Pain, Prescriptions and Prayers

Exactly a month ago, I had one of my God-given eye lenses scooped out, fortunately by a surgeon, while I was still under sedation. The surgeon did a good job and filled the evacuated space with a fine man-made lens. As expected, the eye could not tolerate the intrusion of a foreigner and protested with pain. However, the least expected was the strong protest by some other nerves in sympathy with the aggrieved eye. The net result was that my body suffered acute pain and distress the like of which I have never experienced before in my entire life. 

Specialist consultations and prescriptions followed to mitigate the pain. It seemed to me that the side effects of these prescriptions were more powerful than the main desired effect. They caused more pain, more discomfort and considerable embarrassment. They hardly helped to make me comfortable.

The question that I asked myself - How do I get over this pain and distress? The easiest way seemed to be just keep praying. At best, the prayers could bring me some relief without any money or side effects, and at worst, could be just a worthless waste. As a kid, I have seen the pain caused by a scorpion sting miraculously softened by an elderly person chanting mantras and caressing the affected part. I also remembered that the famous Carnatic musician Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar regained his lost voice by praying to Lord Guruvayurappan.  Instead of following the advice of the medical specialists, I took the risk of moving away and chose my own path - the path of prayers.

I wondered what exactly is meant by the word "prayer." Browsing the internet, I learnt the word “prayer” comes from the Latin precarius, which means "obtained by begging, to entreat." In praying, we believe that there is a power greater than ourselves that can help us. It is the act of raising hopes and minds to a higher unseen power.

How does one pray? There are different ways - some silently as in meditation, some spoken like chanting mantras, some in a group setting or lighting candles, but each with a specific thought in the mind.  For many, prayer is a part of a larger religious practice. I chose to pray silently in my mind chanting repeatedly some of the mantras that I am familiar with. I did it hundreds of times earnestly pleading for relief.

And relief did come mysteriously! Divine grace led me to an unknown general physician whose diagnosis of the cause of my pain was precise.  

The experience that followed in the next few days was fascinating. With new medication, the pain gradually melted away. Continued prayers brought me the much-wanted solace. The rapid healing that took place reinforce my faith in that unknown, unseen higher power - you may call it by whatever name you like.  

One need not search/visit a temple to pray. The temple is within you. Ancient scriptures support the concept of the Almighty within you, making it very easy to pray, anywhere, anytime. Some excerpts from the scriptures:

​एको ​वशी सर्वभूतान्तरात्मा एकं रूपं बहुधा यः करोति l 

तमात्मस्तं येनुपश्यन्ति धीरास्थेषां सुखं शाश्वतं नेतरेषाम् ll           
                                                                                                                            - (कटोपनिषद 5/12)

The one Supreme ruler, the universal soul within all beings, is the one who makes one form manifold. Eternal happiness belongs to those wise men, who perceive Him within themselves, and not to others. (Kathopanishad 5/12)

As Jesus made unambiguously clear, "The kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:21).