Why do we have to Pray?

Why should we Pray and for whom should we? Does God need our prayer? Does he only listen when we beg to HIM? Should we always go to HIM when in need!

These are the very common questions that comes across our minds and hearts.

People pray for various reasons:

• Some pray to God as higher energy and find peace.
• Some pray to achieve nirvana - freedom.
• Some pray to go to heaven.
• Some pray that they should not end up in hell.
• Some pray to appease God to grant them their worldly desires like son, wealth, health and happiness.
• Some pray to God to relieve them from distress.
• Some pray as they have seen their elders praying.
• Some pray out of fear, what if they don't they would be in trouble. Some pray in front of people to look pious.
• Some visit to the prayer house to socialize and meet people. Some pray for name and fame.
• To some praying and visiting pilgrimage is a cultural tradition to follow.
  
• Some pray because they do not know what else to do.
• Some pray and still doubt their prayers.
• Some believe in prayer but do not pray.
• Some pray but do not believe. And some neither believe nor pray.
  

And everyone unanimously believe others prayer is selfish and may not be heard.

After observing the people and seeking the question within myself, I felt of penning down some what I think about God and prayers.

Lets assume for the time being the sun is GOD.

Does sun need our prayers to rise or to set. Does sun shower extra light to those who pray and turn darkness to those who do not? Does Sun discriminate? Sun showers light at one location to a lowly worm or grass to a president equally. Now, there is one devotee of sun who rises early in the morning and takes bath and waters the tulasi plant looking at the bright red sun seeking wellbeing and offering SuryaNamaskar and looking sun through the hand mudras.

Sun might not listen to the prayers, but the devotee does receive the prime energy of the sun. There is another who does not believe in Sun's power, choses to sleep whole day or live in the basement and does not come out to receive sunlight. This action might affect health or well being. The refusal does not hurt the sun. The sun performs its duty and stays detached. The sun's presence is very vital to us. Probably its only duty is to provide favourable condition of life to us but it is detached from us. So is God! Accepting God in our life shall bring peace harmony in us. Accepting God in our life is accepting His grace and His Love in our life. Its our goal to achieve the love and the truth and anything away from it is despair. God showers love and truth to everyone equally but its we who accept or reject it. The prayer is a tool to make us accept the presence of God. It is a means to show us there is BEING beyond ourselves. When we pray its not God who answers but it is our consciousness which answers it.

Praying and begging to God is selfishness should we do it?

We can ask anything to God. Its known that candy made of sugar is not a healthy food. What makes parents offer this piece of junk to their precious child? It is the LOVE which compels the parents to provide things that what make the child happy. So does God provide us anything that we seek to him. Our scriptures are filled with illustrations of ill intended and proud Rakshashs like Ravan, Hiranyakashyapu, Bhasmasur who prayed to gods and attained the powers they wanted. Once you have received the power, it is your duty to use the power for the well being of the fellow creatures and mother earth. Use of spiritual power for evil purposes is never successful.

Shall my prayer be answered?

When you pray, you must need what you are asking for very desperately. You must know what you need and it must be definite. One must not seek something like this "I need everything s/he has or more than that!" The prayer must be consistent and also you must change yourself to deserve it. It could be healthy life,education, money, family's well being or power. In God's domain there is infinite abundance,bliss,love which is eternal. Do not think of from where and how just ask what you really need from the infinity.

Why is my prayer not answered?

Just like eating too much candy might be harmful to the child and sometimes parents restrain it from giving, so does God. He knows the best for us.

Does he want our prayers? No, He does not. Just like one do not need to pray to sun to give sunlight but one has to make an effort to see where the sun is shining and stand there, if there is any hurdle in path of light like closed window or a wall then one has to open the window or go out in open to receive sunlight. Similarly to receive God's grace one has to break the wall of ego or open the doors of world within!

Pranam.