Hindu prayer in Nevada assembly creates history

New Delhi, Mar 20 (UNI) A huge slice of the sublime facets of Hindu religion was on full display in the Nevada State Assembly of the US as a Hindu chaplain recited the Gayatri mantra in Sanskrit to mark the opening of the assembly session, creating history in the process.

Rajan Zed, Director of Public Affairs of Hindu Temple of Northern Nevada, read the famous ancient Hindu prayer at the opening of the Nevada assembly session yesterday and also recited some more prayers from the Upanishads.

''This is the first time any Hindu prayer was delivered in the Nevada State Legislature since its formation in 1864,'' said Pastor Albert Tilstra, Chaplain Coordinator for Nevada Legislature.

Wearing saffron-coloured garb, a 'rudraksha mala' (rosary) and traditional sandalpaste marks on the forehead, Zed started with 'Gayatri Mantra' in Sanskrit, (extolled as the language of gods and root language of of all Indo-European languages) from the Rig Veda, dated around 1500 BC.

The Rig Veda, the old of the four Vedas, is considered the oldest holy book still in common use in the world.

Keeping with the tradition of the House of offering inspiration and reflection, he read the next prayer from Brhadaranyakopanishad, composed around 400 BC, in Sanskrit: ''Asto ma sad gamaya, Tamaso ma jtotir gamaya, Mrytyor mamrtam gamaya''.

(From the unreal, lead me to the real, From the darkness lead me to light, From death lead me to immortality.) The last part of the prayer was from the Bhagavad Gita (Song of the Lord), the famous philosophical and spiritual poem often considered the epitome of Hinduism and dated around 3rd century BC.

Zed concluded by uttering in a serene manner ''Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti'', which translates as ''Peace, Peace, Peace be unto all''.

The whole prayer will be included in the Daily Journal of the Legislature, which is a permanent public record.

At the opening of the assembly session, after Speaker Barbara Buckley introduce Rajan Zed, he started reciting Hindu prayers and hymns with ''Om'' (the mystical syllable containing the universe) and all the lawmakers stood up and listened intently.

''Today is a glorious day for all Nevadans and historical day for us when opening prayers from ancient Hindu scriptures are being read in this great hall of democracy,'' Zed said during the prayer.

Ladoos were distributed on the occasion by local Hindu volunteers. Besides, people from the Hindu community of the area; ministers and priests from various Christian denominations and activists from Satyachetna International and World Peace and Divine Mission also attended the prayers as a gesture of support.

Rajan Zed, along with his wife Shipa Zed, sat next to the Assembly Speaker at the podium.

Zed, affiliated with World Congress of Faiths, London and listed in 'Who's Who' in America' 2006, is active in inter-faith dialogue in the region.

UNi/SKS LS RS1447