Sri Chinmoy loved poetry and prose and wrote extensively in his spare time – to the tune of more than 1500 books over his 45 years in the West.

Sri Chinmoy’s books were published by Simon and Schuster, Hazelden, Blue Dove and his own press, Agni Press.

In this clip, Sri Chinmoy lifts his then-total of books (1,495) on a modified seated calf raise platform. He follows this lift by lifting one of the designers of that machine, Mr. Bipin Larkin, overhead 100 times – a total of 15,000 pounds.

Sri Chinmoy also lifts bodybuilding legend Bill Pearl and his wife, fitness pioneer, Judy Pearl overhead on this platform. Bill Pearl and Sri Chinmoy had been friends for 20 years at this point. Bill had served from the start of Sri Chinmoy’s weightlifting journey as a mentor and coach. Challenging Impossibility traces the beginnings of their friendship and Bill’s amazement at the rapid progress Sri Chinmoy made.