Role of Prayer

 

(Based on the lectures of Swami Paramarthananda)

Let me begin the blog with a story told by Swami Paramarthananda quoting Swami Chinmayananda. The story is about a kingdom with a unique rule that any citizen can become a king and rule for five years enjoying all the powers and privileges that goes with kingship.  But at the end of five years he will be banished to a big forest in the neighbourhood on the banks of a big, deep river.  The forest is the home of many wild animals and river is the home of crocodiles and sharks and so one left alone in the forest is trapped therein and has to spend his days in the big forest, infested with wild animals with death alone as the relief.   So whosoever became the king spent their last days in throne in agony and anxiety and cried and screamed when the boat-man left them in the forest.  And then an intelligent person ascended the throne as king and he showed no anxiety or agony on the last day on the throne and boarded the boat cheerfully to be taken to the forest on the other bank.  The surprised boat-man asked him how come he is least agitated while everyone he had been taking to the forest was worried and miserable.  The person replied that in the five years he had ruled he had taken care to develop another kingdom in the forest which he will take over now and so has no fear or anxiety on banishment. 

This story is told to remind that all human beings enjoy at one time Yauvana Samrajayam, the kingdom of youth and after years of youth suffer banishment to Vardhakya vanam, forest of old age.  Youth is called Yauvan Samrajayam because in these years one has got all the powers and privileges with all faculties at command.  This along with the physical fitness and strength makes life enjoyable giving one the freedom to try and do whatever one wants to.  In contrast to this in old age with all powers and privileges lost and faculties not under control and degenerative diseases like wild animals attacking the limbs one feels lost as in a dark forest.  So old age is called Vardhakya vanam.  One can enter old age cheerfully and not with fear, if one like the intelligent king makes preparations to face the problems of old age while enjoying the pleasures of youth.  There is a Sloka in Bhartruhari’s Vairagya satakam which reads as follows:

Yavatsvasthamidam sariramarujam yavajjara durato

yavaccendriyasaktirapratihata yavatksayo nayusah |

Atmasreyasi tavadeva vidusa karyah prayatno mahan

samdipte bhavane tu kupakhananam pratyudyamah kidrsah || 75||

As long as this body is healthy and free of infirmity, as long as senility is distant, as long as the faculties have not lost their vigour, as long as life is not enfeebled, till then the wise ones should make great efforts to reach the supreme goal of life.  For what is the use of digging a well when the house is on fire?

The Sloka reinforces the message of the story with an indirect description of the problems of old age and the message can be read as – ‘If one wants to make his old age a success, he should start young'.  Success here stands for spiritual success for that alone can give a confident mind in old age that enjoys calmness and cheerfulness, free of depression, dejection and disillusionment. The first step for a start on the spiritual path is through prayer that connects one mentally to Bhagawan, the one having Bhaga the six-fold attributes of power, courage, fame, wealth and detachment in infinite measures as described in Vishnu Purana:

Aiswaryasya samagrasya Veeryasya Yasasya Sriyaha I

Vairagyasya Jnanasya shannaam Bhaga itheerana II (Vishnu purana 6.5.47).

Prayer can be through Kayika puja which is physical worship or through Vachika puja which is parayanam or recitation of sthuthis or through Manasa puja or silent mental prayer or through Japa which is repeating a chosen Mantra for a fixed no. of time.  Whatever be the method chosen one should do it sincerely with Shraddha and devotion.  Shraddha is very important as Lord Krishna points out in Gita (9-3): 

Asraddadhanah purusha dharmasyasya parantapa |

Aprapya mam nivartante mrtyusamsaravartmani || 9-3||

 Arjuna, people having no faith in this Dharma, failing to reach Me, revolve in the path of the world of death.

When one prays for Bhagawan’s Grace one should remember the following few things:

1)    One takes responsibility for oneself and does not abandon his responsibilities saying “Everything is in God’s grace.”

2)    One does not pray for rest and freedom from activities.  It is rather for the enjoyment of activities with a cheerful mind drawing inspiration from the activity.

3)    One does not pray to control the future but to contribute to the future with enthusiasm.

4)    One does not pray to change others but to influence others positively through his own life and language.

5) One does not pray for change in set-up but for the wisdom to find security and satisfaction within oneself whatever the set-up is. 

Regular, sincere prayer daily confers the following benefits as well:

1)    It helps to deflate one’s ego

2)    It makes the attachment to Lord stronger and consequently attachment to persons and possessions weaker.  In fact when attachment is less one’s expectations from them is less and this makes the love and care easier.

3) As prayer is the best shock absorber it helps one to develop the mental and emotional strength 

Gradually Shraddha in prayer should mature into Shraddha in scriptures and Iswara Jnanam.  As scriptures dealing with Iswara Jnanam are subtle one should take the guidance of a Guru to understand them and absorb the Jnanam.  Study of Upanishads under the guidance of a Guru reveals the important equation that establishes the identity of Bhagawan with Bhaktha through Mahavakhya.  With the wisdom born of the understanding and absorption of the meaning of Mahavakhya, he can enter the Vardhakya vanam calmly with confidence as a Jivan Muktha, without fear or depression.

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