On June 20, both Rhode Island State Senate and House of Representatives in Providence started their respective sessions with Hindu prayers, containing verses from world’s oldest existing scripture.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed delivered the invocations from ancient Sanskrit scriptures before the Senate and House and sprinkled few drops of water from river Ganga, considered sacred by Hindus, on the occasion. After Sanskrit delivery, he then read the English interpretation of the prayers. Sanskrit is considered a sacred language in Hinduism and root language of Indo-European languages.

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 stated “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.” Reciting from Bhagavad-Gita, he urged Senators and Representatives to keep the welfare of others always in mind.

Zed, a global Hindu and interfaith leader, has been bestowed with World Interfaith Leader Award. He is Senior Fellow and Religious Advisor to Foundation for Religious Diplomacy, Spiritual Advisor to National Association of Interchurch & Interfaith Families, 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 leads a weekly interfaith panel “Faith Forum” in a Gannett publication for over seven 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. Rhode Island, nicknamed “the Ocean State”, is the smallest state in USA but has the longest official name: “State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations”. Gina M. Raimondo is the Governor. Nicholas A. Mattiello is Speaker of the House, which is composed of 75 Representatives; while Dominick J. Ruggerio is President of the Senate, which has 38 Senators.

By: Rajan Zed