Prayer is a universal practice across world spiritual traditions, seeking connection with a higher power. Many traditions converge on the importance of intention, mindfulness, and devotion in prayer. However, they diverge in methods, forms, and beliefs about the nature of the divine.
May Mitra be gracious to us, may Varuna be gracious; may Aryaman be gracious to us; may Indra and Brihaspati be gracious to us; may the wide-striding Vishnu be gracious to us. Salutation to Brahman! Salutation to you, O Vayu! You alone are the visible Brahman. I have declared you to be the visible Brahman. I spoke the right; I spoke the true. That protected me; that protected the teacher. It protected me; it protected the teacher. Om, peace, peace, peace.
Om. May Mitra be gracious to us, may Varuna be gracious; may Aryaman be gracious to us; may Indra and Brihaspati be gracious to us; may the wide-striding Vishnu be gracious to us. Salutation to Brahman! Salutation to you, O Vayu! You indeed are the visible Brahman. I shall declare you to be the visible Brahman. I shall speak the right; I shall speak the true. May that protect me; may it protect the teacher. May it protect me; may it protect the teacher. Om, peace, peace, peace.
O Lord, by what path can this embodied soul come to be fully absorbed in Brahman? Bestow your compassionate grace upon me, my Lord — I bow at your feet.
You need to have firm conviction and pray with your whole heart.
O Agni, lead us by the good path to prosperity, O god who knows all our deeds. Keep from us the crooked sin, and we will offer you the fullest words of homage.
अग्ने नय सुपथा राये अस्मान् विश्वानि देव वयुनानि विद्वान् । युयोध्यस्मज्जुहुराणमेनो भूयिष्ठां ते नमौक्तिं विधेम
The water of the Guru's feet is itself Gaya, is the imperishable sacred banyan tree, and is Prayaga, the king of pilgrimage sites. Again and again, salutations to the blessed form of the Guru.
All that is established, even in the third heaven, is under the control of prana. Protect us as a mother protects her sons; grant us prosperity and wisdom.
प्राणस्येदं वशे सर्वं त्रिदिवे यत् प्रतिष्ठितम् ।मातेव पुत्रान् रक्षस्व श्रीश्च प्रज्ञां च विधेहि न इति ॥ २१३॥
If some illness afflicts him during this period, he should say: "O pranas, O Adityas, extend this third pressing of mine on to a full lifespan, that I, the sacrifice, may not be cut off in the midst of the pranas, the Adityas." Then he rises up from it and becomes free of illness.
तं चेदेतस्मिन्वयसि किंचिदुपतपेत्स ब्रूयात्प्राणा अदित्या इदं मे तृतीयसवनमायुरनुसंतनुतेति माहं प्राणानामादित्यानां मध्ये यज्ञो विलोप्सीयेत्युद्धैव तत एत्यगदो हैव भवति
If some illness afflicts him during this period, he should say: "O pranas, O Rudras, extend this midday pressing of mine on to the third pressing, that I, the sacrifice, may not be cut off in the midst of the pranas, the Rudras." Then he rises up from it and becomes free of illness.
तं चेदेतस्मिन्वयसि किंचिदुपतपेत्स ब्रूयात्प्राणा रुद्रा इदं मे माध्यंदिनꣳसवनं तृतीयसवनमनुसंतनुतेति माहं प्राणानाꣳरुद्राणां मध्ये यज्ञो विलोप्सीयेत्युद्धैव तत एत्यगदो ह भवति
If some illness afflicts him during this period, he should say: "O pranas, O Vasus, extend this morning pressing of mine on to the midday pressing, that I, the sacrifice, may not be cut off in the midst of the pranas, the Vasus." Then he rises up from it and becomes free of illness.
तं चेदेतस्मिन्वयसि किंचिदुपतपेत्स ब्रूयात्प्राणा वसव इदं मे प्रातःसवनं माध्यंदिनꣳसवनमनुसंतनुतेति माहं प्राणानां वसूनां मध्ये यज्ञो विलोप्सीयेत्युद्धैव तत एत्यगदो ह भवति
That form of yours which rests in speech, in hearing, and in sight, and which is spread through the mind — make it gracious; do not depart.
या ते तनूर्वाचि प्रतिष्ठिता या श्रोत्रे या च चक्षुषि ।या च मनसि सन्तता शिवां तां कुरु मोत्क्रमीः ॥ २१२॥
How short is human memory for divine favors! No man lives who has not seen certain of his prayers granted.
Prayer requires purification of the body, and gnosis requires purification of the heart. As, in the former case, the water must be clean, so in the latter case unification must be pure and belief undefiled.
Blessed are the Friends of God, Oh, blessed are they / Whose Task is ever "He is God" to say; / Happy are they who always are at Prayers, / For Heaven rewards them at the Final Day.
Then, drawing back, he takes the mash in his cupped hands and murmurs: "You are Ama by name, for all this is with (ama) you. He is the eldest, the best, the king, the overlord. May he lead me to eldership, to excellence, to kingship, to overlordship. May I be all this."
अथ प्रतिसृप्याञ्जलौ मन्थमाधाय जपत्यमो नामास्यमा हि ते सर्वमिदꣳ स हि ज्येष्ठः श्रेष्ठो राजाधिपतिः स मा ज्यैष्ठ्यꣳ श्रैष्ठ्यꣳ राज्यमाधिपत्यं गमयत्वहमेवेदꣳ सर्वमसानीति
And when I said, "I take refuge in Svar"—what I meant was: I take refuge in the Rig-Veda, I take refuge in the Yajur-Veda, I take refuge in the Sama-Veda; that is what I said, that is what I said.
And when I said, "I take refuge in Bhuvah"—what I meant was: I take refuge in fire, I take refuge in the wind, I take refuge in the sun; that is what I said.
And when I said, "I take refuge in Bhur"—what I meant was: I take refuge in the earth, I take refuge in the mid-space, I take refuge in heaven; that is what I said.