Prayer has many components to it. Prayer is primarily an act of surrender to the almighty in the face of obstacles imposed by life that seens insurmountable. It is a request for help. It is a request for guidance, as well as strenght.  It is an acknowledgement that as human beings, we have significant limitations in facing up to problems posed by life. 

The obstacles of life are set higher than our capabilities for two reasons; One is to motivate us to make the extra effort, which is the basis of evolution. This will enable us to learn about and tap the powers and capabilities within us so we rise to the level of being self sufficient and expand our ability to be independant.  

The other reason is to develop cognizance of the higher power that owns and controls everything including our "own" inner self.  This cognizance should ultimately grow and develop to enable us to surrender and merge with the superme. 

So Prayer should be viewed only as a means to gain control of our own inner self. It should not be viewed as a vehicle to secure boons and rewards from the almighty. 

THE ROAD TO FREEDOM

"The only way which has helped man to learn about the truth is devotion to Lord Narayana.  He is the cause of everything and he is the refuge of all sufferers.  Devotion to Narayana makes the mind detached from the world of objects and it makes you realize the true nature of the Jivatma:  that is not different from the Paramatman.  Listening to the stories of the Lord, thinking on him day and night are both sure remedies for the misery called the cycle of birth and death.  In the story of Puranjana when he died he bacame the daughter of Vidarbha in his next birth.  He was fortunate to have been born to a good man and he bacame the wife of Malayadhvaja Pandya who was a devotee of Narayana.  A daughter and seven sons were born to them."

"The daughter was Asha, desire - a desire to listen to the stories of the Lord.  The seven sons were:  Shravana,  Kirtana, Smarana, Padasevanna, Vandana and Dasya.  The association with a devotee of Narayana will make you adopt the seven ways of worshipping him.  When there is a desire to listen to the stories of the Lord then you get the other ways of worshipping him also.  You begin with Shravana:  listening to the stories of the Lord.  After that Kirtana: reciting them incessantly.  Smarana is remembering them by by repeating them in your mind.  Padasevana is devotion to the Lord,  a surrender at His feet.    Archana is worshipping Him:  Vandana is praying to Him and Dasya is becoming a slave to Him and only to Him.  When one is engaged in these the mind breaks away from the bondage of Karma and,  in a shortwhile, the Jivatma will realize its true nature and become one with the Paramatma.  Puranajana became one with Avignyata."

"I will illustrate the lesson with another example.  Consider a deer wandering in the garden.  It has found a mate and the garden is full of green grass on which it can live for its entire lifetime.  The flowers growing there and the gentle breeze wafting across the garden make the deer so happy that he thinks there is nothing which can ever spoil his bliss and his contended life there.  But all the while, the dread wolf which is bent on eating it up, is standing there in front of it.  In its preoccupation with its mate and the beauty of the garden, the hevanly taste of the grass and the wonderful breeze which is blowing across the garden, the poor deer does not see the wolf.  Nor is it aware of the hunter who is even now aiming his dread arrows at it from behind.  Man's life on earth is even like that of the unfortunate careless deer."

"The pleasures of this world are as evanescent as the scent of the flowers in the garden.  Man and Woman wander around in this garden in search of the fleeting pleasure found in the company of each other.  All the while, Time in the form of a wolf is waiting there in front of him and he does not notice it.  Behind him is death in the form of a thousand diseases in the form of arrows.  He sends the arrows one by one, and yet man does not understand the message and does not heed the warning."

Narada paused for a while.  He then said: "I told you the mythical story of Puranjana because I wanted you to realise that Karma Kanda leads you nowhere near the absolute Truth.  You are superior to ordinary human beings who think they can reach the heavens by performing yagnyas.  The karmas you have been performing will only give you things of this world and you should try not to get involved in them.  You should strive for something higher.   Pleasing the Lord and trying to reach him are the only things a man should do.  The company of Sadhus will develop in you a love for the Lord's stories.  When you pursue the seven paths, you will finally reach the last stage which is surrender.   Atmasamparna.  When the Ego is completely surrendered there is liberation.   One who is ever thinking on the Lord will never be troubled by the objects of the world.  Pain will not hurt him nor will he be elated when pleasures come his way.  He will achieve evenness of the mind and that is very near the Brahmi state.  Jivatma and Paramatma will merge together and there will be no more births and deaths.  So forget this path which you have been pursuing and devote your life to the meditation of the Lord."

For a long moment there was silence in the royal hall.  The King had tears in his eyes and he said:  "Indeed, my Lord, in your infinite kindness you came to me and showed me the one and only path which will lead to salvation.  It is evident that my gurus either do not know this truth or they did not think of initiating me into this wonderful secret.  I have tried to follow very carefully what you have had the grace to teach me and with your blessings I may reach the Feet of the Lord by the seven pathways of approach.  Please bless me."

Narada was very pleased that the King was enlightened and, after blessing him, he went back to his Siddha Loka.  King Prachinabarhis renounced his karmas.  He renounced his kingdom and his mind was dwelling night and day on the Feet of the Lord and not long afterwards he reached the Lotus Feet of Narayana.