The Need Of Prayers

Delhi, Tuesday 20th November, 1956 (Series #14)

Edited and Founded

Under direct order of His Divine Grace Sri Srimad Bhakti-Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada

By Goswami Abhay Charan Bhaktivedanta
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An interesting feeling for prayers to bring in a change of the world, is now experienced from different quarters. Moral Re-armament movement stands in the fore front in this regard. From this we can feel the pulse of leading men of the world as to which way they are now thinking. The average citizen of the free nations can help to win the favour of the Supreme God and thus achieve just a lasting peace for all human kind.

Such an atmosphere of searching the favour of God has interested us, because there are already some hints of invoking God's mercy by way of prayer. Peace is possible only when we pray to God knowing our relation with Him. Everything that be is an emanation from the Supreme Lord is the version of the Vedas, the most authentic sources of transcendental knowledge. The relation of a man with another man or material object is but a perverted reflection of our pure relation with God which is now forgotten by the pressure of material hankering manifested by a strong desire to lord it over the physical nature. By such strong desire to lord it over the physical nature, world's spiritual resources have become snubbed down for want of a dynamic spiritual atmosphere.

Man's religious fervour is displayed for achievement of material gain which attained one can satisfy his earthly desires. These earthly desires are different branches of sense gratifying processes fashionably called as material advancement of human civilisation (?). A man when he is frustrated in his continuous endeavours for material gains, sometimes he turns towards the Supreme Power, call Him by any name, unknown to him but yet he offers his prayers to Him for peace and prosperity. In the Bhagwat Geeta such a man who turns to prayer at times of frustration and helplessness for redemption of his material trouble, is said to be a fortunate man because by such prayers to God he is placed on first step of spiritual realisation, so essential in the human form of life.

It is learnt from a reliable source that President Eisenhower a very prominent figure in the political world said as follows:--

"Peace cannot be left to diplomat and soldier. It desperately needs the transforming power that comes from men and women, the world over, responding to their highest allegiances and to their best motives. The cause of peace needs God."
"The West has erred, because it has chosen to fight -- with materialistic weapons. As long as the battle is fought on these terms they (the enemy) will keep winning. Western democracy must base its appeal on more than freedom, more than prosperity; it must base its appeal on religion... The Grace of God might bring about this miracle."

We shall try to write separately on the subject of 'The cause of peace needs God' and we may say now that the Grace of God may bring in miracles is an established fact and it is stated in the Bhagwat Geeta as follows:--

"Daibi, Hi, Esha, Gunamoyee, Mama, Maya, Duratyaya, Mam, Eba, Je, Prapadyate, Mayam, Etan, Taranti, Te."

We have repeatedly confirmed in the pages of Back to Godhead at different times that the ways of the laws of physical nature are not only stringent but they are also insurmountable by the material resources of mankind. The physical nature is external energy of Godhead and He is competent to control such laws of physical nature. It is stated in the 'Brahma Samhita' that beginning from the insect of the name 'Indragopa' which has very little power to assert itself to lord it over the physical nature, up to the king of heaven Indra the sovereign amongst the demigods, who has the biggest delegated power to lord it over the laws of physical nature -- every one is bound up by the law of karma to undergo the fruitive result of his own work.