What to pray for?

Discussion in 'Queries on Religion & Spirituality' started by pooja, May 12, 2006.

  1. varalotti

    varalotti IL Hall of Fame

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    I know Who Is Puja!

    Dear All,
    I am now tempted to think that the Great God himself came in disguised as Puja and started the thread.
    Whenever I wrote on this thread I could not hold myself back. I did not have any reservations or inhibitions thinking about Him. (Or Her).
    Everyone who wrote here was just pouring out their feelings. I could almost touch the love and devotion.
    Puja, wherever you are and whatever you do, you will always remain blessed.
    Loving Him is liberation and it is celebration.
    Come let us celebrate His Greatness and love.
    regards,
    sridhar
     
  2. pooja

    pooja New IL'ite

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    Oh my God!

    Oh my god! I didn't realize that my question has created such an outpouring of contributions from you all. I couldn't log in to indusladies for a little while and here I am completely having a whale of a time reading all your responses - all at one time. I am humbled and honored by your messages. Now, I have a lot more clarity that before. Thank you very much for all who contributed!

    Pooja
     
  3. Kamla

    Kamla IL Hall of Fame

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    Welcome back:)

    Dear Pooja,

    Inspite of the noble assumptions of Mr Varalotti, it is nice to see you back and nice to know that you appreciated the response your initial question sparked off:) I am sure you enjoyed reading them as much as all of us enjoyed partaking in it:)

    L, Kamla
     
  4. varalotti

    varalotti IL Hall of Fame

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    Welcome Back, Pooja!

    Dear Puja,
    This thread will stand unique in IL for with just a few lines you sparked off so much outpourings of love and devotion. You made us all look deep into ourselves and identify our innermost longings.

    Pooja, I will now let out a secret. It was this thread that made me write a whole book on religion. The very first chapter of the book is an answer to the question, What to pray for? Whatever I wrote in this thread is the essence of the first chapter. The rest of the chapters deal with Our Love for God, Her (God is not necessarily Him, Could be and most possibly be Her also) love for us, and finding God in human beings and the meaning of death constitute the other chapters.

    The book is likely to see the light of the day, with Her Grace, very soon.
    It is my duty to thank you for starting such a profound discussion.
    You will always remain blessed, Pooja.
    regards,
    Varalotti
     
  5. Blondie

    Blondie Bronze IL'ite

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    Questions on prayer

    Dear All,

    Some time back I posted a thread with the subject 'Hindu prayer in the US Senate', the uproar it raised and the comments by prominent organisations in US. Some how it got moved to other area http://www.indusladies.com/forums/93726-post34.html there I had posted the text of the prayer and also post # 35 had my question to IL's who are more knowledgeable regarding our beliefs and practices . A comment by AFA member was:

    If your religion believes in multiple Gods then which god are you paraying to and who will answer your prayer??:confused:

    I would like to hear your thoughts
     
    Last edited: Aug 1, 2007
  6. shanthi ramanathan

    shanthi ramanathan New IL'ite

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    Today i was surfing through this site and was very curious to read . This question has also come to my mind several times because we pray to GOD for getting only material things . And our list for getting things is endless . It is nothing wrong in praying for material things as to we may be one-millionth of the atom and our perception towards life is only that much .When we pray and get all the things we feel happy and when we don't get it , we feel dejucted and morose . That's why we are different from the holy saints who always prays for the well being of entire world. "Sarve Jana Sukhinao bhavantu " . When our percepion of things get wider , we dont have to pray for material things and what life has offered is itself great gift and we should be thankful to the almighty. And I always console myself that when thigns dont happen the way I want it, I feel that was not required for me and GOD didnt give me. Tthe only thing I feel like praying to almighty is that always show me the right path and never leave my hand and clutch my hand forever through my sad/bad phases of my life . And I always say I am your child and you know beter than me .This has always given me the strength to face the failures in life .


    And specially this forum is so helpful that whenever i feel depressed i browse and when i put my feelings in writing in any of the cloumn i feel my problems are answered and solved . Here I give one of the quotations I came across :

    AN ANSWERED PRAYER


    I asked for strength and
    GOD gave me difficulties to make me strong ;

    I asked for wisdom and
    GOD gave me problems to solve ;

    I asked for prosperity and
    GOD gave me brawn and brain to work .

    I asked for COurage and
    GOD gave dangers to overcome ;

    I asked for love and
    GOD gave me troubled people to help;

    I asked for favours and
    GOD gave me opportunities;

    I received nothing I wanted
    I received everything I needed


    MY PRAYER HAS BEEN ANSWERED.

    Bye and regards to all
    Shanthi
     
    Last edited: Jul 8, 2008
  7. LakshmiAnand

    LakshmiAnand Senior IL'ite

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    Dear Pooja, Varlotti, Chitvish and all other contributors to this thread
    Great reading... I think prayer should be a 24 hour awareness of the Lord rather than the 2 minute salute to the God we hurriedly go through every morning.
     
  8. saranya.27

    saranya.27 New IL'ite

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    With what intention shud we pray???

    I have been wondering about this for a quite a while now, but never got the opportunity to ask my elders.

    In India its a belief that Lord Brahma has written every single person's fate and then sent him to planet earth.

    Even in the book Alchemist by Paulo cohelo, the boy santiago keeps using the work Maktub - which literally means "it is written". It points to the fact that whatever happens is already known to the Almighty and that everything is planned by God in advance.

    Now my question here is if God has planned everything for us, wen Lord Brahma has written our fate before sending us down on earth....wat is the point in praying?? My prayers are not going to change God's plans for me (good or bad) I have to face it. Now wat shud my approach be towards him. From the time this thought has arrived in my mind I am not sure why i am praying and wat shud i pray for???

    I want to know wat others think of this?? BTW I dont intend to hurt anyone's feeling towards god here.

    Thanks in advance.
     
  9. Priya_Mommy

    Priya_Mommy Gold IL'ite

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    Re: With what intention shud we pray???

    HI saranya,
    This is a good question. may be I can't answer clearly, as I too have no clarity on it.
    Yes, its all our fate, what we are recieving now. Eventhough it is known to everybody, but at times, people need more from God. Also to my knowledge, everybody will pray God for instant results. yes, it happens everywhere.If you ask a little for what reason she is praying, she will tell some reason liek she wants to have some chocolete, or frock etc. teenagers, they want to win in exams, for unemployed they want a job. for a job holder, a promotion and proving in current, for unmarried,a marriage. For no kids, they want kids. for old age ppl, they want a easy death etcc etc..
    So, everybody's intension is to get something benefit from God. So over a course of time, everybody will achieve the result. Just to meet the selfish needs, they are praying God. Practically speaking, Nobody prays for the whole world, just himself or his family thts it.
    IN my openion through praying, we can stay calm and peace for sometime, which may result in taking some good decisions towards life and result in good life.
     
  10. mithili

    mithili New IL'ite

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    Re: With what intention shud we pray???

    Right..absolutely praying for peace and solitude ...relieve from the stress of life..Brahma wud have planned alwaz for the worst of a man...if he is going to this route this will be his fate and extra...while praying to God we get insights a sort of light to our way asking ur heart to reach for the best and the right..moreover if ur fulfilled in a right way it's like u have almost fulfilled a part of this world...for good..
     

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