The Philosophy
and Significance of
Idol Worship
By
A DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY PUBLICATION
First Edition: 1960
Second Edition: 1975
Third Edition: 1993
(3,000 Copies)
World Wide Web (WWW) Edition : 2001
WWW site: http://www.dlshq.org/
This WWW reprint is for free distribution
© The Divine Life Trust Society
Published By
THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY
P.O. Shivanandanagar—249 192
Distt. Tehri-Garhwal, Uttar Pradesh,
Himalayas, India.
Contents
Worship of the Image
Worship is the effort on the part of the Upasaka (he who does Upasana or
worship to reach the proximity or presence of God or the Supreme Self.
Upasana literally means ‘sitting near’ God. Upasana is approaching the
chosen ideal or object of worship by meditating on it in accordance with
the teachings of the Sastras and the Guru and dwelling steadily in the
current of that one thought, like a thread of oil poured from one vessel
to another (Tailadharavat). It consists of all those observances and practices—physical
and mental—by which the aspirant or Jijnasu makes a steady progress in
the realm of spirituality and eventually realises in himself, in his own
heart, the presence of Godhead.
Benefits of Upasana
Upasana helps the devotee to sit near the Lord or to commune with Him.
It purifies the heart and steadies the mind. It fills the mind with Suddha
Bhava and Prema or pure love for the Lord. It gradually transmutes man
into a divine being.
Upasana changes the mental substance, destroys Rajas and Tamas and fills
the mind with Sattva or purity. Upasana destroys Vasanas, Trishnas, egoism,
lust, hatred, anger, etc. Upasana turns the mind inward and induces Antarmukha
Vritti, eventually brings the devotee face to face with the Lord, frees
the devotee from the wheel of births and deaths and confers on him immortality
and freedom.
The mind becomes that on which it meditates in accordance with the analogy
of the wasp and the caterpillar (Bhramara-Keeta Nyaya). Just as you think,
so you become. This is the immutable psychological law. There is a mysterious
or inscrutable power (Achintya Sakti) in Upasana which makes the meditator
and the meditated identical.
You will find in the Gita (XI-54): “But by devotion to Me alone, I may
thus be perceived, Arjuna, and known and seen in essence and entered, O
Parantapa.”
Patanjali Maharshi emphasises in various places in his Raja Yoga Sutras
on the importance of Upasana. For even a Raja Yogi, Upasana is necessary.
He has his own Ishtam or guiding Deity—Yogesvara Krishna or Lord Siva.
Self-surrender to God is an Anga (limb) of Raja Niyama and Kriya Yoga.
Patanjali says, “One can enter into Samadhi through Upasana.”
Of all those things which are conducive to spiritual advancement, Adhyatmic
uplift and the acquisition of Dharma, Upasana is one which is not only
indispensably requisite, but eminently beneficial to all classes and grades
of people. It is easy too.
Eating, drinking, sleeping, fear and copulation, etc., are common in brutes
and human beings; but that which makes one a real man or a God-man is Upasana.
He who leads a mere outward sensual life without doing any Upasana is an
animal only though he wears outwardly the form of a human being.
Saguna Upasana and Nirguna Upasana
Upasana is of two kinds, viz., Pratika Upasana and Ahamgraha Upasana. ‘Pratika’
means a symbol. Pratika Upasana is Saguna Upasana. Ahamgraha Upasana is
Nirguna Upasana or meditation on the formless and attributeless Akshara
or transcendental Brahman. Meditation on idols, Saligram, pictures of Lord
Rama, Lord Krishna, Lord Siva, Gayatri Devi is Pratika Upasana. The blue
expansive sky, all-pervading ether, all-pervading light of the sun etc.,
are also ‘Pratikas’ for abstract meditation. Saguna Upasana is concrete
meditation. Nirguna Upasana is abstract meditation.
Hearing of the Lilas of the Lord, Kirtan or singing His Names, constant
remembrance of the Lord (Smarana), service of His feet, offering flowers,
prostration, prayer, chanting of Mantra, self-surrender, service of Bhagavatas,
service of humanity and country with Narayana Bhava, etc., constitute Saguna
Upasana.
Chanting of Om with Atma Bhava, service of humanity and country with Atma
Bhava, mental Japa of Om with Atma or Brahma Bhava, meditation on Soham
or Sivoham or on the Mahavakyas such as ‘Aham Brahma Asmi’ or ‘Tat Tvam
Asi’ after sublating the illusory vehicles through ‘Neti, Neti’ doctrine,
constitute Ahamgraha Upasana or Nirguna Upasana.
Saguna Upasana is Bhakti Yoga or the Yoga of Devotion. Nirguna Upasana
is Jnana Yoga or the Yoga of Knowledge. Worshippers of Saguna (the qualified)
and Nirguna (the unqualified) Brahman reach the same goal. But, the latter
path is very hard, because the aspirant has to give up attachment to the
body (Dehabhimana) from the very beginning of his spiritual practice. The
Akshara or the Imperishable is very hard for those who are attached to
their bodies to reach. Further, it is extremely difficult to fix the mind
on the formless and attributeless Brahman. Contemplation on the Akshara
or Nirguna Brahman demands a very sharp, one-pointed and subtle intellect.
The Bhavas in Bhakti Yoga
The Yoga of Devotion is much easier than Jnana Yoga. In Bhakti Yoga, the
devotee establishes a near and dear relationship with the Lord. He cultivates
slowly any one of the six Bhavas according to his temperament, taste and
capacity.
Santa Bhava, Dasya Bhava, Sakhya Bhava, Vatsalya Bhava, Kanta Bhava and
Madhurya Bhava are the six kinds of attributes of devotees or Bhavas towards
God. The Bhavas differ in type and intensity of feeling. The different
Bhavas are arranged in order of their intensity. Dhruva and Prahlada had
the feeling of a child to its parents. This is Santa Bhava. In Dasya Bhava
the devotee behaves like a servant. His Lord is his Master. Hanuman is
an ideal servant of God. In Sakhya Bhava, there is a sense of equality.
Arjuna and Kuchela had this Bhava. In Vatsalya Bhava, the devotee looks
upon the Lord as his own child. Yasoda had this Bhava for Sri Krishna.
Kausalya had this Bhava for Sri Rama. Kanta Bhava is the love of the wife
to the husband. Sita and Rukmini had this Bhava. The culmination is reached
in Madhurya Bhava. The lover and the Beloved become one through the intensity
of love. Radha and Mira had this type of love.
The last Bhava is the highest culmination of Bhakti. It is merging or absorption
in the Lord. The devotee adores the Lord. He constantly remembers Him.
He sings His Name (Kirtan). He speaks of His glories. He repeats His Name.
He chants His Mantra. He prays and prostrates. He hears His Lilas. He does
total, ungrudging, unconditional surrender, obtains His grace, holds communion
with Him and gets absorbed in Him eventually.
In Madhurya Bhava, there is the closest relationship between the devotee
and the Lord. There is no sensuality in Kanta and Madhurya Bhavas. There
is no tinge of carnality in them. Passionate people cannot understand these
two Bhavas as their minds are saturated with passion and lower sexual appetite.
Sufistic saints also have the Bhava of lover and the Beloved, Madhurya
Bhava. Gita Govinda written by Jaya Deva is full of Madhurya Rasa. The
language of love which the mystic uses cannot be comprehended by worldly
persons. Only Gopis, Radha, Mira, Tukaram, Narada, Hafiz, can understand
this language.
Puja And Ishta Devata
Puja is the common term for ritual worship of which there are numerous
synonyms such as Archana, Vandana, Bhajana, etc., though some of these
stress certain aspects of it. The object of worship is the Ishta Devata
or guiding Deity or the particular form of the Deity whom the devotee worships,
e.g., Vishnu as such or His forms as Rama and Krishna in the case of Vaishnavites,
Siva in the eight forms in the case of Saivites, Devi in the case of Saktas.
The devotee selects sometimes his Kuladeva or Kuladevi, family Deva or
Devi, for his worship. Sometimes the Devata is chosen for him by his Guru
or Spiritual Preceptor. Sometimes he himself chooses that Devata which
most appeals to him. This form is his Ishta Devata.
An object is used in the outer Puja such as an image (Pratima), a picture
or an emblem such as Saligram in the case of Vishnu worship or Linga in
the case of worship of Siva.
Whilst all things may be the objects of worship, choice is naturally made
of these objects which, by reason of their effect on the mind, are more
fitted for it. An image or one of the useful emblems is likely to raise
in the mind of the worshipper the thought of a Devata. Saligram stone induces
easily concentration of mind. Everybody has got predilection for a symbol,
emblem or image. Idol or Murti (Vigraha), sun, fire, water, Ganga, Saligram,
Linga are all symbols or Pratikas of God which help the aspirants to attain
one-pointedness of mind and purity of heart. These are personal inclinations
in the worshipper due to his belief in their special efficacy for him.
Psychologically, all this means that a particular mind finds that it works
best in the direction desired by means of particular instruments or emblems
or images.
The vast bulk of humanity are either of impure or weak mind. Therefore,
the object of worship must be pure for these people. The objects that are
capable of exciting lust and dislike must be avoided. But, a higher advanced
Sadhaka who has a pure mind and who sees the divine presence everywhere
and in everything, can worship any kind of object.
In Puja, an image or picture representing some divine form is used as the
object of worship. The image is adored. An image, a Sila or a Vigraha or
Murti represents the form of the particular Lord who is invoked in it.
A Linga represents Siva. It represents the secondless, formless Brahman.
The Sruti says, “Ekamevadvitiyam Brahma—the Brahman is one without a second”.
There is no duality here. A Lingam is shining and attractive to the eyes.
It helps concentration. Ravana propitiated Siva and obtained boons by worshipping
the Linga.
A Saligram is an idol of Vishnu. Saligram is the symbol of Vishnu. There
are images of Sri Rama, Sri Krishna, Karttikeya, Ganesha, Hanuman, Dattatreya,
Sita, Lakshmi, Parvati, Durga, Kali, Sarasvati, etc., according to the
taste of the particular devotee.
The image of Vishnu and of his Avataras, and the images of Sakti and Siva
are the popular idols that are worshipped both in temples and in the houses.
The idols in the temples of Tirupati, Pandharpur, Palani, Kathirgama, etc.,
are powerful Deities. They are Pratyaksha Devatas. They grant boons to
the devotees, cure their ailments and give Darshan. Wonderful Lilas are
associated with these Deities. There is no polytheism in Hinduism. Siva,
Vishnu, Brahma, Sakti are different aspects of the one Lord.
God reveals Himself to His devotees in a variety of ways. He assumes the
very form which the devotee has chosen for his worship. If you worship
Him as Lord Hari with four hands, He will come to you as Hari. If you adore
Him as Siva, He will give you Darsan as Siva. If you worship Him as Mother
Durga or Kali, He will come to you as Durga or Kali. If you worship Him
as Lord Rama, Lord Krishna or Lord Dattatreya, He will come to you as Rama,
Krishna or Dattatreya. If you worship Him as Christ or Allah, He will come
to you as Christ or Allah.
You may worship Lord Siva or Lord Hari, Lord Ganesha or Lord Subramanya
or Lord Dattatreya, or any one of the Avataras, Lord Rama or Lord Krishna,
Sarasvati or Lakshmi, Gayatri or Kali, Durga or Chandi. All are aspects
of one Isvara or Lord. Under whatever name and form, it is Isvara who is
adored. Worship goes to the Indweller, the Lord in the form. It is ignorance
to think that one form is superior to another. All forms are one and the
same. Siva, Vishnu, Gayatri, Rama, Krishna, Devi, Brahman are one. All
are adoring the same Isvara. The differences are only differences of names
due to differences in the worshippers, but not in the object of adoration.
It is only out of ignorance that different religionists and different sects
fight and quarrel amongst themselves.
The Idol—A Prop For The Spiritual Neophyte
Idol is a support for the neophyte. It is a prop of his spiritual childhood.
A form or image is necessary for worship in the beginning. It is an external
symbol of God for worship. It is a reminder of God. The material image
calls up the mental idea. Steadiness of mind is obtained by image worship.
The worshipper will have to associate the ideas of infinity, omnipotence,
omniscience, purity, perfection, freedom, holiness, truth, omnipresence.
It is not possible for all to fix the mind on the Absolute or the Infinite.
A concrete form is necessary for the vast majority for practising concentration.
To behold God everywhere and to practise the presence of God is not possible
for the ordinary man. Idol worship is the easiest form of worship for the
modern man.
A symbol is absolutely indispensable for fixing the mind. The mind wants
a prop to lean upon. It cannot have a conception of the Absolute in the
initial stages. Without the help of some external aid, in the initial stages,
the mind cannot be centralised. In the beginning, concentration or meditation
is not possible without a symbol.
Everyone an Idol-Worshipper
There is no reference to worship of idols in the Vedas. The Puranas and
the Agamas give descriptions of idol-worship both in the houses and in
the temples. Idol-worship is not peculiar to Hinduism. Christians worship
the Cross. They have the image of the Cross in their mind. The Mohammedans
keep the image of Kaaba stone when they kneel and do prayers. The people
of the whole world, save a few Yogis and Vedantins, are all worshippers
of idols. They keep some image or the other in the mind.
The mental image also is a form of idol. The difference is not one of kind,
but only one of degree. All worshippers, however intellectual they may
be, generate a form in the mind and make the mind dwell on that image.
Everyone is an idol-worshipper. Pictures, drawing, etc., are only forms
of Pratima. A gross mind needs a concrete symbol as a prop or Alambana;
a subtle mind requires an abstract symbol. Even a Vedantin has the symbol
OM for fixing the wandering mind. It is not only the pictures or images
in stone and wood that are idols. Dialectics and leaders also become idols.
So, why condemn idolatry?
A Medium For Establishing Communion With God
Idols are not the idle fancies of sculptors, but shining channels through
which the heart of the devotee is attracted to and flows towards God. Though
the image is worshipped, the devotee feels the presence of the Lord in
it and pours out his devotion unto it. It is the appalling ignorance of
the modern sensual man that clouds his vision and prevents him from seeing
Divinity in lovely and enchanting idols of His form. The very scientific
advances of this century ought to convince you of the glory of idol worship.
How are the songsters and orators confined to a small box-like thing to
be called a radio? It is a mere piece of a mechanical lifeless structure
which breaks into a thousand pieces if you throw it away violently; and
yet, if you know how to handle it, you can hear through it, the music that
is being played several thousands of miles away, the discourse that is
being delivered in the remotest part of the globe. Even as you can catch
the sound waves of people all over the world through the radio receiving
set, it is possible to commune with the all-pervading Lord through the
medium of an idol. The divinity of the all-pervading ‘God is vibrant in
every atom of creation. There is not a speck of space where He is not.
Why do you then say that He is not in the idols?
There are others who would glibly say, “Oh, God is all-pervading formless
being. How can He be confined to this idol?” Are these people ever conscious
of His omnipresence? Do they always see Him and Him alone in everything?
No. It is their ego that prevents them from bowing to the idols of God
and with that motive puts this lame excuse forward!
Empty vessels only make much sound. A practical man who does meditation
and worship, who is full of knowledge and real devotion keeps always silence.
He influences and teaches others through silence. He only knows whether
a Murti is necessary in the beginning for concentration or not.
However intellectual one may be, he cannot concentrate without the help
of some symbol in the beginning. An intellectual and learned person, on
account of his pride and vanity only says, “I do not like a Murti. I do
not wish to concentrate on a form.” He cannot concentrate on the formless
one. He thinks that people will laugh at him when they come to know that
he is meditating on a form. He never does any meditation on the formless
one. He simply talks and argues and poses. He wastes his life in unnecessary
discussions only. An ounce of his practice is better than tons of theories.
Intellect is a hindrance in the vast majority of intellectual persons.
They say that the existence of Brahman is a guess work, Samadhi is a bluff
of the mind and Self-realisation is an imagination of the Vedantins. Deluded
souls! They are steeped in ignorance. They are carried away by their secular
knowledge which is mere husk when compared to the Knowledge of the Self.
There is no hope of salvation for such people. First their wrong Samskaras
should be flushed by good Samskaras through Satsanga. Then only they will
realise their mistakes. May the Lord bestow on them clear understanding
and thirsting for real knowledge!
A Symbol of God
Pratima (idol) is a substitute or symbol. The image in a temple, though
it is made of stone, wood or metal, is precious for a devotee as it bears
the mark of his Lord, as it stands for something which he holds holy and
eternal. A flag is only a small piece of painted cloth, but it stands for
a soldier for something that he holds very dear. He is prepared to give
up his life in defending his flag. Similarly the image is very dear to
a devotee. It speaks to him in its own language of devotion. Just as the
flag arouses martial valour in the soldier, so also the image arouses devotion
in the devotee. The Lord is superimposed on the image and the image generates
divine thoughts in the worshipper.
A piece of ordinary white paper or coloured paper has no value. You throw
it away. But, if there is the stamp or picture of the King or Emperor on
the paper (currency notes), you keep it safe in your money purse or trunk.
Even so, an ordinary piece of stone has no value for you. You throw it
away. But, if you behold the stone Murti of Lord Krishna at Pandharpur
or any other Murti in shrines, you bow your head with folded hands, because
there is the stamp of the Lord on the stone. The devotee superimposes on
the stone Murti his own Beloved and all the attributes of the Lord.
When you worship an image, you do not say, “This image has come from Jaipur.
It was brought by Prabhu Singh. Its weight is 50 lbs. It is made of white
marble. It has cost me Rs, 500/-.” You superimpose all the attributes of
the Lord on the image and pray, “O Antaryamin (Inner Ruler)! You are all-pervading;
you are omnipotent, omniscient, all-merciful. You are the source for everything.
You are self-existent. You are Sat-Chit-Ananda. You are eternal, unchanging.
You are the Life of my life, Soul of my soul! Give me light and knowledge!
Let me dwell in Thee for ever.” When your devotion and meditation become
intense and deep, you do not see the stone image. You behold the Lord only,
who is chaitanya. Image worship is very necessary for beginners.
An Integral Part of Virat
For a beginner, Pratima is an absolute necessity. By worshipping an idol,
Isvara is pleased. The Pratima is made up of the five elements. The five
elements constitute the body of the Lord. The idol remains an idol, but
the worship goes to the Lord.
If you shake hands with a man, he is highly pleased. You have touched only
a small part of his body and yet he is highly pleased. He smiles and welcomes
you. Even so, the Lord is highly pleased when a small portion of His Virat
(cosmic) body is worshipped. An idol is a part of the body of the Lord.
The whole world is His Body, Virat Form. The devotion goes to the Lord.
The worshipper superimposes on the image the Lord and all His attributes.
He does Shodasopachara for the idol, the sixteen kinds of paying respects
or service to the Lord, such as Padyam (water for washing the feet), Arghyam,
Asana (seat), Snana (bathing), offering clothes, Achamana (water for sipping),
applying sandal paste, offering flowers (Archana), burning incense, waving
of lights and camphor, Maha Naivedyam, etc. The wandering mind is fixed
now in this form of worship. The aspirant gradually feels the nearness
of the Lord. He attains purity of heart and slowly annihilates his egoism.
To the worshipper who believes the symbol, any kind of image is the body
of the Lord under the form of stone, clay, brass, picture, Saligram, etc.
Such worship can never be idolatry. All matter is a manifestation of God.
God is present in everything which exists. Everything is an object of worship,
for all is a manifestation of God who is therein worshipped. The very act
of worship implies that the object of worship is superior and conscious.
This way of looking at things must be attained by the devotee. The untutored
mind must be trained to view things in the above manner.
Idol Worship Develops Devotion
Idol worship makes concentration of mind simpler and easier. You can bring
before your mind’s eye the great Lilas the Lord has played in His particular
Avataras in which you view Him. This is one of the easiest modes of Self-realisation.
Just as the picture of a famous warrior evokes heroism in your heart, a
look at the picture of God will elevate your mind to divine heights. Just
as the child develops the maternal Bhava (mother-feeling) of the future
caressing, nursing, protecting mother by playing with its imaginary toy-child
made up of rags and suckling the child in an imaginary manner, so also
the devotee develops the feeling of devotion by worshipping the Pratima
and concentrating on it.
Regular Worship Unveils The Divinity In The Idol
Regular worship, Puja and other modes of demonstrating our inner feeling
of recognition of Divinity in the idol unveils the Divinity latent in it.
This is truly a wonder and a miracle. The picture comes to life. The idol
speaks. It will answer your questions and solve your problems. The God
in you has the power to awaken the latent Divinity in the idol. It is like
a powerful lens that focuses the sun’s rays on to a bundle of cotton. The
lens is not fire and the cotton is not fire either nor can the sun’s rays,
by themselves, burn the cotton. When the three are brought together in
a particular manner, fire is generated and the cotton is burnt. Similar
is the case with the idol, the Sadhaka and the all-pervading Divinity.
Puja makes the idol shine with divine resplendence. God is then enshrined
in the idol. From here, He will protect you in a special manner. The idol
will perform miracles. The place where it is installed is at once transformed
into a temple, nay, a Vaikuntha or a Kailasa in reality. Those who live
in such a place are freed from miseries, from diseases, from failures and
from Samsara itself. The awakened Divinity in the idol acts as a guardian
angel blessing all, conferring the highest good on those who bow to it.
The Image, A Mass Of Chaitanya
The idol is only a symbol of the Divine. A devotee does not behold therein
a block of stone or a mass of metal. It is an emblem of God for him. He
visualises the Indwelling Presence in the Murti or image. All the Saiva
Nayanars or saints of South India attained God-realisation through worship
of the Lingam, the image of Lord Siva. For a devotee, the image is a mass
of Chaitanya or consciousness. He draws inspiration from the image. The
image guides him. It talks to him. It assumes human form to help him in
a variety of ways. The image of Lord Siva in the temple of Madurai in South
India helped the fuel-cutter and the old woman. The image in the temple
of Tirupati assumed human form and gave witness in the court to help his
devotees. There are marvels and mysteries. Only the devotees understand
these.
When Idols Became Alive
For a Bhakta or a sage, there is no such thing as Jada or insentient matter.
Everything is Vasudeva or Chaitanya—Vasudevah Sarvam Iti. The devotee beholds
actually the Lord in the idol. Narsi Mehta was put to the test by a Raja.
The Raja said: “O Narsi, if you are a sincere devotee of Lord Krishna,
if as you say the idol is Lord Krishna Himself, let this idol move.” According
to the prayer of Narsi Mehta, the idol moved. The sacred bull Nandi before
Siva’s idol took the food offered by Tulasidas. The Murti played with Mira
Bai. It was full of life and Chaitanya for her.
When Appayya Dikshitar went to Tirupati temple in South India, the Vaishnavas
refused him admission. The next morning they found the Vishnu Murti in
the temple changed into Siva Murti. The Mahant was much astonished and
startled, asked pardon and prayed to Appayya Dikshitar to change the Murti
again into Vishnu Murti.
Kanaka Das was a great devotee of Lord Krishna in Udipi, in the district
of South Kanara in South India. He was not allowed to enter the temple
on account of his low birth. Kanaka Das went round the temple and saw a
small window at the back of the temple. He seated himself in front of the
window. He was soon lost in singing songs in praise of Lord Krishna. Many
people gathered round him. They were very much attracted by the sweet melody
of his music and the depth of his devotion. Lord Krishna turned round to
enable Kanaka Das to get His Darshan. The priests were struck with wonder.
Even today, pilgrims are shown the window and the place where Kanaka Das
sat and sang.
The Murti is the same as the Lord, for it is the vehicle of expression
for the Mantra-Chaitanya which is the Devata. The same attitude should
the devotee have in regard to the Murti in the temple, which he would evince
if the Lord would appear before him in person and speak to him in articulate
sound.
Vedanta and Idol Worship
A pseudo-Vedantin feels himself ashamed to bow or prostrate before an idol
in the temple. He feels that his Advaita will evaporate if he prostrates.
Study the lives of the reputed Tamil saints, Appar, Sundarar, Sambandhar,
etc. They had the highest Advaitic realisation. They saw Lord Siva everywhere
and yet they visited all temples of Siva, prostrated before the idol and
sang hymns, which are on record now. The sixty-three Nayanar saints practised
Chariyai and Kriyai only and attained God-realisation thereby. They swept
the floor of the temple, collected flowers, made garlands for the Lord
and put on lights in the temple. They were illiterate, but attained the
highest realisation. They were practical Yogis and their hearts were saturated
with pure devotion. They were an embodiment of Karma Yoga. All practised
the Yoga of Synthesis. The idol in the temple was all Chaitanya or consciousness
for them. It was not a mere block of stone.
Madhusudana Swami, who had Advaita realisation, who beheld oneness of the
Self, who had Advaitic Bhava, was intensely attached to the form of Lord
Krishna with flute in His hands.
Tulasidas realised the all-pervading essence. He had cosmic consciousness.
He communed with the all-pervading, formless Lord. And yet his passion
for Lord Rama with bow in His hand did not vanish. When he had been to
Brindavan and saw the Murti of Lord Krishna with flute in His hands, he
said, “I will not bow my head to this form.” At once Lord Krishna’s form
assumed the form of Lord Rama. Then only he bowed his head. Tukaram also
had the same cosmic experience as that of Tulasidas. He sings in his Abhanga,
“I see my Lord all-pervading, just as sweetness pervades the sugar-cane”
and yet he always speaks of his Lord Vittala of Pandharpur with His hands
on the hips. Mira also realised her identity with the all-pervading Krishna
and yet she was not tired of repeating again and again, “My Giridhar Nagar”.
From the above facts, we can clearly infer that one can realise God through
worship of Murti or idol, that the worship of the Lord in Saguna form is
a great aid for Vedantic realisation also and for the realisation of the
Lord in His all-pervading, formless aspect and that the worship of the
Murti is very essential for the purpose of concentration and meditation
in the beginning and that such a worship is not in any way a hindrance
to the attainment of God-consciousness and those who vehemently attack
Murti Puja are groping in extreme darkness and ignorance and they have
no real knowledge of Puja and worship and that they enter into unnecessary,
vain debates and discussions against Murti Puja to show that they are learned
persons and that they have not done any real Sadhana at all. They are persons
who have made idle talking and tall talk as their habit and profession.
They have ruined themselves. They have unsettled the minds of countless
persons and ruined them also. The whole world worships symbols and Murtis
only in some form or the other. The mind is disciplined in the beginning
by fixing it on a concrete object or symbol. When it is rendered steady
and subtle, it can be fixed later on on an abstract idea such as “Aham
Brahma Asmi”. When one advances in meditation, the form melts in the formless
and he becomes one with the formless essence. Image worship is not contrary
to the view of Vedanta. It is rather a help.
From Ritualistic Bhakti To Para Bhakti
Bhakti is of two kinds, viz., higher Bhakti or Para Bhakti and lower Bhakti
or ritualistic Bhakti. Ritualistic worship is Vaidhi or Gauni Bhakti. It
is formal Bhakti. Vaidhi Bhakti is the lower type of devotion depending
on external aids. It is lower Bhakti. The mind becomes purer and purer.
The aspirant gradually develops love for God through ritualistic worship.
He who does ritualistic worship rings bells, adores a Pratika (symbol)
or Pratima (image), does Puja, Arati, etc., with flowers, sandal paste,
burns incense and waves light before the image, offers Naivedya or food
for God, etc.
Mukhya Bhakti or Para Bhakti is advanced type of devotion. It is higher
Bhakti. It transcends all convention. A devotee of this type knows no rule.
He does not perform any external worship. He beholds his Lord everywhere,
in every object. His heart is saturated with love for God. The whole world
is Brindavan for him. His state is ineffable. He attains the acme of bliss.
He radiates love, purity and joy wherever he goes and inspires all who
come in contact with him.
The aspirant who worships the idol in the beginning beholds the Lord everywhere
and develops Para Bhakti. From Vaidhi Bhakti, he passes on to Ragatmika
Bhakti or Prema Bhakti. He beholds the whole world as the Lord. The ideas
of good and bad, right and wrong, rogue, etc., vanish. He sees the Lord
in a rogue, dacoit, cobra, scorpion, ant, dog, tree, log of wood, block
of stone, sun, moon, stars, fire, water, earth, etc. His vision or experience
baffles description. Glory to such exalted Bhaktas who are veritable Gods
on earth, who live to lift others from the quagmire of Samsara and save
them from the clutches of death!
Hinduism leads the aspirants gradually from material images to mental images
and from the diverse mental images to the one Personal God and from the
Personal God to the Impersonal Absolute or transcendental Nirguna Brahman.
The Glory of Hindu Philosophy
How sublime is Hindu philosophy and Hindu mode of worship! It does not
stop or end with the worship of the idol. The Sadhaka is taken step by
step to higher stages of devotion and Samadhi or communion through the
worship of the idol. Though he worships the idol, he has to keep before
his mental eye the all-pervading Lord. He has to feel His Presence in his
heart and all objects also. Even in worshipping a small idol, he has to
repeat the Purusha Sukta and to think of the Virat Purusha with countless
heads, countless eyes, countless hands, who extends beyond the universe
and of the Lord or Atman who dwells in the hearts of all beings. The same
man who burns incense, scented sticks and camphor before the idol says,
“The sun does not shine there nor the moon nor the stars nor the lightning.
How then could the little fire shine there? All shine after Him. His effulgence
alone illumines the whole world.” The ways and rules of worship—Puja Vidhi—and
the secrets of worship that are described in the Hindu scriptures are scientifically
accurate and highly rational. It is only ignorant people who have not studied
the scriptures, who have not associated with the devotees and great souls,
who vilify worship of idols or Murtis.
Every other religion lays certain fixed dogmas and attempts to force people
to follow them. It has only one kind of drug to treat several diseases.
It gives only one kind of food for all and for all conditions. It places
before the followers only one coat. It must fit Albert, Atkinson, Ahluwallia,
Antony, Abdul Rahman. The Hindus know that the images, crosses and crescents
are simply so many symbols to fix the mind in the beginning for developing
concentration, so many concrete pegs to hang their spiritual ideas and
convictions on. The symbol is not necessary for everyone. It is not compulsory
in Hinduism. It is not needed for an advanced Yogi or sage. A symbol is
like the slate which is useful for a boy of the first standard. Those who
are not in need of it have no right to say that it is wrong. If they say
that it is wrong, they only betray their ignorance.
To Sum Up
There is nothing wrong in worshipping an idol in the beginning. You must
superimpose God and His attributes on the idol. You must think of the Antar-Atma
that is hidden in the idol. The aspirant gradually begins to feel that
the Lord he worships is in the idol, in the hearts of all creatures and
in all the names and forms of this universe. He begins to feel His presence
everywhere.
Idolatry is only the beginning of religion. Certainly it is not its end.
The same Hindu scriptures which prescribe idol-worship for beginners speak
of meditation on the Infinite or the Absolute, contemplation on the significance
of the “Tat Tvam Asi” Mahavakya, for advanced aspirants.
There are different grades of worship. The first is the worship of idols.
The next is recitation of Mantras and offering of prayers. Mental worship
is superior to worship with flowers. Meditation on the Absolute or the
attributeless Nirguna Brahman is the best of all.
The supreme state is Self-realisation or Brahma-sakshatkara. The second
in rank is meditation. The Yogi practises Sadhana or unceasing meditation
on the Supreme Self. The third is the worship of symbols. The fourth is
the performance of rituals and pilgrimages to holy places. The Sastras
and Gurus are like kind mothers. They take hold of the hands of the aspirants,
take them step by step, stage by stage, till they are established in Nirvikalpa
Samadhi or super-conscious state. They prescribe gross forms of Sadhana
or spiritual practices for the neophytes or beginners, with gross mind,
and give lessons on abstract meditation for the advanced aspirants who
are endowed with pure, subtle and sharp intellect.
Each marks a stage of progress. The human soul makes different kinds of
attempts to grasp and realise the Infinite or the Absolute according to
his strength, degree of evolution. He soars higher and higher, gathers
more and more strength and eventually merges himself in the Supreme and
attains oneness or identity.
Glory to the Hindu Rishis (and the Hindu scriptures) who take the aspirants
from the lower to the higher form of worship, stage by stage, step by step
and ultimately help them to rest in the attributeless, all-pervading, formless,
timeless, spaceless Brahman or the infinite and the unconditional Brahman
of the Upanishads.
Beloved children of the Lord! Shed your ignorant disbelief this moment.
Enshrine supreme, unshakable, living faith in your heart this very moment.
Recall to your mind the glorious examples of Sri Mira, Sri Ramakrishna
Paramahamsa and the South Indian Alwars and Nayanars. They believed; they
reaped the rich spiritual harvests. You, too, can enjoy great peace, happiness
and prosperity here and attain Him here and now if you have this faith
in idol-worshipping.
Though you may perform external worship at regular intervals, let the internal
worship of the Lord in your heart be constant, unbroken. Here worship attains
completeness. Life is a divine worship. May you realise the significance
of the universal worship of the Virat in daily life and performing it,
attain the summum bonum of life. May the Lord bless you all!
The Temple
In the Kali Yuga and in the material world of busy day-to-day life, the
temple of the Lord affords great opportunities for the evolution of man
through concentration and devotion. The precincts of the temple are so
sacred and give a peace which no other atmosphere can give. There is a
divine vibration in the entire area. By the constant and regular Puja during
the three sessions of the day, the recitation of the Holy Vedas and chanting
of specific Mantras throughout the year, the auspiciousness of the temple
increases everyday and the entire atmosphere elevates the soul of man to
a very great degree.
The shrine in which the Murti of the Supreme Lord is installed is a hallowed
place which exerts a powerful spiritual influence that can transform the
minds of persons into a state of higher purity. The daily worships through
prayers, invocations and Abhisheka and Archana, performed at the temple,
endow the whole environment with a holiness and splendour that infuses
into all a feeling of reverence, piety and devotion, whenever they enter
its premises. But the sanctity of the temple should be carefully maintained
by observing the prescribed rules usually connected with the maintenance
of places of divine worship. External and internal Saucha are both necessary
in the worship of the Devata in a temple.
The temple dedicated to the Archavatara of the Lord is a visible representation
of the body of the Virat-Purusha and the rituals of worship in the temple
are objective acts expressing the whole process of spiritual Sadhana. The
temple is the microcosmic embodiment of the universe indwelt by the Antaryamin,
Isvara, whose worship we conduct at the sacred temple. The Lord is invoked
by means of the powerful Mantras of the Srutis, Smritis and Tantras and
the Murti in the temple becomes a living manifestation of the force of
the Divine, ready to fulfil the noble aspirations of the devout Archaka.
Archana is the easiest and the safest means of cultivating the love of
the Almighty, for it becomes the link between His transcendent being and
the world in which the devotee is placed. The one special feature of Archana-Bhakti
is that it seeks to evoke the finer forms of the religious consciousness
in man through offering to God articles of devotion by means of the physical
forms which are the immediate aspects of the manifestations of God-Being,
revealed to the senses here. Hence Archana is the foundation on which is
constructed the grand edifice of spiritual effort and realisation. It is
one among the nine gems of the way in which man aspires to reach God.
Worship the Lord with intense faith and aspiration. The Lord will surely
bestow His grace upon you all. All are blessed—one who causes the temple
to be built, who actually builds it, who assists in it, who is happy about
it, who performs worship in it, who prostrates oneself before it with faith
and adorns the Lord always in one’s heart, with sincerity and love. The
Lord is everywhere and He allows Himself to be adored at particular places
on account of the supreme compassion that He has for all beings.
Glory of Prasad
Prasad is that which gives Peace. During Kirtan, worship, Puja, Havan and
Arati, Badam, Kismis, milk, sweets, fruits are offered to the Lord. After
offering them to the Lord, they are shared between the members of the house
or the Bhaktas in a temple. Puja is done by Bael leaves, flowers, Tulasi,
Vibhuti and these are given as Prasad from the Lord. Vibhuti is the Prasad
of Lord Siva. It is to be applied on the forehead. A small portion can
be taken in. Kumkum is the Prasad of Sri Devi or Sakti. It is to be applied
at the space between the eyebrows (Ajna or Bhrumadhya). Tulasi is the Prasad
of Lord Vishnu, Rama or Krishna. It is to be taken in. They are charged
with mysterious powers by the chanting of the Mantras during Puja and Havan.
The mental Bhava of the devotee offering Bhog to the Lord has a very great
effect. If an ardent devotee of the Lord offers anything to the Lord, that
Prasad, if taken, would bring very great change even in the minds of atheists.
The Grace of the Lord descends through Prasad. Go through the life of Narada.
You will realise the greatness of the sacred leavings of the Lord as well
as those of advanced Sadhakas and saints.
Namdev offered rice, etc., to Panduranga Vittala and He ate the food and
shared with Namdev as well. If the food is offered with a yearning heart,
sometimes, the Lord takes that food assuming a physical form. In other
cases, the Lord enjoys the subtle essence of the food offered and the food
remains as it is in the shape of Prasad. While feeding Mahatmas and the
poor people, that which is left behind is taken as Prasad. When a sacrifice
is performed, the participants share the Prasad which bestows the blessings
of the gods. When Dasaratha performed Putrakameshti (wishing for son) sacrifice,
he got a vessel full of sweetened rice which he gave to his queens, by
taking which they became pregnant. Prasad is the most sacred object for
a devotee. One should consider himself lucky to take the Prasad and there
is no restriction of any kind in taking Prasad. Time and place and the
condition in which one is placed—all these do not affect him in any way.
Prasad is all-purifying.
The benefits of Prasad and Charanamrit are beyond description. They have
the power to change entirely the outlook of a man’s life. Prasad and Charanamrit
have the power to cure diseases and even bring back to life dead persons.
There have been ever so many instances in the past in this holy land of
ours which bear witness to the potency and efficacy of Prasad. Prasad destroys
all pains and sins. It is an antidote for misery, pain and anxiety. Faith
is the important factor in testing the accuracy of this statement. For
faithless persons it brings very little effect.
Those who are brought up in modern education and culture have forgotten
all about the glory of Prasad. Many English-educated persons do not attach
any importance to Prasad when they get it from the Mahatma. This is a serious
mistake. Prasad is a great purifier. As they are brought up in the Western
style of living, they have imbibed the spirit of Westerners and forgotten
the spirit of the true children of Indian Rishis of yore. Live for a week
in Brindavan or Ayodhya or Benares or Pandharpur. You will realise the
glory and the miraculous effects of Prasad. Many incurable diseases are
cured. Many sincere devotional aspirants get wonderful spiritual experiences
from mere Prasad alone. Prasad is a panacea. Prasad is a spiritual elixir.
Prasad is the Grace of the Lord. Prasad is a cure-all and an ideal ‘pick-me-up.’
Prasad is an embodiment of Sakti. Prasad is Divinity in manifestation.
Prasad energises, vivifies, invigorates and infuses devotion. It should
be taken with great faith.
Prasad bestows good health, long life, peace and prosperity on all. Glory
to Prasad, the bestower of Peace and Bliss! Glory to the Lord of the Prasad,
the giver of immortality and undying happiness!
Philosophy of Hindu Symbols
Bells are rung in temples and while doing Puja to shut out the external
sounds and to make the mind inward and concentrated.
Lights are waved before the Deity. This denotes that the Lord is Jyoti
Svarupa. He is all-light. The devotee says, “O Lord! Thou art the self-effulgent
Light of the universe. Thou art the light in the sun, moon and fire. Remove
the darkness in me by bestowing your divine Light. May my intellect be
illumined.” This is the significance of waving lights.
Dhoop or scented sticks are burnt before the Deity. The smoke spreads in
the whole room. It acts as a disinfectant. Burning of Dhoop denotes that
the Lord is all-pervading, that He fills the whole universe by His living
presence. It is to remind this fact that Dhoop is burnt. The devotee prays,
“O Lord! Let the Vasanas and Samskaras dormant in me vanish like the smoke
of this Dhoop and become ashes. Let me become stainless.”
Burning of camphor denotes that the individual ego melts like the camphor
and the Jivatman becomes one with the supreme Light of lights.
The pasting of sandal reminds the devotee that he should, in his difficulties,
be as patient as the sandal. Sandal emanates sweet odour when it is pasted.
So also the devotee should not murmur when difficulties arise, but on the
other hand, remain cheerful and happy and emanates sweetness and gentleness
like the sandal. He should not hate even his enemy. This is another precept
we learn from this. Though the sandalwood is crushed and pasted, it silently
wears out emanating only very sweet odour. One should not wish evil even
to his enemy.
The Siva Linga
The popular belief is that the Siva Lingam represents the phallus or the
virile organ, the emblem of the generative power or principle in nature.
This is not only a serious mistake, but a grave blunder. In the post-Vedic
period, the Linga became symbolical of the generative power of Lord Siva.
Linga is the differentiating mark. It is certainly not the sex mark. You
will find in the Linga Purana:
Pradhanam Prakriti Yadahurlingamuttamam
Gandhavarnarasaiheenam Sabda-sparsadi-varjitam
The foremost Lingam which is primary and is devoid of smell, colour, taste,
hearing, touch, etc., is spoken of as Prakriti (Nature).
Linga means “Mark” in Sanskrit. It is a symbol which points to an inference.
When you see a big flood in a river, you infer that there have been heavy
rains the previous day. When you see smoke, you infer that there is fire.
This vast world of countless forms is a Linga of the Omnipotent Lord. The
Siva Linga is a symbol of Lord Siva. When you look at the Linga, your mind
is at once elevated and you begin to think of the Lord.
Lord Siva is really formless. He has no form of His own and yet all forms
are His forms. All forms are pervaded by Lord Siva. Every form is the form
or Linga of Lord Siva.
There is a mysterious power or indescribable Sakti in the Linga to induce
concentration of the mind. Just as the mind is focussed easily in crystal
gazing, so also it attains one-pointedness when it looks at the Lingam.
That is the reason why the ancient Rishis of India and the seers have prescribed
the Lingam for being installed in the temples of Lord Siva.
Siva Linga speaks to you in the unmistakable language of silence: “I am
one without a second, I am formless.” Pure, pious souls only can understand
this language. A curious, passionate, impure foreigner of little understanding
or intelligence says sarcastically, “Oh! The Hindus worship the phallus
or sex organ. They are ignorant people. They have no philosophy.” When
a foreigner tries to learn Tamil or Hindustani language, he first tries
to pick up some vulgar words. This is his curiosity nature. Even so, the
curious foreigner tries to find out some defects in the worship of symbol.
Linga is only the outward symbol of the formless being Lord Siva who is
the indivisible, all-pervading, eternal, auspicious, ever-pure, immortal
essence of this vast universe, who is the undying soul seated in the chambers
of your heart, who is your Indweller, innermost Self or Atman, and who
is identical with the Supreme Brahman.
Sphatikalinga is also a symbol of Lord Siva. This is prescribed for Aradhana
or worship of Lord Siva. It is made up of quartz. It has no colour of its
own but takes on the colour of the substances which come in contact with
it. It represents the Nirguna Brahman or the attributeless Supreme Self
or formless and attributeless Siva.
For a sincere devotee, the Linga is not a block of stone. It is all radiant
Tejas or Chaitanya. The Linga talks to him, makes him shed profuse tears,
produces horripilation and melting of heart, raises him above body-consciousness
and helps to commune with the Lord and attain Nirvikalpa Samadhi. Lord
Rama worshipped the Siva Linga at Rameshwar. Ravana, the learned scholar,
worshipped the golden Linga. What a lot of mystic Sakti there should be
in the Linga!
May you all attain the formless Siva through the worship of the Linga,
the symbol of Lord Siva which helps concentration of mind and which serves
as a prop for the mind to lean upon in the beginning for the neophytes!
Faith And Idol Worship
Puran Chand’s Guru had initiated him into the Narayana Mantra and given
him a small Murti (idol) of Lord Narayana for worship. Puran was regular
in his worship and did not omit repetition of the sacred Mantra, but there
was no sign of the idol blessing him; so he went to his Guru and asked
him the reason. The Guru smiled at Puran and said, “Well son, take this
idol of Lord Siva. I shall initiate you into the Siva Mantra. Worship Lord
Siva with faith and devotion. He is considered as Bhole Nath and is easily
propitiable; He will bless you soon.”
The next six months saw Puran Chand immersed in Japa and worship of Lord
Siva. The idol of Lord Narayana was placed on a dusty shelf in the puja
room. After many months, Puran Chand once more went to his Guru and complained
that his worship of Siva had brought him no result. He begged him to give
him the Murti and Mantra of a Devata that would bless him.
The Guru smiled again; the time for enlightenment had come, yet he felt
the disciple would learn from experience. So he said, “Good son, in this
Yuga, Mother Kali is Pratyaksha Devata. Worship this image of Her and repeat
the Navarna Mantra and you will obtain Her Grace.” This time, Puran Chand
had no misgivings whatsoever; he had full faith.
Kali worship commenced; Siva joined company with Narayana on the shelf.
With devotion, Puran was waving incense before the image of Mother Kali
when the fumes rose up and reached the shelf where the other two idols
were kept. Puran was enraged. What right had Siva to inhale the incense
intended for Mother Kali? He had refused to be propitiated when he had
tirelessly worshipped Him; it was Mother Kali whom he now worshipped. In
great anger he took down the image of Siva in his hands and began to insert
cotton wool in His nose to stop Him from inhaling the incense. Before he
could accomplish his task, however, the idol disappeared and before him
stood the Lord, smiling in all His mercy and compassion. Speechless with
wonder and amazement, Puran prostrated himself before the Lord who told
him to ask for any boon as He was immensely pleased with his devotion.
Puran answered, “My Lord, I am much perplexed. You did not deign to bless
me when I devoutly worshipped You and repeated the Panchakshara Mantra
for six months. But You suddenly chose to reveal yourself to me when I
had discarded Your image and given up Your worship. What is this mystery,
O Lord?”
The Lord answered, “My child, there is no mystery to be explained; how
could I reveal Myself when you treated Me as a mere image, as a mere piece
of metal worshipped or thrown away according to your whim? Today you treated
My image as a living presence when you wanted to plug the nostrils with
cotton wool; thus you revealed that you recognised My living presence in
the idol and I could no longer withhold Myself from you.”
Speechless and enlightened, Puran bowed once more and was immersed in His
Love. He could ask for no greater boon, for in His love he found fulfilment.
