Mr. Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami
Kauai Aadheenam Hindu Monastery
Kapaa, HI
Sponsor: Rep. Ed Royce, (R-CA)
Date of Prayer: 06/04/2013
One Minute Speech Given in Recognition of the Guest Chaplain:
Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and I are proud to have the opportunity to welcome Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami, the spiritual leader and head of Kauai's Hindu monastery. He has come here today to give the opening prayer on the Hindu American Foundation's 10th Annual Capitol Hill Advocacy Day, and he is a true leader in the Hindu community.
Satguru has been head of the monastery since 2001, and works to spread the principles of peace and inclusiveness around the community. Additionally, his achievements have international reach. Not only does he oversee the Himalayan Academy's various publications, he serves as a publisher of the international magazine Hinduism Today.
Furthermore, Satguru dedicates his time to cultivating the religious instruction of Hindu youth around the world through producing a series of books that teach Hinduism's ethical restraints, and teach religious observances as well.
Thank you, Satguru, for your opening prayer.
Opening Prayer Given by the Guest Chaplain:
May today's session of the House of Representatives, to which Americans rightly turn for leadership, be abundantly blessed by the Lord Supreme.
Through personal introspection, a collaborative heart, and by God's all–pervasive grace, may the Members present here, despite differing views and staunchly held convictions, find the wisdom to craft mutually acceptable solutions to our Nation's challenges.
The tragic Boston Marathon bombings, still vivid in all our minds, implore us to advocate the humanity of a nonviolent approach in all of life's dimensions. Hindu scripture declares, without equivocation, that the highest of high ideals is to never knowingly harm anyone.
May we here in this Chamber, and all the people of our great Nation, endeavor to face even our greatest difficulties with an unwavering commitment to seek out and to find nonviolent solutions.
Peace, peace, peace to us, and peace to all beings.
To learn more about Members who have sponsored a Guest Chaplain, please visit the Congressional Biographical Directory