May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the
thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that
happiness and to that freedom for all.
This is a prayer each one of us can practice every day. It reminds us that our relationships with all beings and things should be mutually beneficial if we ourselves desire happiness and liberation from suffering. No true or lasting happiness can come from causing unhappiness to others. No true or lasting freedom can come from depriving others of their freedom. If we say we want every being to be happy and free, then we have to question everything that we do-how we live, how we eat, what we buy, how we speak, and even how we think.
This brings me to our relationship with our planet, earth, and all its creatures and the importance of ecological best practices, for preserving all life forms and respecting their happiness.
From a spiritual perspective, preserving the earth`s delicate balance of human, plant, animal, bird life – all creatures, is a way of worshipping the Divine Mother. Mother Prithvi is the Goddess of the Earth realm.
Let's look more closely at the meaning of each word of this
invocational mantra:
lokah: location, realm, all universes existing now
samastah: all beings sharing that same location
sukhino: centered in happiness and joy, free from suffering
bhav: the divine mood or state of unified existence
antu: may it be so, it must be so
lokah: location, realm, all universes existing now
samastah: all beings sharing that same location
sukhino: centered in happiness and joy, free from suffering
bhav: the divine mood or state of unified existence
antu: may it be so, it must be so
(antu used as an ending here transforms this mantra
into a powerful pledge)
This is a prayer each one of us can practice every day. It reminds us that our relationships with all beings and things should be mutually beneficial if we ourselves desire happiness and liberation from suffering. No true or lasting happiness can come from causing unhappiness to others. No true or lasting freedom can come from depriving others of their freedom. If we say we want every being to be happy and free, then we have to question everything that we do-how we live, how we eat, what we buy, how we speak, and even how we think.
This brings me to our relationship with our planet, earth, and all its creatures and the importance of ecological best practices, for preserving all life forms and respecting their happiness.
From a spiritual perspective, preserving the earth`s delicate balance of human, plant, animal, bird life – all creatures, is a way of worshipping the Divine Mother. Mother Prithvi is the Goddess of the Earth realm.
Prithvi :
पृथ्वी pṛthvī, also पृथिवी pṛthivī) is the sanskrit name for earth and its essence Prithivi Tattwa, in the form of a mother goddess or
godmother. Prithvi is also called Dhra, Dharti, Dhrithri, meaning that which
holds everything. As Prithvi Devi, she is one of two wives of Lord Vishnu. Prithvi is another form of Laxmi. Another name for Her is Bhumi or Bhudevi or Bhuma Devi.
Jai
Mataji! May all our efforts be blessed by You and may our intelligence,
intentions and actions be guided to serve You in your myriad forms.
There is an urgent need to protect Mother
Earth and to educate our young, the generations who will become the stewards of
the earth, on the many ways in which this sacred charge may be carried out.
