Reno Hindu statesman Rajan Zed opened Washington House of Representatives with Sanskrit prayers
Submitted by Carson Now Reader on Thu, 03/07/2019 - 9:48pm
Washington State House of Representatives in capital Olympia opened its March 6 session with Hindu prayers, containing verses from world’s oldest existing scripture.
Hindu statesman Rajan Zed delivered the invocation from ancient Sanskrit scriptures. After Sanskrit delivery, he then read the English interpretation of the prayer. Sanskrit is considered a sacred language in Hinduism and root language of Indo-European languages.
Both Nevada Senate and Assembly in capital Carson City are scheduled to start their day with ancient Hindu prayers for the entire week of April 22-26. He will deliver the daily invocations from ancient Sanskrit scriptures before the Senate and Assembly.
At the Washington State House in Olympia, Zed, who is the President of Universal Society of Hinduism, recited from Rig-Veda, the oldest scripture of the world still in common use; besides lines from Upanishads and Bhagavad-Gita (Song of the Lord), both ancient Hindu scriptures. He started and ended the prayer with “Om”, the mystical syllable containing the universe, which in Hinduism is used to introduce and conclude religious work.
Reciting from Brahadaranyakopanishad, Rajan Zed said: “Asato ma sad gamaya, Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya, Mrtyor mamrtam gamaya”, which he then interpreted as “Lead us from the unreal to the real, Lead us from darkness to light, and Lead us from death to immortality.” Reading from Bhagavad-Gita, he urged Representatives to keep the welfare of others always in mind.
Speaker Pro Tempore John Lovick was presiding when Zed read this Hindu invocation wearing saffron colored attire, a ruddraksh mala (rosary), and traditional sandalpaste tilak (religious mark) on the forehead.
Rajan Zed is a global Hindu and interfaith leader. Bestowed with World Interfaith Leader Award; Zed is Senior Fellow and Religious Advisor to Foundation for Religious Diplomacy, on the Advisory Board of The Interfaith Peace Project, etc. He has been panelist for “On Faith”, a prestigious interactive conversation on religion produced by The Washington Post; and produces a weekly interfaith panel “Faith Forum” in a Gannett publication for about eight years.
Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about 1.1 billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal. There are about three million Hindus in USA.
With Frank Chopp as Speaker, Washington House of Representatives has 98 members. Washington, also called the "The Evergreen State"; is known for Mount Rainier, apples, wine, higher life expectancy, extensive ferry system, etc. Jay Inslee is the Governor.
Details of the picture attached: After the Hindu invocation in the House, standing from left to right are — House Republican Leader JT Wilcox, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, Representative Laurie Jinkins (D), Representative My-Linh Thai (D).
