Prayer and Priorities

I am not a religious person, but I do believe that there is a power that responds to our thoughts and actions. Some people call it “God”, others call it “Universal Energy” or “Infinite Intelligence”.

I have been exposed to many religions and rituals, but I strongly believe that God will not fail the common sense test. As such I don’t believe that some select people receive preferential access to eternal bliss, just because they belong to a certain group.

I remember growing up challenging what I perceived to be meaningless rituals and superstitions. I fought and argued with my parents, uncles and aunts. I memorized some prayers in Sanskrit,  I didn’t always understand the words. My mother would translate them, and while I still remember many of them, the one that had the most impact on me was the following Shloka:

आकाशात् पतितं तोयं यथा गच्छति सागरम् ।
सर्वदेवनमस्कारं केशवं प्रतिगच्छति ॥

This translates to:

As the rain water falling from the sky go to the same ocean,
the worship of every deity goes to one God.

I never forgot this Shloka because it passes the common sense test. I found solace in an all-inclusive belief. I appreciate Hinduism not because I was born into it, but because my querying and challenging mind found some simple, reasonable, inclusive answers. My upbringing taught me to be secure in my beliefs, and accept all religions. I enjoy reading teachings from Hindu, Buddhist and Jain scriptures, as well as the Bible. I love to engage in productive discussions with my Christian, Jewish and Muslim friends, in my desire to learn. Recently I spent time in a Buddhist monastery in Hong Kong and the experience was exhilarating.

Many criticize Hinduism for its multiple deities and idol-worship. When I visit a Hindu temple, I marvel at  the different “Gods”. My interpretation is that our ancestors did not want us to forget to pray for each important area of life.  Lord Ganesha removes all obstacles, Lord Hanuman blesses you with health and well being, Lakshmi is the Goddess of wealth, Ram is the God of virtue, Krishna of love, and the list goes on.  As you walk though the temple, you are reminded of each of these aspects. After all, no one wants to walk out of a place of worship and think “Oh no! I forgot to pray for good health!”

The Kumar family prayer mirrors our priorities-

We start with

“Thank You God for Great Health (physical, mental, spiritual, financial, emotional) , Peace of Mind, Long, Happy &Healthy Lives, excellent & fulfilling relationships, joy & plenty of laughter, humility & a spirit of giving”.

This is followed by a list of our family goals, personal goals, material goals, business goals, lifestyle goals etc.

We also recite a few Shlokas like the “Gayatri Mantra” with an understanding of the significance and meaning.

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My personal experience confirms the biblical saying “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7). 

When we ask for something with sincerity, devotion and calmness, the universe does respond, as long as our thoughts, words, feelings and actions are aligned.