Sri Chinmoy's prayer at the ceremony

Beloved President Premadasa, O Supreme Pilot of the Sri Lankan Boat, to you I bow — to your ocean-wisdom-heart I bow. To you I offer my heart of infinite gratitude. (Sri Chinmoy chants: "Buddham saranam gachhami. Dhammam saranam gachhami. Sangham saranam gachhami.") I am praying to the Lord Buddha to bless our dear President Premadasa with a very, very long life flooded with inner progress and outer success. I am also praying to the Lord Buddha to shower His choicest Compassion-Light upon the sleeplessly aspiring heart and self-giving life of His beloved son, Premadasa, so that President Premadasa may love, serve, lead, guide, mould and shape his beloved Motherland, Sri Lanka.

Once more I am offering gratitude from the inmost recesses of my heart to President Premadasa.