祈祷确实是宗教气息,因为它把人与神拉在一起并随着每一个感叹而更加亲近神。
开始时你或许需要某个特别环境作为你清涤心念之用以便专注于神。但过后, 如果你发现,神是全在的而变得对祂有所觉知,并且你的思想则专注于神,那时,不论你在哪儿都没有分别了。祈祷可以跟神说话而祈祷会抵达神那儿。
祈求神是你的义务。话必须说出,且必须与思想一致。思想必须以真话表达。真的,神无所不知,但祂要我们说真话。母亲知道孩子需要食物维持生命,但只有当孩子要求食物时,母亲便给他牛奶。
祈祷必须与实行一致。你不能祈祷一样东西而实行另一样东西。这样的祈祷仅是一种欺骗行为。你所说的话,所行的事,所做的祈祷都必须沿循同一的途径进行。
虔诚(bhakti)的特征使祈祷达到目的地,神;而不是花綵,不是炫耀,不是堆积如山的花卉,也不是喜庆的宴席。纯真而诚挚的心才是使祈祷迅速迈进的特征。
为世俗目的而作的祈祷不会到达神那儿。它们只会到达那些统领这种受限制领域的神祇。然而,所有产生自纯爱,无私的热切服务及发自涵盖一切之内心的祈祷,就会抵达神那儿。
我们对神的虔诚和祈祷不应该只为了获得某样东西或满足我们某种欲望作为唯一目的。这应该是为了自性(atma)的缘故,和为了与神融为一体的缘故以及为了获得必须与神亲近才能得到的至福。
祈祷必须根之于神寓居的心,而不是根之于教义与怀疑起冲突的头脑。
神恩赐你所祈求的,所以要谨慎。要祈求正确的事物。
不知道我们该祈求什么,我们正祈求某样东西,而其实,我们需要的是另一样东西。在这过程中,我们正陷自己于苦难之中。神总是随时提供你所需但你似乎不知道什么是对你好的及什么是你真正需要的。由于你不知道你该要的是什么,及在什么情况下你需要,你最好还是完全降服于神并且只要求祂的恩典。
如果一个虔诚者以奉献一切 --- 身体,心念,和存在 --- 给神,神会照顾他的一切,因为祂一直与虔诚者在一起。再这情况下,祈祷就不需要了。但你是否如此献身并降服一切给神?
Prayer is the very breath of religion, for it brings man and God together and with every sigh, nearer and nearer.
At the beginning, one might need some special set of circumstances for clearing the mind for concentration on God. But after a while, if one finds that God is omnipresent and becomes aware of him and one’s thoughts are centered on God, then no matter where one is, it is the same. Prayers may be addressed to God and the prayers will reach him.
It is your duty to ask God. Words must be said, and the words must correspond to the thought. The thought must be put into a true word. It is true enough that the divinity knows all, but he requires that the true word be said. The mother may know that to maintain life the child requires food, but milk is given when the child asks for it.
Prayer must be united with practice. You should not pray for one thing and practice another. Such prayer is only a means of deception. The words you utter, the deeds you do, the prayers you make must all be directed along the same path.
The stamp of bhakti (devotion) is what makes the prayer reach the destination, God; not the festoons, the fanfare, the heap of flowers, or the festive nature of the feast-offerings. The simple, sincere heart is the stamp that makes the prayer travel fast.
Prayers for worldly ends do not reach God. They will reach only those deities who deal with such restricted spheres. But all prayers arising from pure love, unselfish eagerness to render service, and from hearts that are all-inclusive will reach God.
Our devotion and prayer to God should not be for the sole purpose of obtaining something or fulfilling some desire of ours. This should be for the sake of atma (the inner divinity) and for the sake of becoming one with the Lord and for the sake of getting the bliss that one can get by being close to the Lord.
Prayers must emanate from the heart, where God resides, and not from the head, where doctrines and doubts clash.
God gives you whatever you pray for, so take care. Ask for the right things.
Not knowing what we should ask, we are asking him for something when really we want something else. In this process, we are getting ourselves into difficulties. God is always ready to give you all that you want, but you do not seem to know what is good for you and what you really want. Since you do not know what you should want and under what circumstances, it is better and easier to surrender yourself completely to God and simply ask for his grace.
If a bhakta (devotee) has dedicated his all – body, mind, and existence – to the Lord, the Lord will himself look after everything, for he will always be with the bhakta. Under such conditions, there is no need for prayer. But have you so dedicated yourself and surrendered everything to the Lord?