All of a sudden, both cars saw each other and tried to stop. But the car that was coming at 50 miles per hour from the side street lost control of the steering and smashed into a telephone pole less than 10 metres away from me. The car went up onto the sidewalk. It finally stopped when it hit the fire hydrant which was right in front of me.
The whole thing was over in a matter of seconds. If that car had gone a little more to the left, I would definitely have gone to the other world. But at the moment before the car hit the fire hydrant, my whole body was lifted up over a little hedge and a part of the lawn belonging to the house on the corner, and I landed on the first step of that house. You all know the story about the time in India when I jumped from a moving train and landed quite safely far away in a paddyfield. This time there was no jumping on my part. My body was just lifted up and I landed in a standing position on the first step of the house, about five or six metres away.
What a crash there was! You have no idea what a loud noise it made. The sound was so terrifying. But the man who lived in that house did not come out to see what was happening. I was the only witness and I was also almost the victim.
The car that had been travelling on 150th Street collided with the one that hit the fire hydrant, but not seriously, and it stopped about five feet away. It was driven by a gentle, old lady. Her car was slightly damaged but, fortunately, she was not injured.
The old lady got out of her car in an absolutely panicky way and started screaming at the Puerto Rican lady who had been driving the other car, “What made you drive so fast?” Alas, the Puerto Rican lady could not come out of her car. The lower part of her face was covered with blood.
While the accident was taking place, these ladies did not see me standing there. But afterwards, the old lady was looking at me. I would have been another victim, like them. There was broken glass everywhere and parts of the first car had also flown all over the area. The first car was totally smashed.
I prayed in silence for a few moments.
Then I said to myself, “What am I doing here?”
So I started jogging again. I went to my 800-metre mark and started coming back. Usually I never talk to anybody while I am running, but when I came to the accident place I saw Pragati. I asked her, “What happened?”
Pragati said, “O Guru, there was a terrible crash!”
Then I told her the whole story. She was so horrified. When I was talking to her, my physical body was shaking. If not for God’s Protection I would have been in Heaven. Then I also saw Anna, Aaron and Sulochana at the place where the accident was.
By that time, quite a large crowd had gathered. You cannot imagine how many people had come in five minutes’ time. They were all discussing the accident. I saw an ambulance, but there were no policemen. They took the Puerto Rican lady out of her car and put her in the ambulance. They did not put her on a stretcher, but they carried her into the ambulance. One man was holding her head. Perhaps her neck was broken. There were two or three more people in her car, but they were all right.
Afterwards, I took Databir, Radha and Nilima to see the place where the accident happened. The owner of the house was sweeping up the glass. I could still see pieces of glass near the step where I landed. Another old man said that he has been living there for thirty-five years, and he has been trying to get the city to put a red light on that corner. So many accidents take place there, according to him.
So I always say to meditate for one minute before you drive or before you do anything. The old man who was fighting to have a red light installed said to me, “You should pray to God and thank God that you are still alive.”
RB 987. 6 October 1987↩
RB 988. 20 October 1987↩
RB 989. 21 October 1987↩
RB 990. 21 October 1987↩
RB 991. 27 October 1987↩
RB 992. 30 October 1987↩
The man said, “Why are you afraid of this puppy?”
I said, “I am not afraid. I was smiling at the dog and I came very near it.”
I asked the man, “What is his name?”
He replied, “Billy.”
I smiled at Billy and at the owner. Then I continued on my way.
RB 993. 30 October 1987↩
RB 994. 30 October 1987↩
I said, “O God!” Then I felt something very thick and heavy on the neck of my jacket. I said, “That means there is a hood there.” So I opened it and found a hood to protect me from the rain. Even that little jacket had something!
RB 995. 30 October 1987↩
I said, “I do not know. It was a gift.” This was the jacket that Nilima gave me.
The man said, “I want to keep it and sell it in my store.”
RB 996. 30 October 1987↩
RB 997. 1 November 1987↩
I told him that I had done 7,000 pounds, but he thought I was saying 700 pounds.
RB 998. 1 November 1987↩
I have never seen this man at our meditations there. He went and told his wife, “This is the meditation teacher.” He was looking at me with such admiration.
RB 999. 1 November 1987↩
I told him that I watch the marathon from many different points along the way.
This time I received so much inspiration from the New York City Marathon. I have decided to start practising 30 miles a week. Every Monday I will run 13 miles. Then next year I will run marathons. I will start with the Chico Marathon.
In a marathon, no matter what speed you go, something becomes tired. If you go fast, your legs become tired, and if you go slowly, your mind becomes tired.
RB 1000. 1 November 1987↩
RB 1001. 1 November 1987↩
RB 1002. 1 November 1987↩
Today I ran on Vinaya’s course. A battalion of fifteen people followed me, so afterwards we all enjoyed ice cream.
RB 1003. 2 November 1987↩
RB 1004. 2 November 1987↩
RB 1005. 22 November 1987↩
Many years ago in Boston I had frostbite. My nose was seriously affected. So I was getting frightened that again I would have frostbite. You are all really brave!
Ninety-five non-disciples came to run in this weather! I am so grateful to them.
RB 1006. 22 November 1987↩
RB 1007. 22 November 1987↩
Tomorrow, no matter what happens, even if it rains or snows, I will definitely run.
RB 1008. 4 December 1987↩
My second mile timing was 8:30 in spite of one long hill. As soon as I go over five miles, my left leg suffers so much!
RB 1009. 6 December 1987↩
When I was returning, I saw Pratap and Vijali once again. When I came back into the hotel lobby, Chetana had joined their company.
RB 1010. 18 December 1987↩
A little farther on, I saw Pradhan and then I saw Agraha. I ran for twenty minutes and then I came back to the hotel following the same route. On the way back, it was less than eighteen minutes. So, while coming back, I ran faster.
RB 1011. 18 December 1987↩
How I wish my spiritual children would get up early in the morning at 4:30 like these children and run! Savyasachi told me that the main street would be blocked off for joggers and walkers this morning. So many people were out running so early in the morning!
RB 1012. 27 December 1987↩
Then, when she sees me early in the morning, running or walking, she puts both her hands over her chest. Her humility is very sincere, her devotion is very sincere. I feel intensity in her humility and intensity in her devotion.
She runs according to her own pace. Most of the time, it is the pace of an Indian bullock cart. Since she runs at the speed of a bullock cart, my compassion-heart can keep pace with her speed and it blesses her for at least 50 or 60 metres. Then I reach my house-destination. I run towards my house-destination and she runs and runs inside my heart-corridor, which is her destination.
RB 1013. 31 December 1987↩
While I was running, little vans were inviting me. They were literally stopping the vans to ask me to come inside. Perhaps they thought that I was lost.
RB 1014. 2 January 1988↩
After I crossed over the mile mark, I saw Savita and Ankhi. Then I went a mile and a half and I saw Indu and another girl.
Running here is so beautiful. Farmers are ploughing their paddyfields and nature’s beauty is all around. I was walking and walking so happily.
RB 1015. 9 January 1988↩
I said also, “Amitabha, Amitabha!”
Then, in case I did not understand, the man told me, “Lord Buddha, Lord Buddha.”
Soon after that, a Balinese lady saw me and said, “Wise man, wise man.”
RB 1016. 20 January 1988↩
I was walking and meditating. All of a sudden, I saw a little shop there in the sand. When I enquired, the man said that everything was fixed price.
The Balinese man who owned the little shop spoke English. I wanted to buy three or four things. Each time he said that something was a fixed price, I bargained with him. Finally, when I said, “All right, then I will not buy it,” he lowered the price. This happened with each item.
So I took 10,000 rupiah with me and I spent it all.
RB 1017. 20 January 1988↩
At one point I was thinking of Niriha. She should have been there to catch it on video. Quite often she has excellent intuition, but this morning it was not working.
RB 1018. 20 January 1988↩
RB 1019. 2 February 1988↩
RB 1020. 4 February 1988↩
Now, whenever I pass by that place, immediately I feel the vibration and Savitri’s soul comes to me. Not even a single time do I pass the tree and the tree does not respond, because the soul left the body and it was in the tree.
Sometimes, when souls leave the body, they do not want to come back. But when there is pressure, the soul does come back. Had Savitri’s soul left the body at that time, it would have been an untimely death. That is why I compelled the soul to come back. Then Savitri stayed on earth for at least ten or twelve years more. Her soul got the opportunity to love God more and manifest Him more. So that tree is always so grateful to me.
RB 1021. 10 February 1988↩
RB 1022. 13 February 1988↩
Strangely enough, some of his pictures are quite similar to mine when I was younger, and I also felt in him the same type of shyness that I had when I first came to America.
RB 1023. 13 February 1988↩
RB 1024. 17 February 1988↩
Bhashwar has taken a very nice picture of Calvin Smith. Look at his innocent smile — how simple and childlike it is! His whole face radiates with his simplicity-smile. His smile comes spontaneously.
RB 1025. 20 February 1988↩
I said, “I am not getting a heart attack,” but they thought I was getting one. As a matter of fact, I enjoyed the marathon.
This year I wanted to do Chico again. My hope and promise never die. They are always immortal in the loving hearts of my spiritual children. There are many, many things I may not be able to perform on the physical plane, as old age is shattering the body’s physical capacity. But my spiritual children are still young, physically young, and I do want them to remain spiritually young. Your loving feeling of oneness I most deeply appreciate and admire.
So this year I could not go because my legs are not allowing me to walk or run. But Garima is so kind. She wanted to pay for Savita to run. She bought the ticket plus Savita was ready. I said, “No, I do not want Savita to go. Then she will defeat my timing.” I am so clever!
RB 1026. 2 March 1988↩
I said, “Bhalo, bhalo.” I thought that perhaps he knew only one phrase, so I added in English, “Good morning!”
Then, still in Bengali, he said, “Suprabhat,” which means good morning in Bengali. He looked like an American. How did he know Bengali?
Then I smiled and went away. This happened on 150th Street and 84th Drive. He lives there. He spoke to me in pure Bengali and I had to tell him good morning in English!
RB 1027. 30 April 1988↩
At that very moment, when he was saying this, his dog came near me running.
RB 1028. 1 May 1988↩
RB 1029. 20 May 1988↩
RB 1030. 28 May 1988↩
Of all the runners, Surabhi should get a prize for her style.
RB 1031. 19 June 1988↩
An elderly white man passed by me and said, “Why don’t you go to a lunatic institute?” He was very serious. It was not a joke. His voice was full of contempt.
I thanked him.
RB 1032. 3 July 1988↩
I stopped and I saw that two young men were in the car. The driver was drunk. He said to me, “Shrai, Shrai.”
The other one was Puerto Rican. He said to me, “Sri Chinmoy, you are a man of wisdom. Please give me some wisdom.”
The driver screamed, “No, man, he is a man of light, light, light. Give me light, light.” He was screaming very loudly. This drunk one was quite aggressive.
I said to myself, “Oh, what an experience to have at this hour!” Just then a bus came up behind them and chased the car away. So I continued walking. Then, when I came to my 700-metre mark, the same car came back in the other direction, on the other side of the street from me. This time the Puerto Rican was driving. He said, “Sri Chinmoy, is it true that you have lifted such heavy weights?”
I said, “Yes.”
He went on, “I see your picture all around.” Then he added, “I trust you.”
Just at that moment we reached the Grand Central Service Road. I made a left turn and the car made a right turn. I did not see them again.
RB 1033. 9 July 1988↩
Then I said “Good morning” several times.
At Main Street, he made a left turn and I kept going straight.
RB 1034. 9 July 1988↩
When I came near the man, I said, “What are you doing?”
The man repeated, “What am I doing?”
He had something with him, an iron instrument. He immediately put his hand inside his pocket and brought out a cigarette. He said, “Man, can you give me a match?”
I said, “You are planning to break into this car. I am going to bring my students to thrash you.”
He said, “No!”
Then I said, “I am going to this house to inform them.”
He looked at me and I looked at him. Then he said, “Damn you!” He did not break into the car. He just went away. I saw the number of the plate on the small grey car — LOX 118. When I saw that this fellow had left, I continued walking.
RB 1035. 9 July 1988↩
I said, “I have a very bad knee injury. That is why I cannot walk.” I placed my hand on my right knee.
The old man was very sympathetic. He said, “Let me accompany you.” So we started walking together. At first he was walking fast, but when he saw that I was struggling, he slowed down to accompany me. I gave him a smile.
He started saying, “Lord Jesus, save me! Lord Jesus, cure me!” Then he said, “Now say this with me.” So I joined him. Nobody was there to hear us.
He started accompanying me at my one mile plus 600-metre mark. At the 300-metre mark, he started chanting out loud. Both of us were saying, “Lord Jesus, save me! Lord Jesus, cure me!” together. When we came to the one mile and 100-metre mark, he turned down the side street going towards Union Turnpike, near the Motor Inn. I thanked him profusely. He was such a simple man, with such faith in Jesus. But Lord Jesus did not listen to my prayer.
So all these things happened in one day.
RB 1036. 9 July 1988↩
From:Sri Chinmoy,Run and become, become and run, part 20, Agni Press, 2004
Sourced from https://srichinmoylibrary.com/rb_20