Prayers-Classical and popular

           

                         Poems and Poets

                    10. Prayers- Classical and Popular

Prayers constitute a very fertile and creative field for poetic talent and appreciation. Some prayers like the Lord's Prayer, especially in the old King James version and Lead Kindly Light are popular among Christians, and also among non-Christians. My principal at college, Rev.Father J.Murphy, SDB used to explain how the Lord's prayer was really non-sectarian and universal in spirit. Christians could take it as Christian; but it was taught by Lord  Jesus Christ who was not a Christian! No doubt it mentions God as Father,  ( rather than Mother), God in Heaven ( rather than immanent in the world, as Hindus believe) which are specifically Christian concepts; but these are not opposed to our own- they are limiting cases, that is all. There is enough of the universal in it, if our heart is large enough and mind is not closed. I will just give one aspect which tallies 100% with our own. But first, let us honour Lord Jesus Christ by reading the prayer he himself taught, in full:

The Lord's Prayer

Our Father,

Who art in Heaven,

Hallowed be Thy name,

Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done, on earth

As it is in Heaven,

Give us this day our daily bread,

And forgive us our trespasses,

As we forgive them that trespass against us

And lead us not into temptation, 

But deliver us from evil. Amen.

Take this line: Give us this day our daily bread. Such a simple line. But remember Christ also said which father would give stone, if the child asked for bread! So, if we seek just what we need from God our Father, he will surely give us! This is the kind of childlike trust that we need. Remember also that Christ said unless we become like little children, we cannot enter the kingdom of Heaven!

This line invokes such intense feelings in us, Hindus too. For it echoes exactly our own sentiments. We have a Vedic prayer called 'Sri Rudram'. In one part of it, we praise God invoking 300 names,

 ( Hallowed be Thy Name) recalling his universal presence. Then we petition him with our requirements. The first is food! Our ancestors were practical: they knew one would not pray on an empty stomach! The prayer runs:

Vaajascha me  - 
Prasavascha me  -  

Prayatishcha me  - 

Prasivishcha me  - 

Dheetishcha me

Kratushcha me   etc.

May I, who approach you Lord with prayer and worship be blessed with food, comfort,perseverance,, enthusiasm and energy to perform good deeds etc.
It goes on to seek power of correct thinking, proper speech, etc ie not only bodily needs but also mental and spiritual wealth and well being.

We will now see some general, non-sectarian prayers which I have come to like over the years.

What strikes any observer of the universe is its inscrutability. We may think we understand  the phenomena through science, but they all explain the second causes- describe the how, may be, but not fully; or the why,  not at all. Organized religion talks of a merciful God, but is unable to account for the pain and suffering; people speak of the majesty and beauty of nature, but it contains so much violence. Man has invented many religions, but human problems persist. Why, the Christian nations even fought two world wars mainly among themselves and killed millions of their fellow believers! Seeing all this, most thinking men tend to lose faith in religion, unless we admit that this is something past our mental comprehension.  Many educated persons in all countries describe themselves as 'spiritual but not religious', whatever the term 'spiritual' may mean..The first true religious feeling is that of the mysteriousness of the universe. William Cowper has given expression to it beautifully.

William Cowper

God Moves In A Mysterious Way

God moves in a mysterious way 

His wonders to perform;

He plants His footsteps in the sea

And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines

Of never failing skill

He treasures up His bright designs

And works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;

The clouds you so much dread

Are big with mercy and shall break

On blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,

But trust Him for his grace;

Behind a frowning providence

He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,

Unfolding every hour;

The bud may have a bitter taste,

But sweet will be the flower.

Blind belief is sure to err

And scan His work in vain;

God is His own interpreter,

And he will make it plain.

William Cowper. Portrait by Lemuel Francis Abbott.
Wikimedia Commons.

There are people who do not like to use the word God. They may substitute 'Nature' and still the poem can be read without loss of sense!. Of course, people use the word Nature too without understanding it. Every one pretends to  have understood, because we know a few scientific concepts and jargon. As if reading labels on the food packets will satisfy our hunger!  Philosopher Jacob Needleman reflects:

"The Earth  is a sacred book. An ancient idea......Nature in all ts diversity as the signature of God, and indeed, the "language" of God.....

Nature can be "read " in its outer,literal meaning and at the same time intuited in the many levels of its symbolic, transcendent meaning......

We need to make a distinction between science and what is called  "scientism".......

If the earth is a living being, as it surely is, then like everything that lives, it is either growing or dying. But perhaps,in ways that we do not understand , in order to grow, the Earth needs our uniquely human conscious energy "

( From "An Unknown World")

Jacob Needleman
By Gazebo (own work) CC BY -SA 3.0 http://Creative commons.org via Wikimedia commons.

We can now understand  why so many of our saints and sages always extended blessings to the whole of nature.

There are many exquisite short poems of prayer of a general nature, which exemplify these ideas and attitude. 

Invocation of Peace

 ( Copied from my old notebook. Source unknown)

Deep peace, pure white of the moon to you;

Deep peace, pure green of the grass to you;

Deep peace, pure brown of the earth to you;

Deep peace, pure grey of the dew to you,

Deep peace, pure blue of the sky to you!

Deep peace of the running wave to you,

Deep peace of the flowing air to you,

Deep peace of the quiet earth to you.

This is too reminiscent of the very spirit and words of the Veda to be missed! Peace be to the soul that wrote this beautiful hymn!

Edith King

Evening Song

Soft falls the night,

The day grows dim,

To Thee I lift my evening hymn'

O Lord of dark and light.

My hands I raise,

A little spire,

And send my voice up high and higher

To Thee in happy praise.

For home and friend,

For books and toys,

For all the countless loves and joys

That Thou dost daily send

Close Thou mine eyes,

That when the day 

Returns once more from far away,

I may rejoicing rise.

John Bunyan

1.The Pilgrim

Who would true valour see

Let him come hither!

One here will constant be,

Come wind, come weather;

There's no discouragement

Shall make him once relent

His first avow'd intent

To be a Pilgrim.

Whoso beset him round

With dismal stories,

Do but themselves confound

His strength the more is.

No lion can him fright;

He'll with a giant fight;

But he will have a right

To be a Pilgrim.

Nor enemy, nor friend,

Can daunt his spirit;

He knows he at the end

Shall life inherit:-

Then, fancies, fly away;

He will fear not what men say;

He will labour, night and day,

To be a Pilgrim.

2.The Shepherd Boy's Song

He that is down needs fear no fall,

  He That is low, no pride;

He that is humble ever shall

  Have God to be his guide.

I am content with what I have,

  Little be it or much:

And, Lord, contentment still I crave,

  For Thou savest such.

Fullness to such a burden is

  That go on pilgrimage:

Here little,and hereafter bliss,

  Is best from age to age.

John Bunyan

S.T. Coleridge

1.From The Rime of The Ancient Mariner

He prayeth well ,who loveth well

  Both man and bird and beast,

He prayeth best, who loveth best,

  All things both great and small;

For the dear God who loveth us,

  He made and loveth all.

2.From Christabel

    Saints will aid if men will call:

   For the blue sky bends over all!

Saints act as the boat to take us across the  waters of doubt,and suffering! And some one like James Herriot  shows us how to practically serve all things both great and small, which are at the same time wise and wonderful! It is not given to man  to show love, except by serving both man, bird and beast. 

 Sam no astu dwipade, sam Chatushpade, declares the Veda!

 ie  May  good befall all the two legged and four legged beings. The full mantra includes plants also! Peace be to all!

With such background, we will now see how the poets writing lyrics for the movies have written prayer songs. Since the movies have to appeal to all sections of society, these prayers generally embrace universal concepts . I take as sample two pieces.

1. Tu Pyar ka Sagar hai-
Shailendra, 1955

Tu pyar ka sagar hai
Teri ek boond ke pyase hum
Lauta jo diya tu ne
Chale jaayenge jahan se hum

Gayal man ka pagal panchi
Udne ko beqarar
Pankh hai komal, aankh hai dundli
Jana hai sagar paar, jaana hai sagar paar.
Ab tu hi isse samjha
Raah bhule te kahan se hum
Tu pyar ka sagar hai

Idhar jhoom ke gaaye zindagi
Udhar hai maut khadi....
Koyi kya jaane kahan hai seema
Uljahn aan padi
Khanon mein zara kehde
Ke aaye kaun disha se hum
Tu pyar ka sagar hai...

Meaning: Free rendering.

You are the ocean of love.
We are thirsting for a single drop of that love.
If you throw us away, 
We will leave this world ( ie die)

The wounded bird of heart (mind)
Is restless to fly away.
The wings are delicate,
The eyes are foggy ( misty)
It has to cross the ocean ( of this life, this world)
Now only you can explain it to my heart,
From where we have forgotten (lost) our way.

On this side, life is all song and merriment
On the other side, death is standing ( waiting)
Who knows where is the borderline?
The mind is confused now.
Tell me in my ears
From which direction have we come.

2.Aye Malik Tere Bandhe Hum 
Bharat Vyas: 1957

Aye Malik tere bandhe hum
Eise ho hamare karam
Neki par chale, aur badhee se tale
Taaki hanste huve nikle dum.

Ye andhera ghanacha raha
Tera insan ghabra raha
Ho raha bekhabar, 
Kuch na aata nazar,
Sukh ka suraj chupa ja raha
Hai teri roshni me jo dum
To amavas ko karde poonam.
         Aye malik tere bandhe hum.......

Bada kamzor hai aadmi
Abhi lakhon hai is mein kami
Par tu jo kada, aur dayalu bada
Teri kirpa se dharti tamee
Diya tu ne haman jab janam,
Tu hi zelega hum sabke gam
                Aye malik tere bandhe hum......

Jab zulmon ka ho saamna
Tab tu hi hame taamna
Wo burayee karen,
Ham bhalayee bharen
nahin badle ki ho kaamna
Badh uthe pyar ka har kadam
Aur mite bain ka ye bharam
                         Aye malik tere bande hum......


Meaning: Free rendering.

Lord, you are our creator
May our hands ( actions) be such that
We walk the path of righteousness
And refrain from evil
So that when the time comes for us to depart,
We may go smiling.

Frail is the human being,
With a million shortcomings
But you are forgiving,
The world exists due to your benevolence.
Since you have given us birth,
You will also bear our burdens.
                 May we walk the path of righteousness........

The world is engulfed in dense darkness,
The human being is fearful;
He is ignorant and blind, 
The light of happiness and peace is diminishing.
Such is the strength of your light,
It may brighten even new moon like the full moon.
              May we walk the path of righteousness.....

When we are faced with wrong -doing (atrocities or crimes),
O Lord, hold us firm.
May there be no desire for revenge.
May we keep every step ahead for love.
May every thought of enmity be banished.
                     May we walk the path of righteousness....

These are exquisite poems. They have to be recited aloud, as in all poetry in general; then the full force of the sound vibrations will be felt and the beauty of the words and their sense realised. These express the longings and hopes of the human heart felt universally across cultures.

Let us salute these masters!