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A prayer at Basilique Sacré-Coeur..Paris


A recent visit to this beautiful shrine, refreshed my reflections on one of the most sublime phenomenon that can occur to human beings ......"A Prayer".

What is a Prayer after all? ...in the words of a modern man with scientific acumen, trying hard to preserve his faith, it is an effort to build positive energy in our psyche. A more conservative explaination would be an ardent effort on the part of a devotee to ask for the help , support and guidance from the all mighty.



The need of a prayer . It's psychology . The miracles ...that have happened with prayers and some disaapointing stories of life long devotees about prayers do not interest me much ...I love to savour my food more than just fill my belly and thats the reason I feel we must learn to enjoy this very process of uplifting ourselves by an incredibly unique gift provided only to sapiens.


I had collected some of the best prayers ever said ( or sung ....music enriches prayers) and I still remember how much I had enjoyed trying each of those prayers every day to fill up my week . As we were travelling to the shrine I had a small discussion with my esteemed friend Avadhut, who happened to provide me with an interesting observation. A truely spiritual person would always agree that a church is a better place to pray rather than a temple considering the ambience and silence thats is so essential to effect communion with the almighty .


Avadhut observed that the christians have the focus in prayers that we lack and the Muslims have the dedication and committement to prayers . If we could combine the depth in the hindu spirituality with the two, a prayer could elevate us to unimaginable heights .


Wise people differentiate between a prayer with a worldly intent .....and a prayer without any intent . The former is called SAKAM and the latter NISHKAM . Obviously latter being much superior to the former . A doctor friend of mine had once surpised me and awakened me from my deep pseudo spiritual slumber by asking a brilliant question ....Ram ....you talk of God ....but Do you need god ?? or you love god ?...This question unsettles me even now when I think of it ...


As long as we need God we keep asking from him worldly favours and we say ....we are praying ....Nothing wrong in it ...except for the fact that we are in the same form of business that we engage with other mortals ...how ever love for the Lord takes the form of unconditional liking for him out of amazement for his omnipresent ,omnipotent nature , irrespective of our present situation pleasant or unpleasant ...inadvertantly my friend had stepped on to a very softspot in my heart that needed some ironing .


Our IT team spent some time in the church praying .....For a group that usually amuses itself in subjects.... not so profound ....this was a moment worth remembering .


Our quieter moments spent in prayer at the Sacred heart flashed back a beautiful prayer composed by Tembe swami maharaj


"Oh Lord if you would ever get pleased with me and grant me a favour ... please do thus ....


and I shall ask for nothing more ....


Lord let me remember you always and at all times


Make me sing your glories....


Make me always act in a detached fashion in this world


Tranform my mind thus Oh Lord .....


All my organs of perception and action and my mind is in your hands alone...


Therefore Oh Lord let my mind glued to your Lotus feet ...


In the path to reach you .......company of the good people ... the awareness of what is good and bad are the two eyes .....


Please grant me these two Oh lord ....so that I always remain surrendered to you ....


Some people say ...Lord is a like a mother to us ....and if he knows everything ...he knows whats best for us and he will provide us with whats best for us at any particular stage in our life ..What we conceive as unpleasant is actually his infinite grace upon us to form and mould us into a state which will make us best suited to receive his complete realisation ...


And hence it is said that ....the way a child would cry for its mother with whatever special name it uses ....may it be Ma.....or Aaiiii all that we need to do is to cry for the Lord with his name ...ust his name ....


As we were returning ...My mind was filled with rather serene and conclusive thoughts about Prayers...it may have been an after effect of the prayer at sacred heart or a satiating Lunch at Tajmahal restaurent.


The best prayer perhaps is a moment of silence infront of the lord ....followed by a loving glance at our beloved ......or a mute smile ....or a tear trickling down our cheek......telling him ....how lucky we are ..to have him in our lives .....






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