OAKDALE, CA: The City Council of Oakdale in California, founded in 1871, had its first historic Hindu invocation on the evening of July 15, containing verses from world’s oldest existing scripture.
Rajan Zed, President of Universal Society of Hinduism, delivered the opening prayer from ancient Sanskrit scriptures before the City Council. After Sanskrit delivery, he then read the English translation of the prayer.
Zed 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.
Reciting from Brahadaranyakopanishad, Rajan Zed said, “Asato ma sad gamaya, Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya, Mrtyor mamrtam 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 down during this invocation.
Wearing saffron colored attire, a ruddraksh mala (rosary), and traditional sandalpaste 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 Pat Paul, who thanked Zed.
Known as “Cowboy Capital of the World”, female majority Oakdale is home to a Cowboy Museum and Stanislaus River winds through town. Prominent people associated with it include baseball player Miguel Olivo, singer-songwriter Brett Dennen, football player Bruce Coslet and drag racer Eric Medlen. Kathy Teixeira and Bryan M. Whitemyer are City Clerk and City Manager respectively.
Sonia Sidhu
India Post News Service
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