In a historic first, Hindu mantras started the day of three city councils of Idaho this week

Hindu prayers opened the Idaho City Councils of Burley, Arimo and St. Anthony on October 7-8-9 respectively; containing verses from world’s oldest extant scripture.

It was the first time a Hindu invocation was read in these city councils since Burley, Arimo and St. Anthony were reportedly incorporated in 1909-1923-1908 respectively.

Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed delivered the invocations from ancient Sanskrit scriptures before these city councils. After Sanskrit delivery, he then read the English interpretation of the prayers. Sanskrit is considered a sacred language in Hinduism and the root language of Indo-European languages.

Zed, who is the President of Universal Society of Hinduism, recited from Rig-Veda, the oldest scripture of the world still in common use; besides lines from Upanishads and Bhagavad-Gita (Song of the Lord), both ancient Hindu scriptures. He started and ended the prayers with “Om”, the mystical syllable containing the universe, which in Hinduism is used to introduce and conclude religious work.

Reciting from Brahadaranyakopanishad, Rajan Zed said “Asato ma sad gamaya, Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya, Mrtyor mamrtam gamaya”; which he then interpreted as “Lead us from the unreal to the real, Lead us from darkness to light, and Lead us from death to immortality.” Reciting from Bhagavad-Gita, he urged the council-members and others present to keep the welfare of others always in mind.

Mayors Steve Ormond (Burley), Lonnie Gunter (Arimo) and Donald Powell (St. Anthony) warmly welcomed Zed; who was wearing saffron colored robes, a rudraksh mala (rosary) and tilak (religious mark) on his forehead.

Rajan Zed, a global Hindu and interfaith leader, has been bestowed with the World Interfaith Leader Award. Zed is on the Advisory Board of The Interfaith Peace Project, Senior Fellow and Religious Advisor to Foundation for Religious Diplomacy, etc. He has been a panelist for “On Faith”, a prestigious interactive conversation on religion produced by The Washington Post; and leads a weekly interfaith panel “Faith Forum” in a Gannett publication for over 14 years.

Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about 1.2 billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal. There are about 3.2 million Hindus in the USA.

Idaho is known for gems, hot springs, natural landscapes, potatoes, Shoshone Falls, Sun Valley, etc.

Details of the picture attached: Rajan Zed with Burley Mayor Steve Ormond, Council-President Casey Andersen, Council-members and city officials just before he read invocation at Burley City Council meeting.