Hindu Prayer For Peace And Unity Offered At White House Event

WASHINGTON, DC– A Hindu prayer for peace and unity was delivered at the White House during the National Day of Prayer, highlighting religious diversity as the United States approaches its 250th year of independence.

A volunteer from the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) participated in the event and offered prayers rooted in Hindu tradition, according to BAPS.

“I request that we all please close your eyes and fold your hands,” the BAPS volunteer said while opening the prayer with a call for reflection.

The invocation included repeated chants: “Shanti Ram Shanti Ram Shanti Ram Shanti Ram Shanti Ram Shanti Ram Shanti Ram Shanti Ram Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Sushanti Bhavatu.”

The prayer emphasized universal peace across all elements of existence.

The volunteer concluded by expressing gratitude on behalf of the organization.

“On behalf of the entire BAPS Sovereign Fellowship, the Swaminarayan Akshardham in Robbinsville, New Jersey, and our Guru, Guru Hari Mahant Swami Maharaj, we thank you for this opportunity,” the volunteer said.

In a social media post, BAPS Public Affairs said it was “honored to participate” in the National Day of Prayer event at the White House.

Earlier on National Day of Prayer, President Donald Trump said in his message: “This National Day of Prayer, we honor America’s enduring tradition of prayer, faith, and trust in Almighty God. And as we celebrate 250 glorious years of American independence, we pledge to never forget the countless blessings God has bestowed upon our people and our country.”

“From the cradles of civilization in the ancient world to the Christian empires of medieval Europe and the miraculous founding of our own Nation, the entire Western experience has been connected by a golden thread of devotion to God. America’s faith was seen most prominently during our struggle for independence, when the Second Continental Congress declared a day of ‘humiliation, fasting, and prayer’ to seek God’s providence and ask for His protection and blessing in their fight for freedom, virtue, and posterity,” he added. (IANS)