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My dear Sri Chinmoy:

It is my pleasure and honor to write you these words of admiration for your astonishing achievements. You are a miraculous model of the abundance in the creative life that we lesser mortals seek, and I can only hope that I may some day meet you and perhaps participate in that cosmic fountain of stillness and profound energy which you inhabit.

Long life to you and your art —

Leonard Bernstein

Sri Chinmoy replied to Leonard Bernstein's letter on 16 November 1977:

Dear Leonard Bernstein,

Your soulful letter has touched the very depths of my aspiring heart. You are the greatest Conductor and Composer of our age. As an artist, you have reached and have become the Himalayan peak; whereas I am just a tiny anthill. None of the accolades you have so generously offered to me do I rightfully deserve. I am a mere instrument of my Beloved Supreme and my total satisfaction lies in pleasing Him alone in His own Way.

Brother Leonard, you too are a God-lover and a God-server far beyond your own imagination's flight. With your heart's spontaneous, dynamic flames you have most strikingly transformed the entire music-world and are spreading triumphantly God's Music-Light here and there and all-where. Because of you, your unparalleled capacities, the present-day world has received a new consciousness-light, and for that Heaven and earth are at once supremely proud of you.

Up until now the outer world has acclaimed you as a matchless musician-composer, and now the inner world also has something to say about you. To my extreme delight, the day is fast approaching when the inner world will grant you its illumining and fulfilling wealth in measureless measure.

You would like to meet me some day. I wish to say that in the soul's world we two have definitely long ago met. Your heart's soulful and your soul's blessingful message-letter to me has amply proved it. Very soon I hope that we shall also meet on the outer plane. My aspiration-heart lovingly awaits God's Hour.

Yours in the Supreme,

Sri Chinmoy