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Question: meaning of praying (was Re: Energy and God ...)
> Dear Ram Chandran,
> thanks a lot for your wise and kind reply, which explained me a lot.
> But after sending the question I realized I missed few points I should
> ask about, too. Let me be allowed to ask again to get knowing better.
>>>>> Ram V Chandran <chandran.burke@juno.com> writes:
> > God has to be the Energy and is eternal.
Dear Jerzy:
Thanks for your kind remarks. Please always feel free to ask questions
and I am willing to share my knowledge with you. Let me quote this
beautiful verse (Chapter 4, Verse 33) in Bhagavad Gita which states that
knowledge as a sacrifice is greater than any material sacrifice. The
reason is simple. When we try to clarify the doubts of others, our
knowledge expands whereas if we try to help others with our material
wealth, the asset diminishes! Hence sharing knowledge is a win- win
proposition, everyone gains and no one loses. This may explain why good
teachers entertain good students and good questions.
> What means for follower of Hindu religion praying to such a God?
> How does the belief that God is the Energy affect understanding
> sense of prayers, intention of praying, decisions when (in what
> circuimstances) one should pray, and when not, what should be
> prayed for, and what should not, what advantage one gets due to
> praying, and what are requirements - if any - for good praying?
> How does the prayer affect the Energy and the Energy the person
> who prays, or things or persons he prays about?
First, the sense of prayers, intensities of prayers, intentions and
motivations for prayers and the results of prayers always differ by
person. Prayer is highly personal and it is not possible for any of us
to make judgement on others about why, where, when, or what someone is
praying. Such judgements are impossible across all religions, culture
and traditions. Some may be comfortable praying alone and others may be
motivated for praying by familiar people around in a congenial place of
worship. Hindus conduct their prayers sometimes in the temples and
most of the time at home in front of an Ishta devata (a designated
God). The designated God comes from family tradition from generations.
The frequency and intensity of prayers also vary by family tradition and
needs. The realization that "God is the source of energy" becomes
visible when we feel emptiness without any energy and experience
loneliness from our relatives and friends.
I had a nephew (my elder brother's son) who died of cancer 10 years
back. My sister-in- law and my nephew came to USA from Malaysia during
1985 for cancer treatment. I took them to Duke Hospital in Durham that
was close to my former home in Raleigh, North Carolina. The doctor, a
well known expert, examined him and frankly told us that there is only
5 percent chance for his survival. My nephew was very realistic and he
refused to undergo more of the chemotherapy treatment or surgery. My
sister-in-law, a great believer has convinced my nephew that with the
grace of God that he could be one of the 5% survivor! My nephew
underwent treatment for six months and my sister-in-law was conducting
her prayer several hours every day and her only request to God was the
survival of her only beloved son. Unfortunately my nephew died within
six months after he went back to Malaysia. What did the prayer do to my
nephew, my sister-in-law, my brother, me and others in our family? Most
important, it gave all of us hope. The prayers gave us the energy to
cope up with the most difficult ordeal for the family. We did
experience the inevitable pain but we were fortunate to avoid
unnecessary sufferings! The source of energy is always within us and
prayers are the means to remind the source! The divinity is always
present in True Human Nature but egocentric actions blind the vision of
divinity. At the time of prayer when the physical eyes close and allows
the spiritual eye to open and witness the presence of divinity.
The Sanskrit word ‘Prasad' is always used in the context of worship and
prayer. The Sanskrit meaning for prasad is "Inner Piece." Hindus
conduct prayers and worships in order to receive INNER PEACE (prasad)
from God. God is only qualified to give everlasting inner peace to
everyone. People from every religion, cultures and traditions want to
gain inner peace from God. Inner peace is always associated with
divinity and divinity always present in nature. This may explain why
people get inner peace by walking along the beach, boating over the
river, and climbing over the mountains.
> Is this thought (God has to be the Energy) in the hearth of Hindu
> religions, or is it some side thought without much meaning?
Great saints including Sankara, Ramanuja, Madhwacharya, Vedanta
Desikacharya, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Tulasidas, Haridas, Tukaram,
Ramadas, etc., and their followers have attributed God as their energy
source. In Kena Upanishad, the greatness of the incomprehensible
Supreme (Brahman) is illustrated by an allegory. The semi-gods with
various levels of energy capacity, have asked Agni (energy source of
fire) and Vayu (energy source of air) to test the power of Brahman.
Agni said to Brahman, ‘I am Agni and I can burn everything whatever
there is on earth. Brahman placed one piece of grass before Agni and
said, "Burn this." Agni tried to burn the grass with full power but
could not burn it. Then Vayu was asked to blow the piece of grass and
Vayu also failed in his mission. This story highlights the difference
between the ABSOLUTE and Relative power. Agni represents infinite level
of fire energy and Vayu represents infinite level of wind energy and
both looked infinitesimal before Brahman. In conclusion, Brahman, the
Supreme represents the infinity of the infinities!
> One of reasons I'm asking about this all is I met some man, who
> told me asking some things which we can get ourselves should be
> avoided because praying uses the Energy, and we should preserve
> the Energy for more hard cases, in which we cannot do ourselves
> these things which we ask to be done. I heard he was a Hindu,
> and I would like to know, can he be considered to be bona fide
> guru, or it is better to avoid following his hints (and why),
> and look for other hints from another person. It is really
> important for me, and the problem was really a reason I asked
> about the concept, although I had trouble to express it.
It does make sense to ask God what we can't achieve by our own
efforts. A careful evaluation will reveal that all material comforts
can bring only temporary happiness and the human goal has to be to get
permanent happiness. It is a good idea to demand the permanent
residence of Divinity within the human heart. Peace and divinity always
come together. If we have inner peace then divinity will always stays
within our human nature.
The choice of a Guru is a delicate question and I am afraid to make
any judgement on that person without knowing full facts. In modern
times, religion operates more like a business and many "Gurus" have also
forgotten their tradition of unselfish service without expecting
monetary rewards. I suggest that you enquire about his reputation and
also evaluate how you feel about him. A set of necessary good qualities
for a good "Guru" is indicated in verses of Bhagavad Gita. These are
only necessary conditions and are not necessarily sufficient!
Chapter 16: 2 & 3 (The Divine Nature)
Nonviolence, truth, freedom from anger, renunciation, tranquility,
aversion to fault finding , compassion to living beings, freedom from
covetousness, gentleness, modesty and steadiness (absence of
fickleness). Vigor, forgiveness, fortitude, purity, freedom from malice
and excessive pride-these are the endowments of him who is born with
the divine nature. (Ostentation, arrogance, excessive pride, anger, as
also harshness and ignorance are demoniac qualities which should be
removed. The divine qualities are said to make for deliverance and
demoniac for bondage!)
Chapter 17: 15 & 16 ( The Path to Perfection - Sadhana)
The utterance of words which gives no offence, which is truthful,
pleasant and benefical and the regular recitation of the Veda - this is
said to be the penance of SPEECH. During Vedic Period, the only mode of
communication was speech and for the modern time, speech should include
verbal and non-verbal modes of communication. Serenity of mind,
gentleness, silence, self- control, the purity of mind - this is called
the penance of the mind.
Chapter 18: 49 (The Absolute Perfection and Karma Yoga)
He whose understanding is unattached everywhere who has subdued his self
and from whom desire has fled he comes through renunciation to the
supreme state transcending all work.
Gita repeats that restraint and freedom from desire are essential to
spiritual perfection.
Chapter 18: 51 to 53 (Perfection and Brahman)
Endowed with a pure understanding, firmly restraining oneself, turning
awary from sound and other objects of sense and casting aside attraction
and aversion.
Dwelling in solitude eating but little controlling speech, body and mind
and ever engaged in meditation and concentration and taking refuge in
dispassion. (Dhyaanayoga!)
And casting aside self-sense, force, arrogance, desire, anger,
possession, egoless and tranquil in mind, he becomes worthy of becoming
one with Brahman.
> [the question about Hare Krishna I asked before is not related
> to the problem, I just met some person from the movement, he
> made some claims about the movement recognizing by the Hindu
> community, and I wished to see opinions from the other side]
The opinion about Hare Krishna movement is not uniform in the Hindu
community. You are likely to see varied opinions from different
individuals. So many factors play important roles in the success and
failure of religious movement. In general, there are always plus and
minus regarding religious institutions such as the Hare Krishna
Movement. I am afraid to make any hasty judgment without knowing full
facts. Overall they seem to satisfy the needs of a section of the world
population that needs their services.
Hinduism in Vedic period was very much aware of the problems of
institutionalizing the religion and allowed "Swadharma" (each individual
was given full freedom to practice without outside interference).
Scriptures, traditions and unselfish teachers were able to maintain some
broadly defined moral guidelines. Individuals were able to adopt those
guidelines according to their will power and capacity. Temples and
Vedic schools were established with funds provided by the King and no
individual was asked to pay any fees for worship or learning Vedas.
King Asoka who adopted to Buddhism has formally established Missionaries
to spread the religion in India and abroad. The great Hindu saint
Sankara was instrumental for the revival and preservation of Hinduism
with the establishment of four formal Hindu religious Institutions.
> Dear Ram Chandran, since your answer helped me a lot on the way
> to understanding the Hindu religious beliefs, I hope you will
> help me again to understand better. Thanks a lot in advance.
> Iif anyone other can answer these questions, too, I will be
> grateful, too, I hope here are many people of great wisdom.
> Correct answer may help me a lot on my way to the truth.
> Jerzy
> PS: and sorry if there is anything wrong in me; I know not
> all my words I said here were good and kind enough...
Thanks again for your generous and kind remarks. Let me confess that I
helped my self more by pretending to help you to understand Hindu
religious beliefs. Your questions indicate that you are a fine gentleman
and sincere in your pursuit of the TRUTH and as such you are likely to
get all the help that you ask for. Please understand that I try to
answer as truthful that I could but I am fully aware that my opinion may
not necessarily be correct. Please forgive me if I have misled you
unintentionally due to my ignorance. I request others to express their
opinions so that everyone can get more insights.
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