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The Power of Prayer
Why do we pray? Because our mind, vital and body want something or the other. Just as a child asks its mother for whatever it wants, similarly, we too have the right to ask for anything that we want from the Supreme by prayer. The idea to pray starts when we recognize that there is a power far greater than us, far beyond our imagination, that rules our destiny and the world. We recognize this power and feel the need to establish a link to it.
There are two levels of prayer, one that seeks for help and the other at a higher level, to draw towards the spiritual truth. In fact, the real benefit of a prayer is that it establishes a relation with the Divine. The Divine Power gives whatever we need or ask: protection, boon, help, or knowledge. However, whenever there is an intense call there is an upward movement and to resist that, forces of darkness try to create obstruction. This happens more to those who are drawn to spiritual path and are doing intense sadhana—spiritual pursuit, yet they take it as a test. When a prayer is not answered it means sincerity was lacking and our aspiration was not intense. Even then to a sadhak, if a sincere prayer is not answered, it is the Supreme’s will.
How must one pray? To pray we do not need any special training or technique. It is simply a movement of devotion from our heart in a few words and it goes straight to the supreme. A quiet and a sincere prayer has a tremendous power. The Supreme is all compassionate and answers all prayers. To some prayer comes naturally. To others it comes with a dramatic change in life as illustrated by the following story.
A young man went overseas for studies. Years passed and he completed his studies, but he had more ambitions to fulfill. Back
at home the mother waited to see her son. The son was caught in a race to achieve more and more. He had a career in which he wanted to excel. Years rolled by and the mother was forgotten. All that she did to contribute to his success was in the past. Then something happened. He got a telegram that his mother had died. It was as if the skies fell from above. He realized his irreparable mistake. However his soul was working out things to bring about a change in his life. He shaved off his head and became a monk, to devote all his time to pray and gather higher knowledge.
A prayer can have a miraculous effect as it happened in India long ago. A king’s son lay dying of grave illness. The king loved his son dearly and prayed for him intensely for a week. He asked the Supreme to take his life to save his son. In seven days the prince recovered and the king fell ill and died. This miracle is historical fact.
The Mother of Sri Aurobindo Ashram has said, “ An ardent and sincere prayer has never risen in vain to Thee, always in thy munificence Thou answerest every call and thy mercy is infinite.” Intense prayer can alter one’s fate or even nullify the effect of one’s karma but utkat karma the ineluctable karma for which the soul has taken birth for undergoing certain experiences, cannot be changed.
What is the difference between a mantra and a prayer? They are almost the same with the difference being that mantra is in the mind and a prayer is from the psychic. Further, there is a vibration in the mantra—mental understanding and stability is brought to bear upon it. In a prayer, there is that intense aspiration and canalization of emotions. To have a great effect both should be combined. Whatever work we do, whether it is manual work, mental work, or even sadhana, when offered to the Divine it becomes the body’s prayer to the Divine.
Life is difficult but there is a way—and that is to pray.
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