Let us pray !!
Swami Apavarganandaji
(Published in Sri Ramakrishna Vijayam Nov 2016 and translated into English by me)
Once, a ship was sailing to Quebec. A speaker, by name George Mueller, was travelling in the ship on his way to Quebec to deliver a lecture on the topic "The greatness of prayer". Suddenly, there was a fog and the entire ship was enveloped in a thick screen of fog and no one could see anything. The Captain of the ship could not see anything. He came and told Mueller " There is a heavy fog. We do not know when it will lift. We cannot move but we need to reach Quebec in time. I am worried".
Mueller told the Captain," There is one way to get out of this problem". The Captain asked eagerly, " What is that? Tell me". Mueller smiled at him and said" Prayer". Captain got annoyed and said, " What madness is this? Can prayer remove fog? and laughed aloud. Mueller quietly told him, " I have achieved everything in my life only due to prayer.". He then left for his room and started praying. After some time, the Captain came to his room and informed him that such a dense fog has surprising lifted in such a short time. The above incident is a proof that prayer does help people and prayer is something common to all religions.
We cannot say that this world is devoid of dangers. At some point of time, every one whether they are children or adults seek the path of prayer. There are countless persons who seek refuge in God to overcome their fears, worries and other obstacles.
There are two kinds of prayer. One is Kamyam. The other is Nishkamyam. The Prayer which is made to achieve worldly objectives is Kamyam. The prayer which is made to achieve spiritual progress or to reach God or even for the welfare of others becomes Nishkamyam.
In his lectures, Sri Ramakrishna always emphasized the importance of prayer. As an answer to the question, "which is the way to realize and experience God?" he remarked that the only way is to have craving at heart and praying truly. He also said , " God is like a sun in wisdom. only one ray of God is enough to give the entire world the intelligence and it enables us to understand each other. It helps us to learn so many arts and crafts. But, we cannot see Him unless He turns the light on Himself for a moment. we see the Policeman doing his beat in the road with a lamp. No one can see his face. But he sees every one with the light emanating from the lamp. Other can see each other also. If any one wants to see the Police man, he has to request him to turn the lamp towards his face. Similarly, we need to pray God " Lord!! Kindly turn the light of wisdom on yourself for a moment and let me see you".
The obstacle to reach God is attachement to worldly things and the only way to overcome that is to pray. That is the reason why Gurudev Shri Paramahamsa always says " Do namajapam. In addition pray to God. Pray that you should develop devotion to God and reduce attachment to the transitory things like wealth,fame and other physical pleasures"
there is no need to doubt whether God listens to our prayers. Of course, He listens. Gurudev says" you must pray with full of craving from your heart. If the prayer is from the epth of your mind, then he listens to it."
One can come across lot of references to prayers in Vedas. There are four divisions in Vedas. Mantras, Brahmanas, Aranyakas and Upanishads. In Mantras one can come across a countless number of prayers. Gayatri Mantra, often refereed to as the mother of all Mantras is nothing but a prayer.
One of the prayers in Vedas is as follows. " Oh! The one who dispels darkness!! We salute you from our heart. We daily seek you both in the day and in the night. Please become as easily approachable to us as a father would be approachable to his son."
" Oh! the one who is like a light which came on its own accord! please be with us and give your blessings to us. May the one who nurtures all the worlds and the one who is true and the most ancient of all things and the one who knows everything protect us. Om Shanthi, Shanthi, Shanthi"
prayer is speaking to God. To express to Him our desires. it unites a human being with the Paramatma.
How should a prayer be ?
Just like when a person speaks to his or her beloved and feels happy, prayer should be between God and the devotee. It should emerge without efforts. Pray the way you like to pray. If you are keen to pray, your prayer itself will take you through the right way to conduct the prayers.
There are two ways in which prayers are conducted.
one , the prayers which are held in temples and in puja rooms before idols or pictures of Gods. Another is to mentally install God in our own body which is also a temple and in our mind which is the sanctum Sanctorum.
there is no need to doubt whether God listens to our prayers. Of course, He listens. Gurudev says" you must pray with full of craving from your heart. If the prayer is from the epth of your mind, then he listens to it."
One can come across lot of references to prayers in Vedas. There are four divisions in Vedas. Mantras, Brahmanas, Aranyakas and Upanishads. In Mantras one can come across a countless number of prayers. Gayatri Mantra, often refereed to as the mother of all Mantras is nothing but a prayer.
One of the prayers in Vedas is as follows. " Oh! The one who dispels darkness!! We salute you from our heart. We daily seek you both in the day and in the night. Please become as easily approachable to us as a father would be approachable to his son."
" Oh! the one who is like a light which came on its own accord! please be with us and give your blessings to us. May the one who nurtures all the worlds and the one who is true and the most ancient of all things and the one who knows everything protect us. Om Shanthi, Shanthi, Shanthi"
prayer is speaking to God. To express to Him our desires. it unites a human being with the Paramatma.
How should a prayer be ?
Just like when a person speaks to his or her beloved and feels happy, prayer should be between God and the devotee. It should emerge without efforts. Pray the way you like to pray. If you are keen to pray, your prayer itself will take you through the right way to conduct the prayers.
There are two ways in which prayers are conducted.
one , the prayers which are held in temples and in puja rooms before idols or pictures of Gods. Another is to mentally install God in our own body which is also a temple and in our mind which is the sanctum Sanctorum.
A prayer can elevarte man to Godliness.
How to pray?
Saints have shown in their own lives the methods of praying. If we do not have capability or power to reach God our craving for God takes our prayers to God.
தவமே புரிந்திலேன் ;தண்மலர் இட்டு
முட் டாது இறை ஞ்சேன்
அவமே பிறந்த அருவினையென்;
உனக்கு அன்பர் உள் ஆம்
சிவமேபெறும் திரு எய்திற்றிலேன்
நின் திருவடிக்கு ஆம்
ப வ மே அருளு கண்டாய்'; அடியேற்கு
எம் பராபரமே
(5.1.5 திருச்சதகம்)
My Lord ! I have never done any penance. I have also not worshipped you with the cool flowers. I am a wastrel born in this world without any purpose. I have even got the knowledge of Siva in the right way. Please give me good birth so that I can reach you " (Manickavachagar)
Prayer strengthens the relationship between man and God. A prayer can enable us to live in this world in His presence and in the end unite us with His feet.
Some may say " This is a madness. Prayer is to beg a God who does not have mercy". In fact, prayer is similar to a son asking his father to fulfill his basic needs. of course, a father will d what is requried for the son, but if son asks with love and eagerness, he may do it immediately.
Just like we get the energy for our body from food, we get the energy for our spiritual life. Not only that, it becomes a shield to protect the person who prays.
If the prayer is nishkamyam (not for seeking wealth or other things) , then it releases the devotee from all desires. It gives a superior goal to mind and makes it pure. It removes the obstacles for reaching God and helps to receive the grace of God.
In due course, prayer leads to Samadhi and Samadhi is nothing but being one with God.
there are certain conditions for the prayer to be successful.
They are
1. It should be spontaneous. It should come from the depths of one's heart.
2. There is no room for skepticism. We should believe fully in prayer. This is the first step.
3. The feeling that we are being protected by God should get strengthened.
4. We should surrender fully to God, while praying.
5. We should have a belief that except God no one can help us. God helps those who cannot help themselves.
6. Swami Sivanada once said " Prayer helps the spiritual life of a person. it takes the person nearer to God and enables him to remain in His presence. It also helps the person think of God at all times."
(Concluded)
Courtesy: Ramakrishna Vijayam Nov 2016.
Copy right with Sri Ramakrishna vijayam.
/
How to pray?
Saints have shown in their own lives the methods of praying. If we do not have capability or power to reach God our craving for God takes our prayers to God.
தவமே புரிந்திலேன் ;தண்மலர் இட்டு
முட் டாது இறை ஞ்சேன்
அவமே பிறந்த அருவினையென்;
உனக்கு அன்பர் உள் ஆம்
சிவமேபெறும் திரு எய்திற்றிலேன்
நின் திருவடிக்கு ஆம்
ப வ மே அருளு கண்டாய்'; அடியேற்கு
எம் பராபரமே
(5.1.5 திருச்சதகம்)
My Lord ! I have never done any penance. I have also not worshipped you with the cool flowers. I am a wastrel born in this world without any purpose. I have even got the knowledge of Siva in the right way. Please give me good birth so that I can reach you " (Manickavachagar)
Prayer strengthens the relationship between man and God. A prayer can enable us to live in this world in His presence and in the end unite us with His feet.
Some may say " This is a madness. Prayer is to beg a God who does not have mercy". In fact, prayer is similar to a son asking his father to fulfill his basic needs. of course, a father will d what is requried for the son, but if son asks with love and eagerness, he may do it immediately.
Just like we get the energy for our body from food, we get the energy for our spiritual life. Not only that, it becomes a shield to protect the person who prays.
If the prayer is nishkamyam (not for seeking wealth or other things) , then it releases the devotee from all desires. It gives a superior goal to mind and makes it pure. It removes the obstacles for reaching God and helps to receive the grace of God.
In due course, prayer leads to Samadhi and Samadhi is nothing but being one with God.
there are certain conditions for the prayer to be successful.
They are
1. It should be spontaneous. It should come from the depths of one's heart.
2. There is no room for skepticism. We should believe fully in prayer. This is the first step.
3. The feeling that we are being protected by God should get strengthened.
4. We should surrender fully to God, while praying.
5. We should have a belief that except God no one can help us. God helps those who cannot help themselves.
6. Swami Sivanada once said " Prayer helps the spiritual life of a person. it takes the person nearer to God and enables him to remain in His presence. It also helps the person think of God at all times."
(Concluded)
Courtesy: Ramakrishna Vijayam Nov 2016.
Copy right with Sri Ramakrishna vijayam.
/
