Prayer
Prayer is a bridge between the Lord and His devotee
The people of all religions pray according to their respective customs
Prayer is of foremost importance in all religions “God is One, His Names are many”
What is Prayer? Prayer is a means to understand the real purpose of life and also the omnipotence of God. It is truly a special personal experience. A powerful method to direct the subonscious mind towards a noble path. A divine ambrosia to purify the body, mind and spirit.ü An instrument to raise man to sublime heights and in turn get admired by the Lord Himself. A prayer done with a pure heart ,with faith and devotion, has enormous power. Prayer is a key to start the day and a latch to end the day.
Types of prayer Prayer for world peace. Prayer of all religions Prayers in praise of the Lord’s form, attributes, glory and plays. Prayers for our wish fulfillment. Prayers for the welfare of the world and all its beings. Prayers seeking God’s forgiveness for our sins. Food prayer to sanctify the food and achieve purity of the ingredients, containers and method of food preparation , thus removing all the impurities therein. Prayers in any form of poems, prose, verses, hymns or music. Prayers pleading God to lead us towards immortality( self-realization).
At what time is prayer mandatory? Soon as we wake up in the morning Bed time Before meals Before studying and also while doing any work, big or small.
How to pray? Pray with faith and love in God. Pray with full earnestness and devotion. Pray with a purified mind. Prayer should be sincere, heartfelt and emanate from a pure heart. Prayer done with the full knowlede of its meaning will increase our will power. Pray for the well-being of the whole world , knowing God to be the indweller of all life forms.
What is the necessity of Prayer? As food is to the body, prayer is necessary to provide strength to our mind and soul. Prayer purifies our intellect and food, transforming all our work into worship. Noble feelings arise, our super consciousness awakens and makes it possible to have an intimate connection with God. Provides courage in moments of cowardice, brings solace in sorrow, gives peace and satisfaction to a distracted mind and fills us with a new energy. Prayers, visualizing God’s omnipresence, omniscience and omnipotence ,will rid us of our petty self-interests and greed , develop a harmonious kinship with all beings, teach us to lead a life of love and surrender.. Prayer is a means to remove evil from our mind, and transform our thought process. Prayers for the welfare of the world have cured many diseases in several places. Mass prayers have brought rains in famine- stricken areas.
What are the qualities we develop by Praying? Courage Discipline Patience Concentration Selflessness Equanimity Good conduct Reduced mental stress Absence of loneliness feelings Pronunciation improves Release of the life-force called love. Awareness of the Ultimate truth through intuition Relief from anxiety and tension Peace of mind Positive attitude Faith in divinity Self confidence Memory power
Match the following Samastha Lokaah sukhino bhavanthu Asathoma Sadgamaya Karacharana kritham vaa Om Thath Sath Sri Narayana Tu Thvameva maathaa cha pithaa thvameva Brahmaarpanam Brahma havir Sarve bhavanthu sukhinah Prayer of all religions that depicts the truth - ‘God is one, but names are many’. Immortality is union with God. The prayer that asks God to lead us there. . Prayer for the welfare of the whole world and all its beings. Prayer seeking God’s forgiveness for our sins. Hymns to pray, “ O God ! You are my everything” Verse to purify the ingredients, containers and preparation of food & remove all its impurities. Prayer for world peace.