SAN JOSE: The tenth largest in USA, City Council of San Jose in California started its day on January 15 afternoon session with Hindu mantras, containing verses from world’s oldest existing scripture.
Founded in 1777, this was probably for the first time that the Council reverberated with Vedic Mantras recited by Rajan Zed, President of Universal Society of Hinduism. 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.
The Mantras recited were 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.
Reciting from Brahadaranyakopanishad, Rajan Zed said, “Asato ma sad gamaya, Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya, Mrtyor ma amrtam gamaya”, which he then translated as “Lead me from the unreal to the Real, Lead me from darkness to Light, and Lead me from death to Immortality.”
Reciting from Bhagavad-Gita, he urged council members to keep the welfare of others always in mind. Council members, city employees and public were seen standing in prayer mode with their heads bowed during this invocation.
Wearing saffron colored attire, a rudraksh mala (rosary), and traditional sandal paste tilak (religious mark) on the forehead, Zed sprinkled few drops of water from river Ganga of India, considered holy by Hindus, around the podium before the prayer. Zed presented a copy of Bhagavad-Gita to Mayor Chuck Reed, while Council member Ash Kalra introduced and thanked Zed.
San Jose was California’s first civilian settlement and the site of its first state capital. Its taglines include “Among America’s Most International Cities”, “World Class Climate, Parks & Entertainment” and it claims to be recognized as an international epicenter of arts, culture, and technology. Madison Nguyen and Debra Figone are the Vice Mayor and City Manager respectively of San Joe, whose only 44% people speak English at home.
Sonia Sidhu
India Post News Service
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