Does praying to god makes you good?

​In our daily lives, we see it all the time. We see the "Uncle" who spends three hours doing a grand pooja every morning, but then screams at his wife for a small mistake in the kitchen. We see people who visit temples every Saturday but are incredibly arrogant and rude to their drivers or helpers.

​If praying really made someone a "good person," then logically, the best humans on earth should be the "full-time professionals"—the Pujaris, the Fathers, the Maulvis, and the monks. Their whole job is prayer. But we know that’s not always the case. They have the same ego, the same anger, and the same flaws as everyone else.

​The truth we need to face is this: Arrogance and prayer often live in the same house. Sometimes, praying even gives people a "Superiority Complex"—they think they are better than others because they are "closer to God."

​MT: We need to stop confusing "Religious Skill" with "Human Character."

Evidence

​Our Puranas are very honest about this. They show us that you can be a "Gold Medalist" in prayer and still be a terrible person. Story after story narrates the very same concept.

​Ravana: He was a master of the Vedas and a brilliant musician. His worship of Lord Shiva was so intense that he once offered his own heads to the fire. He had the "technical skill" of prayer down to a science. But his character? He was filled with pride and lust. His prayer gave him power, but it didn't give him purity.

​Bhasmasura: This is perhaps the most shocking example. He performed such deep worship of Lord Shiva that he received a unique boon: anything he touched with his hand would turn to ashes (Bhasma). What was his first thought after getting this gift from the God he supposedly "loved"? He immediately tried to touch Lord Shiva’s own head to test the power and destroy Him! He used the "grace" he got from prayer to attack the very Source of that grace.

​Hiranyakashipu: He performed Tapasya (austerity) that was so extreme that anthills grew over his body while he stood still. He had more willpower than any modern saint. But the moment he got his boon, he used it to terrorize the world and try to kill his own son, Prahlada.

​The Lesson: Prayer is like a "Power Tool." It sharpens your mind and gives you mental strength. But just like a sharp knife can be used by a surgeon to save a life or a criminal to take one, prayer depends on the person holding the tool. Being a "great devotee" is a skill; being a "good human" is a daily choice.

​So, is Praying Unnecessary?

​If it doesn't automatically make us "good," should we stop doing it? Should we just say, "I am a good person at heart, I don't need to pray"?

​Not really. That’s like saying, "I have a good heart, so I don't need to exercise or eat healthy." Prayer is not for God; it is for you. Think of your mind like a mobile phone. Throughout the day, we download "junk files" stress, comparison, jealousy, and anger. Our "internal storage" gets full, and the phone starts hanging.

​Prayer is the "Clean Master" app. It is the process of clearing the cache and plugging into the charger. You don't do it to please the "Server Admin" (God); you do it so your own system runs smoothly.

​How to get right results 

​The reason many "religious" people are still angry or arrogant is their attitude during prayer. Most people pray at the Pravritti (Asking) level:

​"God, give me a promotion."

​"God, make my neighbor's business fail."

​"God, give me a big house."

​This is just "Business." It’s a transaction.

​The real purpose of prayer is the Nivritti (Substracting) level. Instead of asking to add things, we should ask to remove things:

​"Take away my anger."

​"Take away the ego that makes me think I am better than others."

​"Take away the fear that makes me act like a coward."

​MT: Real prayer is not a shopping list; it is a "laundry list" for your soul.

​Understanding the "Why" Behind the "What"

​If we understand the deeper meaning of what we do during prayer, it reveals the True Nature of God:

​Bowing Down (Namaskara): It literally means "Na-Mama"—"Not Mine." When you put your head on the floor, you are physically training your brain to realize: "I am not the CEO of this Universe." It is a literal "Ego-Check."

​Lighting a Lamp: You aren't just burning oil. You are reminding yourself that Knowledge (Jyoti) is the only thing that can remove the "darkness" of your own confusion.

​Ringing the Bell: The sharp sound is meant to cut through the 100 random thoughts in your head. It’s a "Reset Button" to bring you into the present moment.

​The Revelation: God as the "Stuff" of Life

​When you stop praying like a robot and start understanding these meanings, you realize the biggest secret: God is not a "Police Officer" in the sky.

​In our philosophy, God is the Material of the universe. Imagine a gold ring, a gold chain, and a gold bangle. They look different, but they are all made of the same gold. If you realize that the person you are shouting at is made of the same "divine material" as you, how can you remain arrogant?

If your prayer doesn't make you a better person then, you haven't really prayed. you’ve just done "spiritual gymnastics." Don't just pray to "get" something; pray to "realize" who you and everyone else truly are.