Prayer - Mahatma Gandhi

Prayer
"Because," said Gandhiji, we are eternally striving after perfection. God alone
is perfect, man is never perfect."
Harijan, 25-5-'35, p. 115
(From 'Letter to Premabehn Kantak")
This is how repetition of God's name wipes out one's sins. Anyone who sincerely
follows that practice is bound to have faith. He starts with the conviction that
such repetition will wipe out his sins. Wiping out of sins means self-purification.
One who repeats God's name daily with faith will never grow tired of doing so,
and therefore, the name which he repeats with his lips to start with sinks
ultimately into his heart, and that purifies him. This is a universal experience.
Psychologists also believe that man becomes what he thinks. Ramanama follows
this law. I have unshakable faith in the virtue of repeating God's name. I am
convinced that the person who discovered it had first-hand experience [of
spiritual life] and that his discovery is of the utmost value. The door of
purification should open even for the illiterate. Repetition of God's name opens
it for them. (See Gita IX, 22, X. 10). Telling beads and similar practices help
one to concentrate and to count the number of times the name has been
repeated.
The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi — L, (1972), p. 326
(From "A Letter")
You are right about the repetition of the prayers by some without knowing the
meaning. Effort has been often made to remove the defect. But in a place
which has a floating population, the task is difficult. A prayerful repetition is
itself not a bad thing. It is like music that has no words. The music has its own
distinct effect apart from words. This defence is good only where there is no
hypocrisy and the mind is properly attuned.
The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi —XLIX, (1972), o. 42
www.mkgandhi.org Page 42