I do not ask Thee, Mother,
Riches, good fortune, or salvation;
I seek no happiness, no knowledge.
This is my only prayer to Thee:
That as the breath of my life forsakes me,
I may chant Thy holy name.
Shankara (c. 788-820) is a seminal figure of the Hindu tradition, whose commentaries on the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, and other scriptures systematized and revitalized the spiritual heritage of Hinduism. This passage is published in Easwaran’s spiritual anthology, “God Makes the Rivers to Flow.” The audio recording is by Eknath Easwaran’s wife, Christine Easwaran.