Nevada Assembly in USA opened with Hindu prayer

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed delivered invocation from Sanskrit scriptures before Nevada Assembly on this day. After Sanskrit delivery, he then read the English translation of the prayer. 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, recited from Rig-Veda, the oldest scripture of the world still in common use, besides lines from Upanishads and Bhagavad-Gita (Song of the Lord), both ancient Hindu scriptures. He started and ended the prayer with “Om”, the mystical syllable containing the universe, which in Hinduism is used to introduce and conclude religious work. Om was followed by Gayatri Mantra, the most sacred mantra in Hinduism.

Nevada Assembly members, Assembly employees, and public stood quietly in prayer mode with heads bowed down during the prayer. Wearing saffron colored attire, a ruddraksh mala (rosary), and traditional sandalpaste tilak (religious mark) on the forehead, Rajan Zed sprinkled few drops of sacred water from river Ganga in India around the podium before the prayer.

Reciting from Bhagavad-Gita, Zed prayed to Lord so that public officials are “pure, efficient, impartial, selfless” in all the undertakings. He also presented a copy of Bhagavad-Gita to Speaker John Oceguera.

Rajan Zed opened Nevada State Senate meeting on February 14, Las Vegas City Council on January 19 and Sparks City Council on January 25 with ancient Sanskrit prayers. He also delivered the opening prayers in Clark County Board of Commissioners, Carson City Board of Supervisors, Henderson and Boulder City Councils in the recent past in Nevada.

Zed is one of the panelists for “On Faith”, a prestigious interactive conversation on religion produced by The Washington Post. He has been awarded “World Interfaith Leader Award” and is Senior Fellow and Religious Advisor to New York headquartered Foundation for Interreligious Diplomacy, Director of Interfaith Relations of Nevada Clergy Association, Spiritual Advisor to National Association of Interchurch & Interfaith Families, etc.

Nevada Assembly has 42 members. Nevada, largest gold producer and 7th largest state, was admitted to USA in 1864. Also called "Silver State", Nevada is known for Las Vegas, Burning Man, Lake Tahoe, etc. Brian Sandoval is Governor.

Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal.

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