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Prayer Life

What is the importance of prayers in Vaishnavism

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30 views3 pages

Prayer Life

What is the importance of prayers in Vaishnavism

Uploaded by

akrurakdas
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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References from Srimad Bhagavatam

SB 7.13.42
nähaà ninde na ca staumi
sva-bhäva-viñamaà janam
eteñäà çreya äçäse
utaikätmyaà mahätmani
SYNONYMS
na—not; aham—I; ninde—blaspheme; na—nor; ca—also; staumi—praise; sva-bhäva—whose nature;
viñamam—contradictory; janam—a living entity or human being; eteñäm—of all of them; çreyaù—the
ultimate benefit; äçäse—I pray for; uta—indeed; aikätmyam—oneness; mahä-ätmani—in the Supersoul,
the Parabrahman (Kåñëa).
TRANSLATION
Different people are of different mentalities. Therefore it is not my business either to praise them or to
blaspheme them. I only desire their welfare, hoping that they will agree to become one with the
Supersoul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kåñëa.
PURPORT
As soon as one comes to the platform of bhakti-yoga, one understands fully the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Väsudeva, is the goal of life (väsudevaù samam iti sa mahätmä sudurlabhaù). This is the
instruction of all the Vedic literature (vedaiç ca sarvair aham eva vedyaù [Bg. 15.15], sarva dharmän
parityajya mäm ekaà çaraëaà vraja [Bg. 18.66]). There is no use in praising someone for material
qualifications or blaspheming him for material disqualifications. In the material world, good and bad have
no meaning because if one is good he may be elevated to a higher planetary system and if one is bad he
may be degraded to the lower planetary systems. People of different mentalities are sometimes elevated
and sometimes degraded, but this is not the goal of life. Rather, the goal of life is to become free from
elevation and degradation and take to Kåñëa consciousness. Therefore a saintly person does not
discriminate between that which is supposedly good and supposedly bad; rather, he desires for everyone
to be happy in Kåñëa consciousness, which is the ultimate goal of life.

SB 8.16.22
çré-aditir uväca
kenähaà vidhinä brahmann
upasthäsye jagat-patim
yathä me satya-saìkalpo
vidadhyät sa manoratham
SYNONYMS
çré-aditiù uväca—Çrématé Aditi began to pray; kena—by which; aham—I; vidhinä—by regulative
principles; brahman—O brähmaëa; upasthäsye—can please; jagat-patim—the Lord of the universe,
Jagannätha; yathä—by which; me—my; satya-saìkalpaù—desire may actually be fulfilled; vidadhyät—
may fulfill; saù—He (the Supreme Lord); manoratham—ambitions or desires.
TRANSLATION
Çrématé Aditi said: O brähmaëa, tell me the regulative principles by which I may worship the supreme
master of the world so that the Lord will be pleased with me and fulfill all my desires.
PURPORT
It is said, "Man proposes, God disposes." Thus a person may desire many things, but unless these desires
are fulfilled by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they cannot be fulfilled. Fulfillment of desire is
called satya-saìkalpa. Here the word satya-saìkalpa is very important. Aditi placed herself at the mercy of
her husband so that he would give her directions by which to worship the Supreme Personality of
Godhead so that all her desires would be fulfilled. A disciple must first decide that he should worship the
Supreme Lord, and then the spiritual master will give the disciple correct directions. One cannot dictate to
the spiritual master, just as a patient cannot demand that his physician prescribe a certain type of
medicine. Here is the beginning of worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As confirmed in
Bhagavad-gétä (7.16):
catur-vidhä bhajante mäà
janäù sukåtino 'rjuna
ärto jijïäsur arthärthé
jïäné ca bharatarñabha
"O best among the Bhäratas, four kinds of pious men render devotional service unto Me—the distressed,
the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute." Aditi was
ärta, a person in distress. She was very much aggrieved because her sons, the demigods, were bereft of
everything. Thus she wanted to take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead under the direction of
her husband, Kaçyapa Muni.

RC with Bob cohen Feb 27-29 , 1972, Mayapura


Prabhupäda: No, He's all-perfect. He can hear any temper, or any degree of saying. Even if you don't
speak, even if you simply think, He can hear you. As soon as you think that "I shall do it," then He hears
you. Sarvasya cähaà hådi sanniviñöaù [Bg. 15.15].
Bob: But one should pray, is that so? That one should...
Prabhupäda: That is his business.
Bob: Excuse me?
Prabhupäda: That is his business.
Bob: Listening?
Prabhupäda: Praying.
Bob: Whose business? You mean...
Prabhupäda: Every living entity's. That is the only business. Eko bahünäà vidadhäti kämän. That is the
statement of the Vedas.
Bob: What does that mean?
Prabhupäda: He supplies everything. Everyone, actually He's supplying. He's supplying food to everyone.
So He's father. So why should you not pray, "Father, give me this"? Just like in Christian Bible there is,
"Father, give us our daily bread." That is good, they are accepting the Supreme Father. But grown-up
children, they should not ask from the father, but they should be prepared to serve the father. That is
bhakti.

Here are two helpful quotes by Shrila Prabhupada: “In addition to giving and receiving, in
the execution of devotional service one has to submit to Krishna whatever distress or
confidential problem he has.” [Raja Vidya 2: Knowledge Beyond Samsara],

and also: “Thus it is said that if we pray to the Supreme Lord in every transaction of our
material existence, everything will be done very nicely and just suitable to our heart’s
desire. In other words, in all circumstances we must take shelter of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead and depend completely on His decision. Man proposes, God disposes. The
fulfillment of desires, therefore, should be entrusted to the Supreme Personality of
Godhead; that is the nicest solution.” SB 3.21.28

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