Mr. Rajan Zed
Universal Society of Hinduism
Reno, NV
Sponsor: Rep. Mike Honda, (D-CA)
Date of Prayer: 06/19/2014
One Minute Speech Given in Recognition of the Guest Chaplain:
Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to welcome Mr. Rajan Zed to offer the opening prayer before the U.S. House of Representatives.
A native of the State of Nevada, he attended San Jose State University in San Jose, California, my alma mater.
As president of the Universal Society of Hinduism and a senior fellow/religious adviser to the Foundation for Religious Diplomacy, he has advocated for religious freedom and tolerance throughout the world.
His contributions to the religious community worldwide led him to be invited by the president of the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium, for a meeting to promote interfaith dialogue. He is particularly known for his work within the Roma community, acting as a voice for the human rights of the 15 million Roma in Europe.
That this body supports diversity of spirituality and cultures is a testament to our great institution.
For his continued spiritual leadership and for traveling from afar, I would like to thank Mr. Zed for leading us in prayer .
Opening Prayer Given by the Guest Chaplain:
We meditate on the transcendental glory of the deity supreme, who is inside the heart of the Earth, inside the life of the sky, and inside the soul of the heaven. May He stimulate and illuminate our minds.
Lead us from the unreal to the real; from darkness to light; from death to immortality.
Fulfill all your duties; action is better than inaction. Selfish action imprisons the world. Act selflessly, without any thought of personal profit. Strive constantly to serve the welfare of the world; by devotion to selfless work, one attains the supreme goal of life.
May we become united with the all–powerful and all–knowing Lord, who dwells in the hearts of all, is the supreme goal of life and infinite peace and love. Lord, be kind to us with Your invisible form, lead us to eternal joy, fill our hearts with unending peace, and free us from all bondage. Abandon us not.
To learn more about Members who have sponsored a Guest Chaplain, please visit the Congressional Biographical Directory