PRAYER - ITS PURPOSE AND EFFICACY

Dr. G. Lakshmipathi

“The first word of Gospel of my life is prayer. When no one had come to my help, when I had not entered any religious community as a member, when I had not adopted any form of faith as my own by studying critically the various religious, when I had not taken my admission into the order of saints and noviates, at the dawn of my religious life, there surged up in my heart an impulse, a voice crying, “Pray, Pray.” I did not know then what religion was. No one had shown me the way to any religious association or told me who should be a spiritual preceptor or guru, nor had any one come forward to accompany me in the perils of the way of life. At that crisis of my life, “Pray, Pray. There is no other way but prayer,” kept repeating within me.”

These are the words of Brahmananda Kesabchandra Sen in his ‘Jeevan Veda,’ the story of his life describing his first encounter with prayer. He was a praying soul; and he realised the full benefits of prayer.

Scientists classify the whole gamut of creation into different classes, orders and species. Man is put into the species of Homo Sapiens (Homo-human, Sapiens – wise or discriminating). But prayer raises him to a level beyond all classification.

Speech is a gift of God bestowed only on man. The highest use to which this gift can be put is in prayer. This is what distinguishes man from all other creatures. In the play Morte D’Arthur, the sovereign saint King Arthur says,

“For what are men better than sheep or goats,

If knowing God, they lift not their hand in prayer?”

Speech is man’s reaction to the creation. He entered the world and conquered it with the power of his speech. But prayer is his response to the Creator. He conquered himself and transgressed the world with the power of prayer. Prayer lifts him from the world of matter to the world of spirit and leads him nearer to God, his maker and master.

From the earliest stage of evolution he lifted his hands in prayer. In childhood and youth, through adult life and old age, in sickness and health, through adversity and prosperity, in birth and death, in war and peace man prayed. He prayed for strength, for peace, for solving the problems of life. The countless temples, mosques and churches, built all over the world, even in remote places, are the standing evidence of man’s anxiety and desire for prayer. Prayer is the language of petition for strength in weakness, for mercy in adversity, for relief in suffering, for pardon and grace. It is the link that connects man to his maker, the connection that charges the batteries of his soul.

Two objections are usually heard against prayer. They look very genuine, reasonable and even reflect a deep faith in God. One is – God rules with fixed unalterable laws like the Law of Birth and Death, Law of Cause and Effect, Law of Continuous Evolution. The Universe is managed in a specific pattern. Will God change His ways because of our prayer? If He goes on changing, how can He run the world in an orderly manner? If He does not alter His laws, what is the use of our prayer? Different people pray with different requests. In a war both the warring sides pray for victory. Whom does God oblige? The second objection is – God knows everything. He is Omniscient, SARVAGNYA. He knows our desires and needs. Is it necessary to tell Him? These objections arise from an improper understanding of God’s ways and the true purpose of prayer.

The concept that God rules with fixed unalterable laws common to everybody and all times, is Deism and not Theism. God’s laws are fixed, no doubt, but they are individualised and they are benevolent. They are unalterable, no doubt, but they are tempered with mercy and are meant for individual’s welfare. God is GOODNESS, SIVAM, LOVE. His ways are predesigned for our welfare. This is faith, faith that God is our friend and well-wisher. Faith is the basis and strength of Life. Prayer is to realise this goodness and the benevolence in events and incidents; and to absorb and exhibit this benevolence in life. Man is God’s child. Upanishad rishi calls him “AMRITASYA PUTRAH.” Prayer is to realise the true nature of oneself. It is not to doubt the wisdom or question the ways of Providence but to understand and fortify our faith. Prayer is not to deflect or bend God’s ways to suit our desires, but to progressively alter our own nature to a higher dimension. Prayer is to fall in line and co-operate willingly, heart and soul with God’s ways or working.

It is often asked, “Will God hear our prayer? Will He respond?” God hears every prayer and responds. Prayer offered with a doubt, “Is there a God? Does He hear our prayer? Will He do as we ask?” – that prayer is ineffective. Patience and strong faith that God is in front of me hearing my prayer is necessary. He responds. “He, who offers a prayer and does not wait for the response is a cheat,” says Brahmananda Kesabchandra Sen. The response may not be in the form we want. He responds in His time and in His way, and the response will be for our welfare. Not granting the prayer also is sometimes for our benefit.

How does God respond to our prayer? The circumstances may alter and the problem gets solved, or the situation gets eased out, or our heart may so change to accept what is happening as inevitable and there is peace in the mind.

Difficulties should be looked at as boons. They purify and sublimate the emotions and direct them towards God. Good times tend to lead us away from God by increasing the ego. Adversities teach humility. “I heal you, so I hurt you” says God in Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘Stray Birds’. “I love you, so I punish you.” He says.

In the Mahabharata story Kunti pleads with Krishna, “O, Teacher of Teachers, let there be calamities in my life on and off, so that I think of you, a thought which saves me from the bondage of life.”

Prayer is to feel the presence of God near us, to realise His help and support and to express our gratitude. It is like the son keeping contact with the father for his own sustenance, support and guidance.

There is an incident in the life of Bhaktha Meera Bai. She heard about a great guru, Roop Goswami residing at Dwaraka and went to see him. But there she was denied admission into the guru’s presence because he does not see women. She remarked, “What? Does he think himself to be a man? There is only one man in the whole world, and that is Lord Krishna. All others are women.” Roop Goswami was ashamed and gave her audience. Devotion of the wife to husband is pure Bhakti.

“Prayer is the surface expression of the spiritual engagement within”, said Brahmarshi Raghupathi Venkataratnam Naidu, the white robed saint of Andhra Pradesh. The type of expression varies with the amount of enlightenment within.

What is the motive for prayer? “God, save me from troubles. Don’t hurt me” was the prayer. We find a prayer in Rigveda, “PITANOSI, PITANO BODHI, MA MA HIMSEEHI.” ‘Thou art our father. Teach us as the father. Please do not hurt us.’ “VISWANI DEVE SAVITHAR, DURITHANI PARA SUVA. YAD BHADRAM TAN NA AASUVA.” ‘Take away our difficulties. Bestow only good to us.’ Fear leads to excessive praise. In the earlier hymns we find such praise of gods. As the thought matured fear gave place to wonder, wonder at the Universe, its splendour and beauty, power of winds, the sea, the sun, magnificence of the mountains, the glory of God as the master architect and Supreme controller. As sadhana proceeded this changed to a faith in God as the constant support, protector and guide. Faith led to surrender and a feeling of unity and oneness with God.

Everything in the Universe follows God’s rules without a question. Lower creatures instinctively adapt and obey. Man has to consciously follow the Divine laws. This voluntary, self-willed, cheerful conformation is what we call surrender. “My will is mine to make it Thine” is the prayer of the devotee. In troubles and difficulties this prayer gives solace and peace. It is remarked, “Troubles drive man to prayer, and then prayer drives the troubles out.” “God gives you the cross, and then cross gives you God.” In the words of Brahmarshi Venkataratnam Naidu, “Prayer takes and leads the pilgrim soul to God’s abode.”

The second objection is – God is all-knowing. Prayer is not to submit a list of our demands to God. It is to express our gratitude to Him. God knows our needs and desires; but prayer is an expression of our need of God. It reflects our hunger and thirst for God. “Reveal Thyself to me” “AAVIRAAVEERMAYEDHI” “Thou art giving everything to me, but I am not satisfied. I want Thee”, prays the devotee. “Let my heart be clean so that it can absorb Thy light and reflect Thee in all Thy splendour”, is the prayer. It is the prayer for strength and light. Revelation leads to realisation. “RUDRA “-” Thy ways are unalterable. Thou art the commander and controller.” “YAT TE DAKSHINAM MUKHAM” – “I know they are for my welfare. I am grateful to Thee.” “TENA MAM PAHI NITYAM” – “Protect me with Thy benevolent countenance. I surrender to Thee” is the prayer of the sadhak. Realisation leads to surrender.

“More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of” said Alfred Lord Tennyson. A prayerful attitude is what is necessary. It gives peace in all circumstances and phases of life. Brahmarshi Venkataratnam Naidu exhorts, “First establish prayerful attitude in your heart. Then spread it in your house and then in your community. Let it spread from heart to heart till it pervades the whole world through your pure, ideal and prayerful life.” “Prayer turns flesh into spirit, alters nature into grace and converts earth into heaven.”

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