Three classes of prayers

[Guest guest]

I was reading a book called mahAnyAsam (Tamil), in there is

reference to a verse from kALikA purANam. According to kALika

purANam, there are three classes of prayers. They are supreme,

medium, and ordinary (uttama, madhyama and adhama).

 

-The prayers for shruti, smR^iti, and purANam are madhyama or

medium type. (probably texts like sUktam-s, sahasranAma,

trishati, etc., will fall into this class).

 

-The prayers by other human composers are ordinary or the lowest

type (probably texts like abhirAmi antAdi, Ananda sAgara stava,

even works by shrI shankara will fall into this class)

 

What is the best?

 

-The prayers composed by sadhaka himself. That is

praying/praising ambaaL in our own words, with strong emotions

and feelings behind it.

 

---

 

I was thinking about it. God prefers to hear from us our

requests/adorations in direct language and self-expressed, rather

than an imitation of other's words. Often, works by other authors

are said without understanding of the meanings, without feeling

the underlying emotions which the original composer had. Probably

that is why they are pushed to the lowest class.

 

We can, however, with effort elevate them to uttama. To do this,

we have to understand the verse, feel for it deeply as if it is

our original thought, and make it almost our own. Otherwise, we

lose its power. A mindless repetition is just OK and reflects

only the sadhAka's intention to pray.

 

What can we do here (at )?

 

1) Compose and post our own prayers. It will not only cultivate

the habit of using the language we have learnt to praise ambaaL,

will also enable to understand the works of others better.

 

Even if we know 10 words in language, if we use it to sing HER

glories, are we not putting those 10 words to best use.* You can

post your prayer to ambaaL in any language you want (if possible

with English translation)

 

 

 

2) Not always, we can attain the perfection of expression with

added strength of melody of great composers. So we can take their

works, discuss them and understand them as deeply as we can. By

that we will be making it our own.

 

 

Ravi

 

 

* For instance, my mother tongue is Tamil, with very few words I

know in Telugu:

 

O ambaa

nA talli nIvu kAdA

nA moralanu vina rAdA

 

O bAlambika bhavAnii

vaidiishvaranu rANii

muttukumAra jananI

muktibhukti pradAyinI

ibAluni kaShTamu chUDa

niiku inta paramukhamA?

vegame rAvE na chinta tIrchi

moxa sAmrAjyamIyavE

 

O ambA nA talli niivu kAdA?

nA moralanu vina rAdA?

 

Even though this verse (almost prose) is quite ordinary, next

time when I listen to shyAma shAstry, will make me pay greater

attention to his words.