[1] This prayer seeks happiness, health, and well-being for all, with no grief. [2] While some object to prayer seeing it as weakness, the author explains prayers help connect to infinite cosmic powers and remove "blocks" like ego that develop in humans. [3] Prayers and chanting help reconnect us to the empowering source of consciousness and remove feelings of isolation, reestablishing our link to the greater whole, like leaves reconnecting to the roots of the tree.

1. World Famous
Prayer
for
Welfare
of
Universe
Interpretation
By
Shriniwas Kashalikar

2. SARVETRAH SUKHINAH
SANTU SARVE SANTU
NIRAMAYAH
SARVE BHADRANI
PASHYANTU MA KASCHIT
DUKKHAMAPNUYAT
[Let everyone be happy, healthy
and well meaning and let there be
no grief in anyone’s life]
Many of us may have strong
objection to prayers. They may
feel that such praying is an
indication of weakness,
diffidence and dependence.

3. According to some; this can be
even paranoid behavior. Even as
I have no intention to change this
point of view [as that can happen
only through one’s experience
and not by mere explanations], it
is still thought appropriate to
give explanation which may
prove helpful to the concerned
ones. However it is not expected
that the reader agrees with
whatever is written. It is always a
healthy thing to read, think over
and verify the contents rather
than accepting them without

4. scrutiny and verification.
But it is also equally healthy not
to discard anything blindly
without due consideration and
efforts for verification or
individual experience!
These prayers are meant for
getting strength from the infinite
cosmic powers, of which we are
manifestations or extensions. The
cosmic ‘energies’, gods and
goddesses can be compared to
the powerhouses and we can be
compared with the electric bulbs,

5. which are the extensions of the
electricity from the powerhouses.
In case there are blocks in the
wiring, then the bulbs will not
illumine adequately. In such case
the only way to illumine the bulb
would be to remove the blocks
and facilitate free flow of
electricity.
In case of human beings ‘blocks’
develop due to natural
development of ego, pettiness
and superficial values. These

6. ‘blocks’ can be effectively
removed by the prayers and also
by chanting or remembering the
name of God and connecting
ourselves with the source of
empowerment of the
consciousness and the universe.
We can take another example.
We are leaves of a life tree.
Because of ego we tend to
identify ourselves as isolated,
alienated, disconnected, discrete,
disjointed ‘leaves’! This makes
us weak, petty, arrogant,

7. diffident, cynical, depressed and
frustrated. Prayers are like
reestablishing the link with roots
of the tree of which we are the
leaves!
DR.
SHRINIWAS
KASHALIKAR