On 22 July 1966, Sri Chinmoy inaugurated the first AUM Centre — later known as the Sri Chinmoy Centre — in Miramar, Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico. This was an important milestone in his mission in the West, and was reached just two years after arriving in NY, US on April 13th 1964.
At the time, Sri Chinmoy was still working in the Indian Consulate, but had been invited by a seeker, Sudha to visit Puerto Rico. During his first visit to the island, Sri Chinmoy gave a talk, entitled ‘My Puerto Rico’, under the auspices of the YMCA of Santurce, Puerto Rico. A few days later, the first AUM centre was inaugurated.
Sri Chinmoy recounts the origins of his first Sri Chinmoy Centre.
The Beginning of the Puerto Rican Centre
"Our Sudha went to Swami Vishnudevananda’s Centre in Montreal. There she became friends with Gariyasi. After some time, they did not continue there. One day Gariyasi said to Sudha, “My sister is in an Ashram in India. Soon a great Yogi from there will be coming to New York.” Then Sudha made enquiries and found out when I would be arriving in New York.
I started working at the Indian Consulate. One day, out of the blue, Sudha called me. I did not know who she was. She said, “I know you are a great Yogi! Marcia [Gariyasi] has told me all about you. Will you come to Puerto Rico? I would like to have a Centre here.”
We started our AUM Magazine. We sent it to Sudha and she read it eagerly. Then I accepted her invitation and went to Puerto Rico. That is how our Centre started. From where to where! At Swami Vishnudevananda’s Centre, Sudha found out about me. Then she became our first and foremost disciple in Puerto Rico."
- Sri Chinmoy, I Wanted to be a Seeker of The Infinite, Agni Press, New York, 2012
The AUM Centre was legally incorporated on 12 August 1966. Over the next few years, Sri Chinmoy would frequently visit the island and the centres would play an important role in his manifestation, including the publishing of his books. For his 35th birthday on 27 August, Sri Chinmoy sent this message to the Puerto Rico centre.
To my dear students in Puerto Rico
O Children of the Supreme! I bow to the Supreme within you.
Today my body completes thirty-five years of its earthly existence. You are entering into me with your hearts' joy and your souls' aspiration. I am placing your divine wealth at the Feet of the Supreme. I am also offering to the Supreme all that you have and all that you are.
A song without notes is no song. A song breathes because it has a Singer. The Singer is the Supreme.
A tree without branches is no tree. A tree lives because it has a Root. The Root is the Supreme.
O Flames of my Spirit's fire, Fly into the Transcendental Beyond.
This message was sent to the AUM CENTRE, INC. on the occasion of Sri Chinmoy's birthday, 27 August 1966. This is the first time the name "Sri Chinmoy" was published in AUM magazine. Sri Chinmoy, AUM — Vol. 2, No. 2, 27 September 1966, Boro Park Printers, Brooklyn, New York, 1966
Sri Chinmoy would always remain grateful to the heart and soul of Puerto Rico, where seekers first accepted his mission.
The Puerto Ricans' love for me
"Puerto Rico: the land of sun and sea. If I write a book on Puerto Rico, it will be at least three hundred pages, if not more. I have so many stories! Many funny things happened with my Puerto Rican disciples.
Again, serious things also happened in Puerto Rico. So many songs I composed in Puerto Rico. Super-super-excellent experiences I had in Puerto Rico. And in terms of love and affection for me, nobody can come near the Puerto Ricans. Such pure love, pure affection they have offered me. Their affection and their love for me cannot be equaled by others. They are very kind, very affectionate, very devoted. Again, they do not believe in time! My Puerto Rican disciples live in eternal time.
I love my Puerto Rico. Long before anybody cared for me, my Puerto Rico accepted me and cared for me. I wrote a song with those words."
Sri Chinmoy, The Path of my Inner Pilot, Agni Press, New York, 2015.
“Seven years ago, when I was totally unknown to the seekers’ world, it was Puerto Rico that saw something in me. Call it Light, call it Peace, call it Bliss... That is why it opened its heart’s door and welcomed me to be of dedicated service to the Supreme here.
As long as I am on earth and when I am gone, when the soul leaves the body-cage, I shall remember Puerto Rico with my heart’s eternal gratitude and my soul’s concern-light.”
Informal talk given at the Sri Chinmoy Centre in Puerto Rico, on September 29, 1974
Further Reading
- My Puerto Rico - talk given 19 July 1966 under the auspices of the YMCA of Santurce, Puerto Rico.
- Spaniards Came - poem written on 19 July 1966.
- My Consulate Years - a brief chronology
- The Impact of a Yogi on my Life - Agni (José Luis Casanova) was an early disciple of Sri Chinmoy from Puerto Rico. This is a riveting account of how his life changed after meeting his Master, Sri Chinmoy. Agni was a spiritual name given by Sri Chinmoy. It refers to the fire-god and god of aspiration. Agni passed away on 14 March 1974.