
About the author

Jogyata Dallas
Jogyata has given classes and talks on meditation for the general public for over 30 years, both in New Zealand and around the world. He has published a collection of stories about his experiences as a student of Sri Chinmoy.
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In this interview, Jogyata talks about how his life journey led him to meditation and spirituality, and how it has changed his perspective on so many things. Part of the 'Seeker's Journey' series of interviews.
Play VideoAn Inspiring Prasad!
Prasad is normally a food item given by a spiritual master to a disciple or seeker – it has been blessed by the master’s meditation.
My own teacher Sri Chinmoy often offers prasad, thus nourishing his disciples both spiritually through meditation and physically through food. Prasad can also include a non-food item, as in the following story.
Some years ago a good friend of mine in New York – his name means ‘unparalleled victor who knows no defeat’ or something very close to this – went through a phase of writing poetry. So much did his muse inspire him that he wrote an entire volume of poems that was subsequently published. One such poem lay in sheet form on his bed one day and Uddipan, a New Zealand disciple who was staying with our mutual friend at this time, found it there, read it out and was very inspired by what he saw.
This particular poem had much of Sri Chinmoy’s imagery in it and understandably Uddipan thought it was our Guru’s poem, even photo-copying it for the members of his meditation centre. Upon returning to New Zealand, Uddipan very nicely re-typed the poem – adding some nice floral flourishes for borders – and the poem, assumed by all to be Guru’s, was given out as prasad.
An Auckland disciple there in Wellington for their meditation evening took the now sanctified poem back to Auckland and similarly inspired, also gave the poem out as ‘prasad’. So our New York friend’s poem found it’s way into the homes and even onto the shrines of many of our members.
Much to his chagrin, Uddipan one day discovered – again while staying in New York – that the poem was not in fact Guru’s but our seer-poet hosts, too late though to retract the national prasad. Detractors examining the poem in question and noting it’s resemblance to the style and language of our Guru might hint at plagiarism, but who could entertain such a notion? Surely this is just another triumph of oneness where the disciple has so absorbed the consciousness of the Master that the exact identity of the author of these poems becomes unclear. Plagiarism? Never!
– Jogyata.
Related stories
Sri Chinmoy's students describe their inner and outer experiences.


My inner calling
Purnakama Rajna Winnipeg, Canada
Running and Me
Garga Chamberlain Bristol, United Kingdom
Reflections on meditation
Janaka Spence Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Help From Above
Toshala Elliott Auckland, New Zealand
I want what he has
Kamalakanta Nieves New York, United States
Listen to the inner voice
Vidura Groulx Montreal, CanadaSuggested videos
interviews with Sri Chinmoy's students

Siblings on a spiritual path
Pranlobha Kalagian Seattle, United States
An airport meditation experience
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New Zealand
Sri Chinmoy's inner guidance
Kailash Beyer Zurich, Switzerland
Running for peace in the South Pacific
Nirbhasa Magee Dublin, Ireland
Finding your spiritual Master
Gannika Wiesenberger Linz, Austria
My first impressions of Sri Chinmoy's philosophy
Lunthita Duthely Hialeah, United States
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