Part II — Interview on "The Other Hour" Wrvr-Fm radio

On 3 July 1977 Sri Chinmoy was the guest on "The Other Hour," a radio program broadcast live in New York on radio station WRVR. Following is a transcript of the interview.

Donna Halper: You are with "The Other Hour," and with our theme song we are actually on the air, through the Grace of God. I'm Donna Halper. You never know what you are going to hear on "The Other Hour," but what you are going to hear tonight is a little bit different and a little bit unique. We have a very, very great person, with whom you are probably familiar if you are into music at all. He's been the spiritual Master of a number of major musicians, and is also a great philosopher and teacher, and a musician himself. Of course, I am talking about Sri Chinmoy, who is our guest in the studio tonight. You can call in and speak with him a little bit later. I think before we do anything else. Sri Chinmoy would you like to play some music for us? I believe this is connected with meditation. Am I correct Guru? Music for meditation.

[Sri Chinmoy plays the esraj.]

Donna Halper: Wow! How would you like to do that for the whole rest of the show? God is that beautiful! We have a whole group of engineers who are saying that's nice, seriously. For our audience the instrument which he is playing is called the esraj. I'd like to ask you now what is the purpose of this music when you are meditating? What is the effect it is supposed to have on a person while he is meditating?

Sri Chinmoy: Soulful music intensifies our meditation. Soulful music expedites our soul's journey. Soulful music helps the seeker establish his conscious and inseparable oneness with the Supreme Pilot. Therefore I give great importance to music in the spiritual life.

From:Sri Chinmoy,The inner world and the outer world, Agni Press, 1988
Sourced from https://srichinmoylibrary.com/iow