NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Fayetteville, NC, June 12, 2025: The upcoming Fayetteville City Council meeting on June 23 will open with a Hindu invocation, featuring verses from some of the world’s oldest scriptures.
Rajan Zed, president of the Universal Society of Hinduism, is scheduled to deliver the prayer, which will include verses in Sanskrit, considered the sacred language of Hinduism, followed by their English translations. The invocation will draw from the Rig Veda, Upanishads, and the Bhagavad Gita.
The recitation is expected to begin and end with “Om,” a mystical syllable that holds deep spiritual significance in Hinduism. Among the verses Zed plans to chant is a passage from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: “Asato ma sad gamaya, Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya, Mrtyor mamrtam gamaya,” which translates to, “Lead us from the unreal to the real, Lead us from darkness to light, and Lead us from death to immortality.”
He also intends to include a passage from the Bhagavad Gita that encourages attendees and councilmembers to consider the welfare of others.
Zed, who frequently delivers Hindu invocations at government meetings across the country, is involved in various interfaith initiatives and organizations. He has been recognized for his contributions to interreligious dialogue and has led public discussions on faith for over a decade.
Hinduism is the world’s third largest religion, with an estimated 1.2 billion followers globally and around 3.2 million in the United States. Its central goal is the attainment of moksha, or liberation.
Cover photo courtesy: City Council | City of Fayetteville, N.C.
