California State Senate to open with Hindu prayers

After the US Senate, the California State Legislature also plans to open its session with Hindu prayers on August 27

After the US Senate, the California State Legislature also plans to open its session with Hindu prayers on August 27, indicating the growing influence of the Indian-American community in the political life of the United States.

Hindu chaplain Rajan Zed, who made history by reciting the opening prayer in the US Senate on July 12, has now been invited to do the same in the California State Senate.

Zed, who will become the first Hindu chaplain to say prayers in the 40-member California House, said he will recite from ‘Rig Veda’, the oldest scripture of the world still in common use, besides lines from Upanisads and Bhagavad Gita.

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Reciting from Brahadaranyakopanisad, he plans to say Asato ma sad gamaya, Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya, Mrtyor mamrtam gamaya, which roughly translates as “Lead us from the unreal to the Real, from darkness to Light, and from death to Immortality.”

After reciting the prayer in Sanskrit, he would translate it into English for the Senators.

Police personnel seen to control the situation during a massive protest over the statehood demand and the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule, in Leh on Wednesday. (ANI Video Grab)

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