“I open my prayer with an invocation to the divine – whatever it may be and however we may conceive it.”
He read the next prayer from Tattiriya Upanishad, composed around 400 BC, reciting again in Sanskrit Om* saha naavavatu, Saha nau bhunaktu, Saha viiryan karavaavahai,*
Tejasvi naavadhiitamastu, Maa vidvishhaavahai, which means, ‘May we be protected together, may we be nourished together, may we work together with great vigor, may our study be enlightening, may no obstacle arise between us.’
Re: US State Senate session opens up with Vedic chants
:k: great gesture of respect shown by US state senate.
This only shows how pluralistic their society and democracy is!!..They set an example for others to follow.
PS: I have always this opinion that Upanishadic texts have universal appeal in terms of pure philosophy.
Re: US State Senate session opens up with Vedic chants
now all you have to do is drop your relations with iran and you'll get more respect:D
Re: US State Senate session opens up with Vedic chants
^ The above is not in relation with India....it's just co-incidence that majority of Hindus happen to be Indians.
I believe...It shows that USA strives hard to remain pluralistic in nature......they might chant Buddhist Suktas, Koran, Talmud etc. in future.
PS: I don't think India break away with Iran for the sake of nuclear deal with US.
Re: US State Senate session opens up with Vedic chants
With all due respect this can also be termed as hypocrisy. When people even put there beliefs up for sale to appease another, it indicates the moral character of them. USA has always had a foreign policy based on promoting its interests, values do not matter to them.
Re: US State Senate session opens up with Vedic chants
With all due respect this can also be termed as hypocrisy. When people even put there beliefs up for sale to appease another, it indicates the moral character of them. USA has always had a foreign policy based on promoting its interests, values do not matter to them.
With all due respect....even in "Hypocrisy" if a states highest body (it's parliament) shows some consideration for other beliefs then that Hypocrisy is worth a try for others.
I only hope that "Religiously Enlightened" Nations in Asia will show such Hypocrisy in future as they need to be tolerant much more than USA.
Re: US State Senate session opens up with Vedic chants
With all due respect this can also be termed as hypocrisy. When people even put there beliefs up for sale to appease another, it indicates the moral character of them. USA has always had a foreign policy based on promoting its interests, values do not matter to them.
I think you hit the nail right on the head.
Re: US State Senate session opens up with Vedic chants
now all you have to do is drop your relations with iran and you'll get more respect:D
All you have to do is bomb Pakistan once more and you'll get more *love. *
PS: Remark was made with no evil intents.
Re: US State Senate session opens up with Vedic chants
Vedic_Intellect, how come you have such a long ass reputation with just 339 posts?
Re: US State Senate session opens up with Vedic chants
With all due respect....even in "Hypocrisy" if a states highest body (it's parliament) shows some consideration for other beliefs then that Hypocrisy is worth a try for others.
I only hope that "Religiously Enlightened" Nations in Asia will show such Hypocrisy in future as they need to be tolerant much more than USA.
I agree.
Re: US State Senate session opens up with Vedic chants
With all due respect this can also be termed as hypocrisy. When people even put there beliefs up for sale to appease another, it indicates the moral character of them. USA has always had a foreign policy based on promoting its interests, values do not matter to them.
Does any nation have a foreign policy that is not based on promoting its interests? Does that forever negate them from trying to be inclusive and tolerant of other beliefs? Or striving to show this kind of sentiment?
The US is the most powerful nation in the history of the world, and a huge reason democracy and human rights have flourished over the past century. No, their foreign policy isn't always benevolent or something God would have scripted, but to say everything they've done is not worthy of any praise or deserving of their legislative body opening with such a prayer is wrong. They open with other prayers all the time. Should they stop?
Re: US State Senate session opens up with Vedic chants
With all due respect....even in "Hypocrisy" if a states highest body (it's parliament) shows some consideration for other beliefs then that Hypocrisy is worth a try for others.
I only hope that "Religiously Enlightened" Nations in Asia will show such Hypocrisy in future as they need to be tolerant much more than USA.
Does reading someones scripture show respect? Its more about appeasement not respect. Or in other words, making fools out of you.
Tolerance is not enslaved to scriptures or reading them. Its an appeasement of the Hindu majority run India. If it were to show respect to the beliefs of the people of India then naturally Quran should be part of it also, after all muslims form no small portion of India. Or it should have been something that is general to just India and not inclusive of faith or scripture. It could also be said as acceptance of India as a hindu state.
Re: US State Senate session opens up with Vedic chants
This prayer was meant to show respect and tolerance towards Hindus. Other state senates have opened with Muslim prayers.
How does "'May we be protected together, may we be nourished together, may we work together with great vigor, may our study be enlightening, may no obstacle arise between us" make a fool of anybody or equal appeasement to India's government?
Re: US State Senate session opens up with Vedic chants
Does reading someones scripture show respect? Its more about appeasement not respect. Or in other words, making fools out of you.
Tolerance is not enslaved to scriptures or reading them. Its an appeasement of the Hindu majority run India. If it were to show respect to the beliefs of the people of India then naturally Quran should be part of it also, after all muslims form no small portion of India. Or it should have been something that is general to just India and not inclusive of faith or scripture. It could also be said as acceptance of India as a hindu state.
Let me reiterate once again...the issue is not about India here...so let's do not drag a country or nation.
The issue is the reading of Other Religions scripture in Parliament to start a session and being a pluralistic, secular and tolerant society.
I already said this below--please refer post no.4
[quote]
......they might chant Buddhist Suktas, Koran, Talmud etc. in future.
[/quote]
In future if they will read Buddhist Suktas or Koran or Talmud that does not mean they are showing respect to a country but that means they show respect to citizens of their country who practice these faiths.
Re: US State Senate session opens up with Vedic chants
Does any nation have a foreign policy that is not based on promoting its interests? Does that forever negate them from trying to be inclusive and tolerant of other beliefs? Or striving to show this kind of sentiment?
Agree with you here, every country looks out for its national interests. But this respect only comes when it promotes national interests otherwise it was unheard of. Shouldn't this respect have been there all the time.
The US is the most powerful nation in the history of the world, and a huge reason democracy and human rights have flourished over the past century. No, their foreign policy isn't always benevolent or something God would have scripted, but to say everything they've done is not worthy of any praise or deserving of their legislative body opening with such a prayer is wrong. They open with other prayers all the time. Should they stop?
No denying that US has contributed a lot to world progress and rightly earned a reputation for it, immigration to USA speaks loads in that respect. However my point was since when did reading a line out of someones scripture become a symbol of religious tolerance and respect. What is it that was meant to be acknowledged by doing that. Was it that Hindu faith is right, was it to appease the Hindu majority run state of India or gain favor of a majority of Indians. What was the intent of it? No one shows respect without an interest behind it thesedays.
Re: US State Senate session opens up with Vedic chants
Why the connection of hindu chant to appeasement of India? How is it not a show of tolerance and respect to have Hindu prayers in state senate? Why so cynical?
Even if there was another interest, this is still a show of respect, tolerance and inclusiveness.
Re: US State Senate session opens up with Vedic chants
Why the connection of hindu chant to appeasement of India? How is it not a show of tolerance and respect to have Hindu prayers in state senate? Why so cynical?
Even if there was another interest, this is still a show of respect, tolerance and inclusiveness.
Is this respect everlasting or perpetual? If not, then this is a charade the we call respect. If tomorrow US were at loggerheads with India over something, would be see the same respect for Hindu faith in the parliament, definitely not because it will hurt domestic interests. So it is not really respect.
My question is still un-answered, why choose the Hindu chant to show respect. Is India a hindu state or secular state? Indians say they are secular. Does the US see them as a Hindu state then. Why couldn't respect be shown in a secular way by a secular state (US) for another secular state (India).
Re: US State Senate session opens up with Vedic chants
Is this respect everlasting or perpetual? If not, then this is a charade the we call respect. If tomorrow US were at loggerheads with India over something, would be see the same respect for Hindu faith in the parliament, definitely not because it will hurt domestic interests. So it is not really respect.
My question is still un-answered, why choose the Hindu chant to show respect. Is India a hindu state or secular state? Indians say they are secular. Does the US see them as a Hindu state then. Why couldn't respect be shown in a secular way by a secular state (US) for another secular state (India).
In past they might have read Budhist or Islamic or Jewish scripture, so will it mean that they are appeasing Saudi Arabia or Thailand or Israel?
I think every country should do this for showing consideration for their minority citizens beliefs....and US did it for their citizens.
[quote]
Why couldn't respect be shown in a secular way by a secular state (US) for another secular state (India)
[/quote]
What you think---how US can show respect in secular way??
Re: US State Senate session opens up with Vedic chants
Is this respect everlasting or perpetual? If not, then this is a charade the we call respect. If tomorrow US were at loggerheads with India over something, would be see the same respect for Hindu faith in the parliament, definitely not because it will hurt domestic interests. So it is not really respect.
My question is still un-answered, why choose the Hindu chant to show respect. Is India a hindu state or secular state? Indians say they are secular. Does the US see them as a Hindu state then. Why couldn't respect be shown in a secular way by a secular state (US) for another secular state (India).
If the senate would have chosen a sikh chant, will India become a sikh state? Come on, you know better than this. They had to pick one and they picked the hindu chant.
Re: US State Senate session opens up with Vedic chants
Is this respect everlasting or perpetual? If not, then this is a charade the we call respect. If tomorrow US were at loggerheads with India over something, would be see the same respect for Hindu faith in the parliament, definitely not because it will hurt domestic interests. So it is not really respect.
My question is still un-answered, why choose the Hindu chant to show respect. Is India a hindu state or secular state? Indians say they are secular. Does the US see them as a Hindu state then. Why couldn't respect be shown in a secular way by a secular state (US) for another secular state (India).
Why have other state legislatures opened with Muslim, Jewish, and Buddhist prayers? It has nothing to do with the countries of origin of the faith, but the followers of the faith. It is not a prayer to India or show of respect to India.
Where is the link that this state senate action is to appease the government of India or have anything to do with a secular or religious state of India?
You say respect towards Hindus is contingent on US relations with Inida. Should we expect the same (lack of) respect towards Muslims when relations with countries such as Iran or Syria go sour?