First published in India in 1977, Prayer is a compilation of Gandhi's letters, articles, recorded conversations, and book excerpts. Divided into sections, the book first explores the meaning of prayer and the merits of prayer versus Buddhist meditation. The second section describes specific methods of spiritual practice, both private and public, and the abuses that compelled Gandhi to forge his own religious path. The third section discusses the power of the mantram, the continual repetition of God's name, which Gandhi regarded as the supreme form of prayer. Prayer concludes with a moving account of Gandhi's assassination in 1948. The appendixes include a selection of Gandhi's favorite prayers and hymns, translated by Gandhi himself from many religious traditions, east and west.