prayer

The prayers offered by Lord Siva are very authoritative and significant. Simply by offering prayers to the Supreme Lord one can become perfect, even though engaged in his occupational duty. The real purpose of life is to become a devotee of the Lord. It does not matter where one is situated. Whether one is a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sūdra, American, Englishman, Indian, etc., one can execute devotional service anywhere and everywhere in the material existence simply by offering prayers unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Hare Krsna maha-mantra is also a prayer, for a prayer addresses the Supreme Personality of Godhead by His name and invokes good fortune by petitioning the Lord to allow one to engage in His devotional service. The Hare Krsna maha-mantra also says, "My dear Lord Krsna, my dear Lord Rama, O energy of the Lord, Hare, kindly engage me in Your service." Although one may be lowly situated, he can execute devotional service under any circumstance, as stated, ahaituky apratihata (Bhag. 1.2.6). "Devotional service cannot be checked by any material condition." Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu also recommended this process:    (More...)

Perfection means becoming a devotee of Lord Krsna. As stated in the First Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam: vasudeva-para veda vasudeva-para makhaḥ (Bhag. 1.2.28). The ultimate goal of life is Vasudeva, or Krsna. Any devotee of Lord Krsna can attain all perfection, material gains and liberation simply by offering prayers to Him. There are many varieties of prayers to Lord Krsna chanted by great sages and great personalities such as Lord Brahma and Lord Siva. Lord Krsna is known as siva-virinci-nutam (Bhag. 11.5.33). Siva means Lord Siva, and virinci means Lord Brahma. Both of these demigods are engaged in offering prayers to Lord Vasudeva, Krsna. If we follow in the footsteps of such great personalities and become devotees of Lord Krsna, our lives become successful. Unfortunately people do not know this secret. Na te viduḥ svartha-gatim hi visnum (Bhag. 7.5.31). "They do not know that the real interest and the highest perfection of life is to worship Lord Visnu [Krsna]." It is impossible to become satisfied by trying to adjust the external energy. Without being a devotee of Lord Krsna, one can only be baffled and confused. To save living entities from such a calamity, Lord Krsna points out in Bhagavad-gita:    (More...)

One can offer prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly, but if one repeats the prayers offered by great devotees like Lord Siva and Lord Brahma, or if one follows in the footsteps of great personalities, one can please the Supreme Personality of Godhead very easily. For instance, we sometimes chant this mantra of Brahma-samhita:    (More...)