PRAYER

 

You get a restless feeling. A thought of someone’s presence brushes your mind. You turn your head in that direction and find someone staring at you. It happens many times. A feeling starts a string of thoughts. We feel, or rather the way we feel about something gives birth to various thoughts. The thoughts remain as thoughts or when thoughts drive us to act, action happens. Action results in achieving our goals or leads to some reaction. If we feel good our thoughts are optimistic and positive, resulting in constructive action. Action gives us sorrow or joy. Productive action boosts the self-esteem. The boosted self-esteem brings in good feelings. This makes our mood upbeat and gives a happy feeling. A healthy mindset helps in keeping our physical health in good state. Mind and body are connected. When one feels good, it influences the body. In turn if the body is exercised properly then it keeps the mind fit.

In order to keep mind and body fit, both body and mind require exercises. Along with physical and breathing exercises for body, mental conditioning exercises enhances the will power and helps us in being focussed.

We sense this world through our mind and therefore buoyant mind is of utmost importance. If our mind is healthy, we see things differently. Prayer is a mental exercise tool. As prayer cannot influence material things, a prayer for material gains will not yield anything. Prayer shapes the mind and changes the mental outlook towards the life for better. With prayer in mind, our mind becomes free from external influences and remain cheerful and positive. Prayer has the power to have firm conviction in the ideas which we conceive.  Prayer helps in improving the mental health. Improved mental health motivates the person to act, maintain physical health or at the least cope up with whatever ailments we come across from time to time. In a way it influences the person in the right direction which makes him ready to face the real world. 

Prayer should be in the language which one understands, preferably in the mother tongue. It should be simple and made up of small statements in active voice. It should never contain any negative statements, hatred or bad wish for someone. The statements should be encouraging, holistic and should have a noble goal. We are part of the universe and not a separate entity, a prayer based on self being a part of universe opens up mind, so, the contents of the prayer should start from the betterment of universe through betterment of self. That gives a wider vision, a greater canvas and stops a person from getting entwined in small issues. Self-centred prayer makes a person self-centred and selfish. It no longer remains a prayer and accrue no benefits.

A prayer should be formulated by self for self. It should not be flaunted or discussed with anyone. It should be remembered and recited for self by self. If it is not formulated by self then a well-established prayer should be adopted after understanding the meaning of the prayer. Get up early morning, finish the morning ablutions. Sit comfortably. Close the eyes, calm the mind and recite the prayer in the same sequence every day. This act should be done before the start of the first activity of the daily routine. At the end of the day, it is better to remember the prayer and show gratitude that the day has passed well. If regularly recited with conviction it strengthens the mind and body system.

Some examples of prayers which motivate the society are given here. Observe that the contents of the prayer start from the betterment of our nation or Universe. These are examples and not a complete list -

जन गण मन अधिनायक जय हे भारत भाग्य विधाता!
पंजाब सिन्धु गुजरात मराठा द्राविड़ उत्कल बंग
विन्ध्य हिमाचल यमुना गंगा उच्छल जलधि तरंग
तव शुभ नामे जागे, तव शुभ आशिष मागे,
गाहे तव जय गाथा।
जन गण मंगलदायक जय हे भारत भाग्य विधाता!
जय हे, जय हे, जय हे, जय जय जय जय हे।।

 - राष्ट्रगीत, National anthem. We know how it inspires our minds. It is a prayer.

                                                                                                                                                  

           

वन्दे मातरम्।

सुजलाम् सुफलाम् मलयजशीतलाम् शस्यश्यामला मातरम्। वन्दे मातरम्।
शुभ्रज्योत्स्नाम् पुलकितयामिनीम् फुल्लकुसुमित द्रुमदलशोभिनीम् सुहासिनीम् सुमधुर भाषिणीम्
सुखदाम् वरदाम् मातरम्।। वन्दे मातरम्।

 -  राष्ट्रगान, National song. We know how it ignited the minds of freedom fighters. It is a prayer. During freedom struggle it became an incantation.

                                                                                                                                                  

“The safety, honour and welfare of our Nation comes first, always and every time.
The honour, welfare and comfort of the men you command come next.
Your own ease, comfort and safety come last, always and every time.”

- The Indian Army creed – A prayer revered by every officer of Indian Army. Note the meaning of life embedded in this prayer. It has the power to transform the minds of army men.

                                                                                                                                                  

गूरूर ब्रह्मा गुरूर विष्णु, गुरु देवो महेश्वरा, गुरु साक्षात परब्रह्म, तस्मै श्री गुरुवे नमः

Guru is Almighty, we bow to that Guru.

ॐ सह नाववतु । सह नौ भुनक्तु । सह वीर्यं करवावहै । तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै । ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

We all be protected. We all be nourished. We work together with great energy. May our learning be effective. Let there be no Animosity amongst us. Let there be peace everywhere.

Imagine the change happen within the child when the prayer is recited everyday (after understanding the meaning). The reverence for the teacher will do immense good in child’s formative years by becoming a good student to the teacher.

                                                                                                                                                 

सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः सर्वे सन्तु निरामयाः । सर्वे भद्राणि पश्यन्तु मा कश्चिद् दुःखभाग्भवेत् । ॐ शान्ति शान्ति शान्तिः  

May all beings be at peace, may no one suffer from illness. May all see what is auspicious, Let there be no sorrow. Let there be peace everywhere.

ॐ असतो मा सद्गमय। तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय। मृत्योर्मामृतं गमय॥ ॐ शान्ति शान्ति शान्तिः ॥

(Lead us) from the unreal to the truth, darkness to light, from death to immortality. Let there be peace everywhere.

 

ॐ द्यौ: शान्तिरन्तरिक्षँ शान्ति:,
पृथ्वी शान्तिराप: शान्तिरोषधय: शान्ति:।
वनस्पतय: शान्तिर्विश्वे देवा: शान्तिर्ब्रह्म शान्ति:,
सर्वँ शान्ति:, शान्तिरेव शान्ति:, सा मा शान्तिरेधि॥
ॐ शान्ति: शान्ति: शान्ति: ॥

May peace radiate in the sky, and in the space. May peace be on earth, in water, in all herbs, trees and creepers. May peace be in the universe. May peace be in the Supreme Being. May peace be everywhere.

 Note the concept of betterment of universe is betterment of self and betterment of self contributes to the betterment of the universe. A perfect prayer for all of us.

                                                                                                                                                  

A reflection of a perfect prayer in this RSS prayer which has influenced many social workers -

नमस्ते सदा वत्सले मातृभूमे त्वया हिन्दुभूमे सुखं वर्धितोऽहम् ।

महामङ्गले पुण्यभूमे त्वदर्थे पतत्वेष कायो नमस्ते नमस्ते ।।१।।

प्रभो शक्तिमन् हिन्दु राष्ट्राङ्गभूता इमे सादरं त्वां नमामो वयम्

त्वदीयाय कार्याय बद्धा कटीयं शुभामाशिषं देहि तत्पूर्तये ।

अजय्यां च विश्वस्य देहीश शक्तिं सुशीलं जगद्येन नम्रं भवेत्

श्रुतं चैव यत्कण्टकाकीर्ण मार्गं स्वयं स्वीकृतं नः सुगं कारयेत् ।।२।।

समुत्कर्ष निःश्रेयसस्यैकमुग्रं परं साधनं नाम वीरं व्रतम्

तदन्तः स्फुरत्वक्षया ध्येयनिष्ठा हृदन्तः प्रजागर्तु तीव्राऽनिशम् ।

विजेत्री च नः संहता कार्यशक्तिर् विधायास्य धर्मस्य संरक्षणम् ।

परं वैभवं नेतुमेतत् स्वराष्ट्रं समर्था भवत्वाशिषाते भृशम् ।।३।।

।। भारत माता की जय ।।

 

I bow to you, O my always caring motherland.

I have been happily raised in this Hindu land (Bharat)

My life, O great blessed holy Land, be laid down for you. I bow to you.

O all powerful almighty we the children of Hindu Rashtra (Hindustan) bow to you in reverence.

To carryout your duties only we have organized our self. Please bless us to fulfil that work.

Grant us such might as no power on earth can defeat us,

Such purity of character which would command the respect of all

Such wisdom that would ease the thorny path that I have chosen.

The unflinching adherence to the resolve makes me progressive and supremely blessed

Let this resolve remain live in the heart.

Make us capable to use our organised power to successfully carry out the work of protecting our way of life and to take our nation to heights of grandeur.

Hail Bharat!

                                                                                                                                                  

An individual must construct the prayer for self. An example of such a prayer is given here-  

My life is for my Nation.

I live for my Nation. I work for the progress of my Nation.

The progress of my Nation, makes the world much better (to live).

Let our world be a facilitator for the betterment of whole universe.

This is my conviction.

 

I want to give a positive direction to our society.

For this, I will get opportunities.

I will use these opportunities in a proper way to attain my goal.

Destiny will shape my future in a right manner to do this.

My will power is getting enhanced.

I can feel it.

 

To do all this, let me remain healthy. Let my body immunity remain strong.

Today’s day be good. Let me free of obstacles. I hope this happens.

Almighty you are the enabler I am just a medium.

This will happen.

 In short as an example the IMA credo can be adapted this way -

“The safety, honour and welfare of our Nation comes first, always and every time.
The honour, welfare and comfort of the family you belong to come next.
Your own ease, comfort and safety come last, always and every time.”

Our outlook is a mind game. Train our mind and our life journey becomes easy. Tame our mind and we feel good. Medical science suggests same. Philosophy points in the same direction. Experience of mankind has taught us to evolve tools to control the mind. Prayer is an effective, easy to adopt mind trainer. A prayer is a must to lead a purposeful quality life. Parents and teacher should inculcate habit of reciting a prayer in their children and students. Youngsters should formulate their own prayer. Grownups should evolve the formulated prayer as the years pass by. As the years pass by such is the influence of recitation, that the mind grasps the contents of the prayer by mere thought of the prayer. This is when the transformation starts and the result is calmness, focus, meaningfulness and heightened quality of life. Such a transformed mind gets a sharp sixth sense. A developed ability to read that feeble sixth sense guides us to make right choices leading to right path.