RHODE ISLAND: The House of Representatives in Providence will open its June 20 session with Hindu prayers, containing verses from world’s oldest existing scripture.
Rajan Zed, President of Universal Society of Hinduism, will deliver the invocation from ancient Sanskrit scriptures before the House. After Sanskrit delivery, he then will read the English interpretation.
Reciting from Brahadaranyakopanishad, Rajan plans to say “Asato ma sad gamaya, Tamaso ma jyotirgamaya, Mrtyormamrtamgamaya”, which he will then interpret as “Lead us from the unreal to the real, Lead us from darkness to light, and Lead us from death to immortality.” Reading from Bhagavad-Gita, he proposes to urge Representatives to keep the welfare of others always in mind.
Rajan Zed is also urging Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio to allow him to read invocation at Rhode Island Senate also on June 20 as a diversity gesture. “We do open every session day with a daily prayer and each day we select a different Senator to do the prayer”, Charlotte Desautels, Executive Assistant to Ruggerio, said responding to Zed’s request.
Rhode Island, nicknamed “the Ocean State”, is the smallest state in the nation but has the longest official name: “State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations”. Gina M. Raimondo is the Governor. Nicholas A. Mattiello is Speaker of the House, which has 75 Representatives.
Neela Pandya
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