
The life’s devotion-intensity.

Picture

26. Dombra Kazakstan
Kazakstan

27

Our aspiration-hearts became
A true expression
Of happiness-panorama.

Picture

27. Duck Ocarina
Europe

28

The battle against our mind’s
Unwillingness-barrage
Forever ended.

Picture

28. Yamaha PSS-6 Keyboard
Japan
Sri Chinmoy sang and played.

29

Our hearts devoured
The Silence-Bliss
Of God-Beauty.

Picture

29. Concertina
England-Germany

30

Our meditation stretched
Our life’s dedication-arms
Far and wide.

Picture

30. Baby Recorder
Germany

31

Unreservedly we enjoyed
The fulness-fragrance
Of our soul-delight.
Indeed, a galaxy
Of silence-blossom-hearts!

Picture

31. Clarinet (Transparent)
Europe

32

God Himself fed the breath
Of our aspiration-heart.

Picture

32. Sweetheart Recorder
U.S.A.

33

The mind’s long-cherished
Torrential despair
Completely stopped.

Picture

33. Slit Drum
Africa and the Americas
(Made in U.S.A.)

34

We felt and we became
The ever-spreading
God-oneness-fragrance.

Picture

34. Kortholt
Europe

35

An unconditional God-obedience-dream
Finally blossomed
Into reality.

Picture

35. Golden Bamboo Side Flute
India

36

The confusion-mind
Said to the illumination-soul,
“Illumine me!
I shall be all yours.”

Picture

36. Wooden Tote-a-Tune in B’
U.S.A.
Sri Chinmoy sang and played.

37

The invisible Beyond
Became the visible God-Smile.

Picture

37. Charango
South America

38

The backward-jumping mind
Became the forward-racing heart.

Picture

38. Kalimba (Thumb Piano)
Africa

39

Smilingly
The ambrosia-sea
Beckoned us.

Picture

39. Hohner Electric Harmonium
Germany
Sri Chinmoy sang and played.

40

While on earth,
Paradise
We unquestionably experienced.

Picture

40. Rosewood Marimba
U.S.A.

41

God-Ecstasy-Reality
Captured our entire being.

Picture

41. Viola da Gamba
Italy
Sri Chinmoy sang and played.

42

We entered the deathless birth
Of universal Oneness-Reality.

Picture

42. Steel Drum
Trinidad and Tobago
(Made in Switzerland)

43

The God-seeker in us
And the man-inspirer in us
Together sang and danced.

Picture

43. Horn Bamboo Flute
New Zealand

44

The good-for-nothing mind
Was completely transformed
Into a good-for-everything
God-Satisfaction.

Picture

44. Dholak
India

45

Life was no longer
An idle experiment.
Life became
The most precious self-discovery.

Picture

45. Glass Flute
Europe

46

The mountain-height-dreams
Of ours
Became fountain-ambrosia-realities.

Picture

46. Wooden Double Ocarina
U.S.A.

47

This moment we were
The pagoda of God-Hope.
Next moment we became
The shrine of God-Promise.

Picture

47. Bandura
Ukraine

48

I am no longer a citizen
Of a God-failing universe,
But a citizen of
A God-fulfilling universe.

Picture

48. Modified Strum Stick
U.S.A.

49

The simplicity of spirituality
Manifested as
The sublimity of Divinity.

Picture

49. Tuned Cow Bells
Latin America

50

Soulfully we smiled and smiled
Because of the success-surprise
Of our heart.

Picture

50. Footpedal Harmonium (Collapsible)
U.S.A.

Picture

Tanima’s Singing Group

Session three

Picture

51

Proudly God danced and danced
Because of the progress-astonishment
Of our life.

Picture

51. Western Flute in G’
Europe

52

Our climbing hearts
Discovered a direct route
To God’s Pride-flooded Heart.

Picture

52. Xylophone
U.S.A.

53

No, not even an iota of fog!
It was all sunshine —
Bright, brighter, brightest.

Picture

53. Pchu-Ch’in
China

54

Each instrument brought us
Nearer and nearer
To the Golden Shore.

Picture

54. Synthesizer using sounds
of traditional Japanese instruments
Japan

55

Each instrument became
A prayer-dawn
And a meditation-eve.

Picture

55. Soprano Recorder
Europe

56

God-Guest came,
And we all welcomed Him
Inside our heart-home.

Picture

56. Sopranino Renaissance Recorder
Germany

57

Our life’s oneness
With the music of the heart
Clearly and distinctly proved to be
The shortest path to peace.

Picture

57. Children’s Duck Ocarina
Japan

58

Each song quickened
Our aspiration-pace.

Picture

58. Bamboo Side Flute
India

59

Our cheerful God-surrender
Became the sweetness
Of universal melody.

Picture

59. Piccolo
Europe

60

The perfect lustre of a purity-heart
Was clearly visible
From the start to the finish
Of the music-adventure.

Picture

60. Soprano Saxophone
U.S.A.

61

God declared our happiness
To be the best friend
Of humanity’s future.

Picture

61. Appalachian Dulcimer
U.S.A.

62

Ours was a non-stop conversation
With God’s Satisfaction-Delight.

Picture

62. Djembe
Africa

63

From today on,
Each member of the audience
Will no longer suffer
From an inner bankruptcy.

Picture

63. Ukulele
Hawaii

64

The ecstasy-inundated tears
Of our inner child
Bathed us thoroughly.

Picture

64. Rabab
Afghanistan

65

A sudden yet permanent entrance
Into the happiness-highway,
Indeed!

Picture

65. Casio CT363 Keyboard
Japan
Sri Chinmoy sang and played.

66

Each breath became
A prayer-flower
Of sweetness-beauty.

Picture

66. Yamaha YPR 30 Keyboard
Japan

67

The music of the heart
For which a seeker’s life hungers
Was sumptuously fed.

Picture

67. Realistic 670 Keyboard
U.S.A.

68

God gave us —
Our eagerness and cheerfulness —
Not only His Blessing,
But also His Pride.

Picture

68. Double Flageolet
England (Early 19th Century)

69

God’s Peace-Shore
Appeared before our heart-boat
As soon as the boat started sailing.

Picture

69. Gourd Kalimba
Africa

70

The mind promised itself
That from now on
It would never keep peace
At a sceptical distance.

Picture

70. Cymbals
Tibet

71

God blessed our heart’s progress report
With His Heart s transcendental
Satisfaction-Crown.

Picture

71. Rebaba
Jordan

72

Finally
The mind subscribed cheerfully
And unconditionally
To the heart’s monumental faith.

Picture

72. Accordion
Austria

73

Everything came up
To God’s desired Standard.

Picture

73. Clavichord
Europe

74

The unwillingness-mind
Lost all its strength,
Only to become
The ocean-power of willingness.

Picture

74. Bass Bowed Psaltery
Switzerland
Sri Chinmoy sang and played.

75

The instruments triumphantly became
Full of surprises and marvels.

Picture

75. Adapted Penny Whistle
Ireland

Picture

Kanan’s Singing Group

Session four

Picture

76

Previously I was always eager
To tell God everything
About myself.

This time, to my extreme joy,
God Himself was all eagerness
To tell me everything
About Himself.

Picture

76. Triple Bamboo Gourd Flute
New Zealand

77

A journey of the heart,
Par excellence!

Picture

77. Double-chambered Teak Ocarina
U.S.A.

78

Quite unusual!
Even my mind loved the music
From the beginning to the end.

Picture

78. Ceramic Ocarina
Japan

79

Each musical instrument
Was a new discovery
For my eagerness-heart.

Picture

79. “Goose” Ocarina
Canada

80

Even my vital forgot to play
Its restlessness-role!
It listened to the music
Without interruption.

Picture

80. Portable Harmonium
India
Sri Chinmoy sang and played.

81

My heart revealed
Its extraordinary inner speed.

Picture

81. “Pipe Dream ” Pentatonic Xylophone
Europe

82

My mind revealed
Its extraordinary outer agility.

Picture

82. Arpeggio Xylophone
Europe

83

The cosmic gods and goddesses
Came to pay a blessingful visit
To our peace-shrine-stage.

Picture

83. Hammer Dulcimer
Persia (Made in U.S.A.)

84

Eternity’s Peace and Infinity’s Bliss
Alternately blessed
The audience.

Picture

84. Bamboo Straight Flute
India

85

Alas, the whole experience-reality
Was the exclusive privilege
Of a few hundred!

Picture

85. Hohner Soprano Recorder
Germany

86

Each instrument
Extended farther and farther
Into the cosmic Beyond.

Picture

86. Moeck Sopranino Recorder
Germany

87

My familiar instruments
And unfamiliar instruments
Sang and danced together
In perfect harmony.

Picture

87. Western Flute
Europe

88

Newness and uniqueness
Unreservedly came down
From their respective realms.

Picture

88. Bass Sansa
Africa

89

I clearly saw my heart
And the hearts of the audience
Flying fast, very fast,
Towards the Feet of God.

Picture

89. Tubano
Cuba

90

Eagerness and cheerfulness
Together blossomed
With equal swiftness.

Picture

90. Lap Harp
U.S.A.

91

The human mind,
Nebulous in its faith,
Was transformed into
An ocean of faith.

Picture

91. Traditional Kantele
Finland

92

God heavily depended
On the willingness-heart
Of the audience.
To His greatest Joy,
The audience placed the Victory’s Crown
At His Feet.

Picture

92. Large Kantele
Finland

93

Negativity’s darkness
Completely faded away —
Right from the beginning.

Picture

93. Violin-o-Phone
Ireland

94

Each individual was fired
By the breath
Of illumining and fulfilling hope.

Picture

94. Snare Drum
U.S.A.

95

Our human life
And its accompanying troubles
Were utterly extinguished.

Picture

95. Clarinette
France

96

God was resolved that we all
Should go farther and farther,
Fly higher and higher
And dive deeper and deeper.
To our own great surprise,
We gave Him complete success.

Picture

96. Alto Renaissance Recorder
England

97

The aspiration of our heart
And the Satisfaction of God’s Heart
Became inseparably one.

Picture

97. Double Flute
Europe

98

Surrender to God’s Will we chose.
God’s Will we became.
God whispered that His Paradise
Is here and nowhere else.

Picture

98. Rainbow Frame Drum
U.S.A.

99

The unaspiring curiosity
Came,
Only to return disappointed.

Picture

99. Roland Synthesizer
U.S.A.

100

From now on
Our heart will see each dawn
With a new delight.

Picture

100. Ranat Metallophone
Thailand

Picture

Ranjana’s Bhajan Singing Group

Session five

Picture

101

Our hearts became a treasure
High above all measure

Picture

101. Ranch Tarang (Glass Xylophone)
India

102

Each song
Was an illumination-builder
Of the future.

Picture

102. Khong Wong (Kettle Gongs)
Thailand

103

A perfect union
Of the crying earth
And the smiling Heaven!

Picture

103. Koto
Japan

104

A song of life
And a dance of breath!

Picture

104. Cello
Europe
Sri Chinmoy sang and played.

105

What was needed
To become inseparably one
With the music-world
Was not an iron determination,
But a self-giving willingness.

Picture

105. Multi-cultural Synthesizer
Sri Chinmoy sang and played.

106

God the Supreme Musician
Came down
And left His Golden Footprints
For us to follow.

Picture

106. Hohner Mini Grand Piano
Germany

107

God blessed us
With His Compassion-Magnet,
And we offered God
Our affection-magnet in return.

Picture

107. Small Slit Drum
Africa and the Americas

108

A peace-blossoming world
In all its grandeur!

Picture

108. Hammered Zither
Made in U.S.A.

109

We owned two supernal possessions:
The soul-smile that glowed
And the heart-tear that sparkled.

Picture

109. Mini Tote-a-Tune
Australia

110

The fragrance-breeze
Of our souls
Carried us across
An infinite horizon.

Picture

110. Small Harmonium
India
Sri Chinmoy sang and played.

111

The peace-dove of light
Showed us the direct way
To fly
To God’s Immortality-flooded Kingdom.

Picture

111. Small Steel Drum
Trinidad and Tobago

112

Long before the birth of the performance,
The catastrophe of unwillingness
Was buried in the oblivion-cave.

Picture

112. Peace Harp Lyre
Australia

113

Many a time
The performer and the audience
Were wonderstruck
By God’s celestial Lightning-Beauty.

Picture

113. Xylophone
Sri Chinmoy sang and played.

114

The human ego
Recognised at long last
Its long-cherished absurdity.

Picture

114. Alto Saxophone
France

115

Our hearts
Will no longer use the foreign word:
‘Impossibility.’

Picture

115. Yamaha PSS 12 Keyboard
Japan
Sri Chinmoy sang and played.

116

The world’s cynical sneer
Did not dare to near
The divine atmosphere
We all created.

Picture

116. Tam-Tam (Gong)
China

117

God blessingfully touched our hearts.
Lo, dispelled was our ignorance-dream-sleep
Sooner than at once!

Picture

117. Sheng
China

118

By virtue of our gratitude-hearts,
We unreservedly enjoyed
Our God-surrender-sweetness.

Picture

118. Dunbek
North Africa

119

The thought-free hours
Helped our hearts to soar
And our lives to roar.

Picture

119. Windjammir
(Yamaha Synthesizer Wind Instrument )
Japan

120

God Himself applauded
Our each and every
God-manifestation-service-attempt.

Picture

120. Gemsborn (Cowhorn)
Switzerland

121

We saw the Face
Of God’s Love
And became the Heart
Of God’s Peace.

Picture

121. Dove Ocarina
Switzerland

122

Our heart’s teeming aspiration-flames
Frightened the earth-bound desires
Of our minds.

Picture

122. Sopranino Recorder Renaissance
Europe

123

God the Compassion abolished
Our thought-bondage-slavery.

Picture

123. Taschen Flöte
Germany

124

Silence infinitely increased
The beauty of my soul
And amplified
The duty of my life.

Picture

124. Small Bamboo Side Flute
India

125

We shall definitely and unquestionably
Live up to God’s God-Fulfilment-Dreams
In us and through us.

Picture

125. Small Rosewood Double Ocarina
U.S.A.

Pictures

Session six

Picture

126

From now on
Ignorance-night will be compelled
To lose its secret interest
In humanity.

Picture

126. Ceramic Ocarina
England

127

Doubt, the bringer of sad and bad news,
Failed to find an entrance
To the heart-temple of music.

Picture

127. Adapted Strum Stick
U.S.A.

128

The fast-approaching 21st century
Will establish the fragrance
Of the soul-music
And banish the thunderstorm-music
Of the vital.

Picture

128. Casio Ta-10 Keyboard
Japan
Sri Chinmoy sang and played.

129

The sweetness-music of the soul
Will ultimately defeat
The very breath of vital music.

Picture

129. Large Ceramic Ocarina
Europe

130

Our Lord entered our heart-temple
As a Guest,
But soon became our life-Host.

Picture

130. Bass Flute
Europe

131

The sole and single criterion of Truth
Is Peace.
Peace our mind saw.
Peace our heart felt.
Peace our life became.

Picture

131. Lyramandolin
Italy

132

From the strength
Of our aspiration-heart,
We unmistakably felt
That mankind would soon be ready
To herald God’s supreme Victory.

Picture

132. Gopichand
India

133

The mind that had craved
World-appreciation
Today longed only for
God’s Satisfaction in God’s own Way.

Picture

133. Tamburitsa
Yugoslavia

134

The dark smoke of earth-bound desire
Was nowhere visible
In the temple of heart-music.

Picture

134. Valiha (Tubular Zither)
Madagascar

135

The most significant cosmic gods
And goddesses
Came down with their Infinity’s Smile
And Immortality’s Affection
To bless the climbing aspiration-hearts.

Picture

135. Windspinner
Africa and the Americas

136

The Avatars,
The spiritual Masters, too,
Of the supreme Heights
Came down to bless
The ever-memorable occasion.

Picture

136. Rainstick Native
American

137

For the first time we saw
That time was totally against
Ignorance-night-pride —
And won!

Picture

137. Balaphone
Africa

138

Although God had so many pressing problems
To deal with,
He happily came and proudly swam
In the devotion-tears of our hearts.

Picture

138. Lithophone (Stone Xylophone)
France

139

God Himself came down
To teach our obedience
How to keep out of
Any trouble whatsoever.

Picture

139. Klevinger Electric Double Bass
U.S.A.
Sri Chinmoy sang and played.

140

Our surrender-heart
Handed our life totally over
To our Lord Beloved Supreme.

Picture

140. Large Harmonium
(Four Reeds per Note)
India
Sri Chinmoy sang and played.

141

To God,
We gave our very best.
To us,
His All He gave.

Picture

141. Modern Dilruba North India
(Made in U.S.A.)
Sri Chinmoy sang and played.

142

Aspiration taught us patience.
Patience taught us faith.
Faith taught us God-discovery
And self-mastery.

Picture

142. Alto Flute
Europe

143

Every moment was a cascade
Of God-Satisfaction-opportunities.

Picture

143. Dage Hu (Chinese Cello)
China
Sri Chinmoy sang and played.

144

We all aspired
To go high, higher, highest
And not to acquire
Much, more, most.

Picture

144. Viscount Digital Pipeorgan
Italy
Sri Chinmoy sang and played.

145

God’s Compassion-Feet we desired,
But He gave us His Satisfaction-Heart
Instead.

Picture

145. Lap Synthesizer (with Traditional Indian Sounds)
U.S.A.

146

Our aspiration-heart-boat
Plied between
The newness-shore-beauty
And the fulness-shore-fragrance.

Picture

146. Vibraphone
Germany

147

In us was born the abiding peace
Of a oneness-world-home.

Picture

147. Double Bass
Europe
Sri Chinmoy sang and played.

148

In the past,
Our aspiration-heart
Had always been right
In God’s Eye,
But this time His Heart declared:
“Absolutely perfect!”

Picture

148. Gong
Switzerland (Origin Chinese)

149

Swiftly God came.
Happily God stayed.
Proudly God returned.

Picture

149. Harmonium
India
Sri Chinmoy sang and played.

150

On His return Journey,
God did not go alone.
Our surrender-life and gratitude-heart
Accompanied Him.

Picture

150. Baby Grand Piano
U.S.A.

The Sri Chinmoy Library

A fourteen hour peace concert: Immensity-peace-sea-experiences. Sublimity-peace-sky-realisations

Notes

Session one

Picture

1

Picture

2

Picture

3

Picture

4

Picture

5

Picture

6

Picture

7

Picture

8

Picture

9

Picture

10

Picture

11

Picture

12

Picture

13

Picture

14

Picture

15

Picture

16

Picture

17

Picture

18

Picture

19

Picture

20

Picture

21

Picture

22

Picture

23

Picture

24

Picture

25

Picture

Picture

Session two

Picture

26

Picture

27

Picture

28

Picture

29

Picture

30

Picture

31

Picture

32

Picture

33

Picture

34

Picture

35

Picture

36

Picture