Messages from Poland
Around 7:30 on the evening, as Sri Chinmoy is preparing to meet with 1,700 of his students from Russia, Eastern Europe and Germany, he receives the shattering news of Mother Teresa's passing. That evening, after a long period of silent meditation at the Mera Hall in Warsaw, he announced her death to his students.
Mother Teresa, dearer than the dearest for the sake of the dying people, is no more with us physically.
Just on the 26th of August I spoke to her for her blessings. She is at once my Sister of infinite affection and my Mother of infinite compassion. On our return to New York, we shall offer a memorial service for her.
Mother Teresa's very name is sanctity, simplicity and purity. Her body's death, her body's departure from the earthly scene, is a supreme loss to Mother Earth. Again, her soul's blessings for the world citizens and her inseparable oneness with the suffering humanity will always remain immortal. The goodness of her heart has covered the length and breadth of the world.
To be in her blessingful presence is to inundate oneself with humility. No matter who you are, no matter how great you are, how powerful you are, how bad or how good you are, how poor or how rich you are, just stand in front of her and all your incapacities and capacities disappear. What remains inside your heart, inside your life, is the peerless virtue: humility, reverent humility.
This year, in June, I had the golden opportunity to be in Mother's blessingful presence on two occasions. Once I had a private interview with her and once I was accompanied by some of my students. Both of these meetings took place in the Bronx, New York. Then I wanted to speak with Mother on the telephone before she left for Calcutta. Her assistant, Sister Sabita, informed me that on the day of her departure Mother would call me and speak to me. Mother kept her promise. She called me in the morning on the same day that she was to leave New York and spoke with me for about fifteen minutes. That was not enough! Right before she left for Kennedy Airport, she dictated a letter to her assistant for me. I received the letter a few days later. That was the last letter I received from her.
Mother's birthday falls on the 26th of August, but she observes it on the 27th because on that day she was baptised. She gives all importance to the day she was baptised. The 27th of August also happens to be my birthday. I spoke to her for her blessings on the 26th of August, New York time. In India, it was the morning of August 27th. That was the last time we spoke. Her final words to me were, "God bless you, Sri Chinmoy."
A few days later, as you know, Mother Earth received a stupendous blow: Princess Diana left the earth-scene. Mother Teresa used to call Princess Diana "my daughter," and Princess Diana had so much affection, respect, love and fondness for Mother Teresa. Their fondness for each other was unimaginable. On 2 September, we had a memorial service for Princess Diana in New York, and for that I requested a blessingful statement from Mother Teresa. She had already issued two statements in Calcutta. At my request, she gave a third message and it was most soulful and prayerful.
After giving her message for Princess Diana, Mother added a special message for me. She said that I had to go with her to China because China needs light. So many times she asked me to go with her to China to open up a House.
There was a time, many years ago, when Mother Teresa wanted to open up Houses in Russia. When she opened up her first House, and then a second and a third, she was so delighted and excited. She felt she would be able to bring light into the Russian life. Then her sole aim became to have at least one House in China. No sincere attempt ends in vain. I am sure Mother's wish will be fulfilled under the able guidance of Sister Nirmala. Sister Nirmala is now head of the worldwide Mission of Mother Teresa. She has tremendous affection, love and concern for me. When I met her in New York, she showed me the utmost kindness.
In recent years, Mother Teresa was taken to the hospital in a serious condition quite a few times. I prayed and prayed to our Beloved Lord Supreme for her to stay on earth. At least five times, He was successful in and through humanity's prayers. But this time it was a massive heart attack. No hospital or person could be of any help to her. This time we were not given the chance to pray for her recovery.
Mother Teresa's earthly frame we shall no longer see. But her Divinity's eyes and Immortality's heart she has left behind for the world to claim as its own, very own.
As it is true that the world is full of suffering, even so, it is equally true that there came a soul to become and to remain inseparably one with the suffering humanity, and her spirit will forever remain here on earth.
Published in Mother Teresa: Humanity’s Flower-Heart, Divinity’s Fragrance-Soul, part 3
Sri Chinmoy sends the following telegram to Sister Nirmala and the Sisters of the Missionaries of Charity.
WESTERN UNION FSI WESTERN UNION MAILGRAM DALLAS TX 75238
MISSIONARIES OF CHARITY SISTER NIRMALA
54A ACHARYA JAGADISH CHANDRA BOSE ROAD CALCUTTA 700016 (INDIA)MY DEAREST SISTER NIRMALA,
MY EYES, MY HEART AND MY LIFE ARE ALL SWIMMING IN THE SEA OF TEARS. THE MOTHER GAVE EACH AND EVERY BREATH OF HER LIFE TO THE POOR AND THE HELPLESS SUFFERERS. LET US ALL OFFER OUR EVER-BLOSSOMING GRATITUDE-HEARTS TO HER. SHE CLAIMED US AS HER OWN, VERY OWN. NOW IT IS FOR US TO CLAIM HER AS OUR OWN, VERY OWN, BY LOVING AND SERVING HUMANITY SLEEPLESSLY AND BREATHLESSLY.
MY DEAREST SISTER NIRMALA,
I SHALL LOVINGLY, DEVOTEDLY AND PRAYERFULLY KEEP MY INNER AND OUTER CONNECTIONS WITH YOU AND THUS I SHALL BE ABLE TO PERPETUATE AND TREASURE MOTHER'S BLESSINGFUL WORDS, MESSAGES AND LETTERS IN MY GRATITUDE-HEART-GARDEN.
YOURS IN THE MOTHER,
SRI CHINMOY
Published in Mother Teresa: Humanity’s Flower-Heart, Divinity’s Fragrance-Soul, part 3
Sri Chinmoy’s own memorial services for Mother Teresa are held on 13 September 1997 at Aspiration-Ground in Jamaica, Queens, New York, and on 23 September 1997 in the Dag Hammarskjöld Auditorium at the United Nations.