Significance of the Hindu Prayer of Peace

​While prayer is an integral part of all religious traditions, the kinds of prayer that are practiced differ depending on your religion. Seen as a direct line of communication with God, prayer is largely used as a way to relay and release religious devotees' desires, fears and thanks for themselves and others to a higher power. For some religions, like Hinduism, prayers are recited as chants or mantras, each with its own specific purpose -- which can be for an individual or for the good of all. 

Forms of Prayer

Hinduism recognizes innumerable aspects of divinity as the personification of thousands of gods. Most Hindus believe that all gods are parts of one supreme divinity and consequently either worship all as one or choose one personification of divinity that resonates with their lives. Such a chosen deity then becomes the focus of prayer. Hindu prayers can be either the repetition of formulated mantras and chants or simple prayers created by the religious devotee.

Topics for Prayer

Like many other religions, much of Hindu prayer is directed toward giving thanks or asking for aid. Because each deity has an explicit focus of his or her attention, a Hindu may pray to a particular god to request specific help. For example, the Hindu god Ganesha is seen as the remover of obstacles. Therefore if devotees wishes for clarity of understanding or a clear path to achieving certain desires, they will pray to Ganesha to remove impediments. However, in the Hindu tradition prayers can also be offered on the behalf of all people, rather than just for the benefit of one devotee.

Why Pray for Peace

As a result of the Hindu belief in karma (that each individual soul reaps the consequences of all its actions) and the power of compassion, many Hindu mantras and chants are said for the benefit of all people. Such universal prayers can request anything from freedom from sickness and suffering to wisdom and peace for all. A core concept in Hinduism is that the goal of life is enlightenment, which comes with complete release of the ego and control over the wandering mind. Enlightenment is viewed as the perfectly clear mind's union with God and as such is the attainment of the ultimate state of moksha (freedom) or peace. Prayers for peace in Hinduism are, therefore, conceived out of the desire to free all people from suffering and unite them with God.

Specific Peace Prayers

Hindu mantras, chants and prayers aimed at creating peace internally and throughout the world can be found throughout Hindu scripture, and highly regarded Hindu practitioners, such as Mahatma Gandhi, have also created such prayers. The simplest way to pray for peace is to repeat the Sanskrit word for peace, "shanti," three times. The number of repetitions is symbolic: the first is for the removal of disturbances that come from God, such as natural disasters; the second for disturbances that come from other people and things in the world; and the third for disturbances originating from the devotee's own mind.
There are also many peace mantras that come from a variety of scriptural sources. The most frequently used peace mantras come from the Upanishads of the Veda, which is the most sacred of Hindu scriptures. One mantra, sometimes referred to as the "Asatoma" mantra, requests that devotees be led from the real to the unreal, from darkness to light, and from the fear of death to the knowledge of immortality. Other common mantras are the " Purnam-idam" mantra and the "Lokah" prayer, which does not have an origin in the Veda. The "Lokah" prayer requests happiness, health and peace everywhere.

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Universal Prayer

Universal Prayer from swamijyoti

Daiva Dasakam

Daiva Dasakam, a 1914 work, could be considered among the simplest of Sri. Narayana Guru’s works.

Guru felt the need of having a universal prayer meant to be recited for some children at their evening sessions that performed as part of the daily routine at Sivagiri Asram, founded by him. Daiva Dasakam is the outcome of this noble thought.

Though written in the format of a simple prayer, Guru could contain his entire philosophical vision within its ten mighty verses.

Although meant directly for the children, it is of great benefit for all of us who are child-like in respect of Ultimate Wisdom.


God bless

CONTACT THE SOURCE OF SUCCESS

CONTACT THE SOURCE OF SUCCESS

 

If you really want to succeed in life, you must contact the source of success – God. God is the source of success. So many people came and say to me: "We have done our best. But why have we failed? Why have we not succeeded in life?"

 

I narrated to them the story of a little boy who was moving on the road, with his father beside him. The son found a huge stone lying in the middle of the road. And he said to his father, "I want to remove this stone, lest some pedestrian should trap on it and get hurt."

 

"Go ahead son," said the father.

 

The little boy tried to lift up the stone. He struggled hard; he perspired; he put his very best. But try as he might, he could not lift the stone. Dejected and frustrated, he said to his father, "I have put forth my best efforts, but I have failed."

 

"Where have you put forth your best efforts?" asked the father, "Here I am, I have been standing by your side all the time. All that you needed to do was to turn to me and ask me to help you. And my strength would be your strength. In that added strength, you could have effortlessly lifted that stone."

 

Our Heavenly Father is always by our side. All we have to do is to turn to him for help and we will never fail us.

 

Deepavali Message !!!

Deepavali Message !!!

 

"Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya"

 

"Out of darkness lead me into light," is a prayer offered by millions all over the world.

 

All around us today there is darkness – the darkness of selfishness, hatred and greed.

 

The human birth is an opportunity to behold the Light of the Light of lights, the ever living light which keeps on burning in the cave of the heart. Not all the hurricanes and tornadoes of the world can extinguish the Light.

 

I close my eyes, I see darkness. I sit in silence. I sink deeper and deeper in the silence of the soul. I pause for a few minutes, several times a day, to contact the diveine center within. I behold a patch of white light in my forehead. The patch grows into a full orbit of light which illuminates the plexus of a thousand petals and my entire being is filled with light. And I sing the Deepavali song:

 

Wherever I turn

I behold Thee

And Thee alone!

 

This it is to celebrate the Deepavali. It comes to remind us that I and my neighbor are not apart from each other. We are parts of the One Whole.