Hari Aum.
I would like to discuss a very beautiful prayer that I came across recently. It is known as the Hari ashtakam, i.e. eight verses in praise of Hari (one of the names of Narayana that means remover of suffering/sorrows/darkness/ignorance).
This prayer was composed by the great devotee of Narayana known as Prahlada. It is described in the ancient scripture called the Skanda Purana.
In this prayer, Prahlada declares the following:
-The two syllable name Hari is most auspicious. It purifies even a person with an unclean mind who recites it just like a fire burns anyone who touches it, knowingly or unknowingly.
-A person who recites this holy name Hari gains tremendous spiritual merit such as that acquired by visiting holy places such as Varanasi, Kurukshetra, Naimisharanya and Gaya. It gives the spiritual merit of performing numerous great yajnas, of bathing in sacred rivers such as the Ganga, and of giving great gifts in charity.
-The chanting of the name Hari gives the merit of reciting all the sacred Vedic hymns. It removes all the pains and sufferings of life. It gives the reciter health, strength, long life, fame, wealth and spiritual liberation. In other words, it blesses the reciter both materially and spiritually.
Please see below for a YouTube video link of the Hari ashtakam prayer sung beautifully (in the information section there, you will find the English translation of the entire prayer).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdtDf-KB8dI
May Hari bless us all.
Om Namo Narayanaya.
Hari Aum Tat Sat.
P.S. I have taken up a new job recently so have been rather busy with that and also with childcare and the usual household chores (no outside help at all due to the pandemic!). I am continuing my fifth purascharana slowly but steadily at 7 malas a day, with the aim of completing this towards the end of next year.
