• Introduction

Part I: Preface to Questions from Bill Pearl

• Bill Pearl: Are you seeking uniqueness in the weightlifting field so you can have a larger impact on a larger group of people?
• Bill Pearl: I think it's just amazing that you're capable of doing such tremendous feats of strength. You're going to be a great inspiration to a lot of people.
• Bill Pearl: I really, truly appreciate that. So would you say that what you're attempting to do is to show people what can be done and how far a person can go if he puts his mind and heart and soul into a specific endeavour?

Part II: Questions from Jim Smith

• Jim Smith: Could you please tell me your training schedule?
• Jim Smith: You must understand why I am so impressed. I have lifted weights for 35 years now. I have not normally trained more than four times a week and not more than three hours in any one session.
• Jim Smith: I can understand that. But I don't know anybody, apart from the Bulgarians and people like that, who trains so much. Now, about your calf raise, I can only tell you that in England we don't recognise the calf raise as a competition lift.
• Jim Smith: You're obviously using all your previous spiritual training.

Part III: Questions at a press conference

• Question: Why, at this point, are you having this press conference?
• Question: When did you start weightlifting?
• Question: Weightlifting seems a most appropriate athletic sport to express our concentration. Is this why you started it?
• Question: I am familiar with the weightlifting that you have done. Maybe you can give us a little better idea how you prepare for lifting the heavy weights, because I'm sure you don't just work out with heavy weights all the time.
• Question: Do you have a regular physical training schedule that you go through?
• Question: Could you compare running to weightlifting? Does one give you more pleasure than the other?
• Question: Did your feeling about weightlifting change as you started to do it? Do you now like it?
• Question: Do you feel that your weightlifting will be an inspiration for others?
• Question: How does your weightlifting relate to your many other aspects of working for world peace?
• Question: When you were practising to lift 303 pounds, how did you maintain your enthusiasm in spite of failing so many times?
• Question: Do you feel that the races you sponsor also help and inspire people?
• Question: It seems that everything which you are involved in is for mankind. Do you ever do anything for your own personal satisfaction?
• Question: If you want to use your weightlifting as an inspiration, why not use a more conventional type of lift that is more recognizable to the general public?
• Question: Do you get discouraged that there are no signs of the world accepting peace?
• Question: How can an athlete establish peace inside himself to give him strength?
• Question: Would you have any message for coaches who are training athletes?
• Question: Is there any kind of relationship that you feel you have with the weights when you step up to them?
• Question: Now that you have achieved a certain standard in the one-arm lift and calf raise, do you have other goals?
• Question: If I am compelled to adopt a sport which gives me less joy, can my inner progress be as great?
• Question: Have you been working with a teacher, or do you set your own training?
• Question: Do you ever have doubts that you will achieve your goals?
• Question: How does one transfer your regimen and dedication for something like weightlifting towards something like running or something that is intangible, like art?
• Question: You have used the term 'new era' when talking about your achievements. Could you explain what this means?
• Question: What would you like our readers to get from the example of your weightlifting?
• Question: Quite a few people in the past and even in the present have divided the physical and spiritual development.

Part IV: Questions Asked by Reporters in Greenwich, Connecticut

• Interviewer: Sri Chinmoy, please explain to me what you hope to show people by lifting an elephant.
• Interviewer: What then do you hope to show by this display of strength?
• Interviewer: So in a sense your concentration and your meditation are going to help you lift this animal?
• Interviewer: Why all this publicity? Why do you do it in such a public way? Why not lift weights at home?
• Interviewer: So when people see you doing this and they see that you are not a big, muscular man, what message do you hope they will receive?
• Interviewer: What do you do inwardly, what do you think of when you are lifting these very heavy weights?
• Interviewer: Now why are you adding more weight to what you have just lifted?
• Interviewer: Are you going for a world record?
• Interviewer: Were you trying to understand the elephant?
• Interviewer: I understand that you weigh only 160 pounds.
• Interviewer: You are very relaxed for a man who has just lifted that amount of weight. It is incredible! Do you mind if I check out your muscles?
• Interviewer: Sri Chinmoy, with all the video cameras, the press and everybody running around here, isn't this atmosphere a little bit inimical to meditation and the inner life?
• Interviewer: When you were standing on the platform, you were, I think, meditating. What were you thinking?
• Interviewer: And how do you do that? Were you thinking thoughts? Were you saying something?
• Interviewer: Would you hope to get more followers as a result of this?
• Interviewer: What about breathing?
• Interviewer: When you were holding the weight, did you exhale?
• Interviewer: What religion were you born into?
• Interviewer: Do you also run?

Part V: Question from Mr. Zehn Eckhardt

• Question: I have read and seen on television that you have achieved quite a number of astonishing feats. What is the connection between your search for peace and what you are doing with weightlifting?
• Editor's preface to the first edition