On 7th July 2004, Sri Chinmoy was invited to open the week-long Fourth Parliament of the World’s Religions at the Universal Forum of Cultures in Barcelona, Spain, with a silent meditation and a performance of his music on the esraj.
Video of Sri Chinmoy's meditation
Video by kedarvideo
Opening Meditation
The Council for the Parliament officially asked Sri Chinmoy to lead the opening of this momentous event in silence as a “perfect entry for participants into the Parliament experience,” adding, “We can think of no one better to do it than you.”
Sri Chinmoy said about his opening meditation, “During my opening meditation I am praying for the oneness of all religions.”
"While I was in Barcelona, I wrote thirty-five prayers, composed twenty-eight songs in English and Bengali, and drew a number of birds to symbolise the aspiration of the human soul. Together with my silent meditation and esraj performance during the opening session, these are my soulful and prayerful offerings to the illumining soul of the Parliament of Religions." - Sri Chinmoy
Love begins the Cosmic Game.
Oneness completes the Cosmic Game.
#12
I wish to become
A climbing flame
And not a devouring fire.
#25
We all must know
That God’s only real Name is
Forgiveness, Forgiveness, Forgiveness.
#35
News Coverage
There was extensive media coverage of Sri Chinmoy's opening meditation, with many news outlets choosing the iconic photo of Sri Chinmoy to symbolise the inner message of the Parliament. Full list of news.
The Parliament of World Religions
1893 Chicago. The Parliament of the World’s Religions was held for the first time as part of the Columbian Exhibition. This historic gathering is regarded as the beginning of the interfaith movement worldwide. One of the most inspiring and magnetic speakers was Swami Vivekananda, a young Hindu monk from India.
1993 Chicago
To celebrate the centenary of the first Parliament, eight thousand people from various faiths came together in Chicago for a second Parliament. Sri Chinmoy was chosen by the organisers to open the convocation with a few moments of silent meditation.
Interestingly, Sri Chinmoy was a great admirer of Swami Vivekananda and in 1993, answered a question about his significance to the Parliament of Religions.
"I strongly feel that today’s centenary [1993] of the Parliament of Religions is taking place precisely because of Vivekananda. He was the dreamer, the lover and the possessor of a truly universal spirit. People came to the original Parliament of Religions from various religions and various cultures. In most cases they came to preach or speak about their respective religious beliefs. But Vivekananda came as a lover of humanity to sing the song of a oneness-world-home. He did not come here to propagate the views of his Hindu religion. He came to propagate the one religion that is known as Man. He spoke of the individual man who is evolving into the universal man and consciously accepting the world as his own, very own. Vivekananda was at once an ancient silence-heart and a modern dynamism-life."
Sri Chinmoy, Sri Chinmoy Answers, Part 6, Agni Press, New York, 1995
I Bow to the Soul of the Parliament of Religions by Sri Chinmoy.
Published by Agni Press, New York in 2004.