Prayer

See, the LORD your God has placed the land before you. Go up and take possession of it as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has told you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.”

You may ask in your heart, “How can we recognize a message that the LORD has not spoken?”

You are to follow the LORD your God and fear Him. Keep His commandments and listen to His voice; serve Him and hold fast to Him.

what will I do when God rises to judge? How will I answer when called to account?

Then you may call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The God who answers by fire, He is God.” And all the people answered, “What you say is good.”

Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.

But in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you. But respond with gentleness and respect,

Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints.

Keep your belief about such matters between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves.

That was also taught in a baraita: One should neither stand upon a chair nor upon a stool, nor in a high place and pray. Rather, one should stand in a low place and pray, for there is no haughtiness before God. As it is stated: “I called to You, Lord, from the depths” and it is written: “A prayer for the impoverished, when he is faint and pours out his complaint before God” (Psalms 102:1). It is appropriate to feel impoverished when praying and make one’s requests humbly.

MISHNA: One may only stand and begin to pray from an approach of gravity and submission. There is a tradition that the early generations of pious men would wait one hour, in order to reach the solemn frame of mind appropriate for prayer, and then pray, so that they would focus their hearts toward their Father in Heaven. Standing in prayer is standing before God and, as such, even if the king greets him, he should not respond to him; and even if a snake is wrapped on his heel, he should not interrupt his prayer.

We learned in the mishna that it is appropriate to stand and begin to pray from an atmosphere of gravity. Regarding this, the Sages taught: One may neither stand and begin to pray, directly from involvement in judgment nor directly from deliberation over the ruling in a matter of halakha, as his preoccupation with the judgment or the halakhic ruling will distract him from prayer. Rather it is appropriate to pray directly from involvement in the study of a universally accepted conclusive halakha that leaves no room for further deliberation and will not distract him during prayer.

Unto Him is the real prayer. Those unto whom they pray beside Allah respond to them not at all, save as (is the response to) one who stretcheth forth his hands toward water (asking) that it may come unto his mouth, and it will never reach it. The prayer of disbelievers goeth (far) astray

Who seeth thee when thou standest up (to pray)

So pray unto thy Lord, and sacrifice

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "When the call for the prayer is pronounced, Satan takes to his heels, passing wind with noise, When the call for the prayer is finished, he comes back. And when the Iqama is pronounced, he again takes to his heels, and after its completion, he returns again to interfere between the (praying) person and his heart, saying to him. 'Remember this or that thing.' till the person forgets whether he has offered three or four rakʿat: so if one forgets whether he has prayed three or four rakʿat, he should perform two prostrations of Sahu (i.e. forgetfulness)

Narrated Zaid bin Arqam: We used to speak while in prayer. One of us used to speak to his brother (while in prayer) about his need, till the Verse was revealed:-- "Guard strictly the (five obligatory) prayers, especially the middle (the Best) (ʿAsr) Prayer and stand before Allah with obedience (and not to speak to others during the prayers)." Then we were ordered not to speak in the prayers

Narrated Anas: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If anyone forgets a prayer he should pray that prayer when he remembers it. There is no expiation except to pray the same." Then he recited: "Establish prayer for My (i.e. Allah's) remembrance

Arjuna said: My Lord! At one moment, You praise renunciation of action; at another, You praise right action. Tell me truly, I pray, which of these is more conducive to my highest welfare?

My heart is oppressed with pity, and my mind is confused as to what my duty is. Therefore, my Lord, tell me what is best for my spiritual welfare, for I am Your disciple. Please direct me, I pray.

Therefore, whenever there is doubt as to whether you should do something or not, let the scriptures guide your conduct. In the light of the scriptures, you should labor your whole life.

O Nachiketas, this is thy fire that leads to heaven, which thou hast chosen as thy second boon. People will call this fire after thy name. Ask the third boon, Nachiketas.

O Agni (Bright Being)! Lead us to blessedness by the good path. O Lord! Thou knowest all our deeds, remove all evil and delusion from us. To Thee we offer our prostrations and supplications again and again.

The all-seeing fire which exists hidden in the two sticks, as the foetus is well-guarded in the womb by the mother, (that fire) is to be worshipped day after day by wakeful seekers (after wisdom), as well as by sacrificers. This verily is That.

Speak the truth, do not be angry, and give when asked, if only a little. By these three means, you may enter the presence of the gods.

Mix with spiritual friends, who are tireless and pure of livelihood. Share what you have with others, being skillful in your conduct. And when you’re full of joy, you’ll make an end to suffering.

Practice absorption, don’t be negligent! Don’t let the mind delight in the senses! Don’t heedlessly swallow a hot iron ball! And when it burns, don’t cry, “Oh, the pain!”

For one who longs there are muttered prayers, and trembling too over ideas they have formed. But one here for whom there is no passing away <j>or reappearing: why would they tremble? For what would they pray?” “The very same teaching that some say is ‘ultimate’, others say is inferior. Which of these statements is true, for all of them profess to be experts?”

“Once upon a time, mendicants, Sakka, lord of gods, guiding the gods of the thirty-three, spoke this verse: ‘Whoever wants to be like me would observe the sabbath complete in all eight factors, on the fourteenth and the fifteenth days, and the eighth day of the fortnight, as well as on the fortnightly special displays.’ But that verse was poorly sung by Sakka, lord of gods, not well sung; poorly spoken, not well spoken. Why is that? Because Sakka, lord of gods, is not exempt from rebirth, old age, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. He is not exempt from suffering, I say.

Brahmin, you should properly and happily take care of three fires, honoring, respecting, esteeming, and venerating them. What three? The fire of those worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods. The fire of a householder. And the fire of those worthy of a religious donation. And what is the fire of those worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods? Your mother and father are called the fire of those worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods. Why is that? Since it is from them that you’ve been incubated and produced. So you should properly and happily take care of this fire, honoring, respecting, esteeming, and venerating it.

Third Mehl: When the people of the world are suffering in pain, they call upon the Lord in loving prayer. The True Lord naturally listens and hears and gives comfort. He commands the god of rain, and the rain pours down in torrents. Corn and wealth are produced in great abundance and prosperity; their value cannot be estimated. O Nanak, praise the Naam, the Name of the Lord; He reaches out and gives sustenance to all beings. Eating this, peace is produced, and the mortal never again suffers in pain. ||2||

Rise early, and sing the Glorious Word of God's Bani. Twenty-four hours a day, meditate in remembrance on the Lord, O mortal. ||2|| Inwardly and outwardly, God is everywhere. Wherever I go, He is always with me, my Helper and Support. ||3|| With my palms pressed together, I offer this prayer. O Nanak, I meditate forever on the Lord, the Treasure of Virtue. ||4||9||

Sing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises, and enjoy the nectar of His Love. O mortal, you must always restrain yourself from committing sins. Behold the Creator Lord God near at hand. Here and hereafter, God shall resolve your affairs. ||3|| I focus my meditation on the Lord's Lotus Feet. Granting His Grace, God has blessed me with this Gift. I yearn for the dust of the feet of Your Saints. Nanak meditates on his Lord and Master, who is ever-present, near at hand. ||4||11||

Abstaining from speech marks him who is obeying the spontaneity of his nature. A violent wind does not last for a whole morning; a sudden rain does not last for the whole day. To whom is it that these (two) things are owing? To Heaven and Earth. If Heaven and Earth cannot make such (spasmodic) actings last long, how much less can man! Therefore when one is making the Tao his business, those who are also pursuing it, agree with him in it, and those who are making the manifestation of its course their object agree with him in that; while even those who are failing in both these things agree with him where they fail. Hence, those with whom he agrees as to the Tao have the happiness of attaining to it; those with whom he agrees as to its manifestation have the happiness of attaining to it; and those with whom he agrees in their failure have also the happiness of attaining (to the Tao). (But) when there is not faith sufficient (on his part), a want of faith (in him) ensues (on the part of the others).

He whose boldness appears in his daring (to do wrong, in defiance of the laws) is put to death; he whose boldness appears in his not daring (to do so) lives on. Of these two cases the one appears to be advantageous, and the other to be injurious. But When Heaven’s anger smites a man, / Who the cause shall truly scan? On this account the sage feels a difficulty (as to what to do in the former case). It is the way of Heaven not to strive, and yet it skilfully overcomes; not to speak, and yet it is skilful in (obtaining) a reply; does not call, and yet men come to it of themselves. Its demonstrations are quiet, and yet its plans are skilful and effective. The meshes of the net of Heaven are large; far apart, but letting nothing escape.

When one is about to take an inspiration, he is sure to make a (previous) expiration; when he is going to weaken another, he will first strengthen him; when he is going to overthrow another, he will first have raised him up; when he is going to despoil another, he will first have made gifts to him:—this is called “Hiding the light (of his procedure).” The soft overcomes the hard; and the weak the strong. Fishes should not be taken from the deep; instruments for the profit of a state should not be shown to the people.