January 23, 2026 08:34 am (IST)
Follow us:
Newark Municipal Council to open with Hindu mantras
New Jersey, Jun 6 (IBNS): The Municipal Council of Newark in here is all set to open with Hindu prayers on Jun 18, containing verses from world’s oldest existing scripture.
According to the officials, distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed will deliver the invocation from the ancient Sanskrit scriptures before the Municipal Council.
After Sanskrit delivery, he then will read the English translation of the prayer.
Sanskrit is considered a sacred language in Hinduism and root language of Indo-European languages.
Zed, who is the President of Universal Society of Hinduism, will recite from Rig-Veda, the oldest scripture of the world still in common use, besides lines from Upanishads and Bhagavad-Gita (Song of the Lord), both ancient Hindu scriptures.
He planed to start and end the prayer with 'Om', the mystical syllable containing the universe, which in Hinduism is used to introduce and conclude religious work.
Reciting from Brahadaranyakopanishad, Rajan Zed said "Asato ma sad gamaya, Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya, Mrtyor mamrtam gamaya", which he translated as “Lead me from the unreal to the Real, Lead me from darkness to Light, and Lead me from death to Immortality.”
Reciting from Bhagavad-Gita, he proposes to urge the council members to keep the welfare of others always in mind.
Zed is a global Hindu and interfaith leader, who besides taking up the cause of religion worldwide, has also raised huge voice against the apartheid faced by about 15-million Roma (Gypsies) in Europe.
Bestowed with World Interfaith Leader Award; Zed is Senior Fellow and Religious Advisor to Foundation for Religious Diplomacy, Spiritual Advisor to National Association of Interchurch & Interfaith Families, etc.
Luis A. Quintana and Mildred C. Crump are Mayor and Municipal Council President respectively of Newark, which is known for Newark Museum having largest Tibetan collection in the Western Hemisphere and cherry blossom trees of Branch Brook Park.
Prominent people associated with Newark include singer Whitney Houston; poet Allen Ginsberg; US Vice President Aaron Burr; New Jersey Governor Chris Christie; actors Jerry Lewis, Joe Pesci and Queen Latifah; and basketball player Shaquille O'Neal.
Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal.
There are about three million Hindus in USA.
Support Our Journalism
We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism
IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.
Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
Latest Headlines
Indian woman dies in Riyadh after bitten by ant
Wed, Apr 04 2018
Mamata assures to rehabilitate IT professionals losing jobs in USA
Thu, Jul 21 2016
Uttar Pradesh celebrates 3-day Pravasi Divas, signs 13 MoUs
Sun, Jan 24 2016
UN: India says Pakistan must eschew terrorism before talks can begin
Fri, Oct 02 2015
Indian IT consultant killed in Australia
Sun, Mar 08 2015
Indian doctors wish to come home from Ebola-hit Nigeria
Wed, Aug 13 2014
Ohio Hindu temple consecrating deities
Mon, Aug 04 2014