Three hundred books written by Sri Chinmoy2
Following are the words spoken by Sri Chinmoy and Mayor Beame on the occasion, as well as a reprint of an article which appeared in a major New York City newspaper the following day.Sri Chinmoy: “Dear Mr. Beame, dear Mayor, O brave, great, wise and good pilot of the New York City boat, with my heart’s boundless joy I am presenting you with my 300th book. Each book of mine is my heart’s aspiration for God and my life’s dedication to mankind. I am all gratitude to the soul of New York City, for it is here where I have been for the last twelve years, and here I have written these 300 books.
“To offer this book to you is to offer it to the soul of New York City, for your most exemplary dedication to the City of New York and the supreme satisfaction of the soul of New York are one and inseparable. In you I feel the supreme satisfaction of the soul of New York. Your dauntless spirit, your mind’s wisdom and your heart’s dedication are most exemplary. The capital of America is Washington, D.C., but the capital of the world is New York, and you are the head of New York. I am offering these books to you with my heart’s boundless gratitude, joy and pride.”
Mayor Beame: “Thank you, thank you very much. I am sure these books will be an inspiration to millions of others. I am very pleased. They are going to be turned over to the New York Public Library, where so many readers can read them and get the same inspiration. Dr. Mish is here to accept them for the Library.”
A few more words passed between Sri Chinmoy and Mayor Beame, and then the books were taken by Dr. Mish for inclusion in the Oriental Division of the New York Public Library.
The three hundredth book written by Sri Chinmoy since his arrival in New York in 1964 rolled off the press early in the morning on Friday, 17 December 1976. The same morning, in a ceremony at City Hall, Sri Chinmoy presented one of each of his 300 books to New York's Mayor Abraham Beame.↩
