Board of Directors of the City of Hot Springs (Arkansas), for the first time since its incorporation in 1851, will start its day with Hindu mantras on February 16, containing verses from worlds oldest extant scripture.

Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed will deliver the invocation from ancient Sanskrit scriptures remotely before Hot Springs Board of Directors. After Sanskrit delivery, he then will 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, will recite fromRig-Veda, the oldest scripture of the world still in common use; besides lines fromUpanishadsandBhagavad-Gita(Song of the Lord), both ancient Hindu scriptures. He plans to start and end the prayer with Om, the mystical syllable containing the universe, which in Hinduism is used to introduce and conclude religious work.

Reciting fromBrahadaranyakopanishad, Rajan Zed plans to say Asato ma sad gamaya, Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya, Mrtyor ma amratam gamaya; which he will then interpret as Lead us from the unreal to the real, Lead us from darkness to light, and Lead us from death to immortality. Reciting fromBhagavad-Gita, he proposes to urge board members and others present to keep the welfare of others always in mind.

Zed, a global Hindu, and interfaith leader has been 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 panellist for On Faith, a prestigious interactive conversation on religion produced by The Washington Post; and produces a weekly multi-faith panel Faith Forum in a Gannett publication for over nine years.

Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about 1.2 billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal. There are about three million Hindus in USA.

Resort city of Hot Springs, set among several natural hot springs, is located in the Diamond Lakes region of the scenic Ouachita Mountains; and houses the boyhood home of former US President Bill Clinton. Pat McCabe and Bill Burrough are Mayor and City Manager, respectively.

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Hindu prayer to open Hot Springs Board in Arkansas for the 1st time in 170 years - Goa Chronicle - Goa Chronicle