Hindus Do Not Do Idol Worship

Western Society and Abrahamic religions are often dazzled and confused by all the deity worship with in the Hinduism. So, through this conversation a Hindu or follower of Sanatan Dharma will give light on this confusion of abrahamic faith followers.

Muslim Brothers Asks:

Hindus do idol worship which is condemned in Abrahamic religious books like the holy Quran, the Holy Bible and the Holy Torah.

Hindu/Sanatan Dharmic Answers :

Hindus do not do idol worship. The Vedas also are thoroughly opposed to idol worship, but what you have seen in Hindu temples is not idol worship but rather Deity worship. It is very easy to understand how Deity worship may at first appear as idol worship to a person who is unfamiliar with the principle behind this important devotional process. After all, the form of the Deity is crafted by a man out of some kind of material elements, and that form is later worshipped in the temple with devotion.

Deity Worship is one of the best beneficial devotional service which gives us opportunity to take every breath in supreme bliss.

In the Vedas, Deity worship is an extremely important devotional process to help us develop love of God. In fact, it is one of the nine general classifications of devotional service mentioned in Sanskrit in the Vedas.

It is said, çravaëaà kértanaà viñëoù smaraëaà päda-sevanam arcanaà vandanaà däsyaà sakhyam ätma-nivedanam [Bhäg. 7.5.23]

“Devotional service consists of (1) hearing about the Lord, (2) chanting His glories, (3) remembering Him, (4) serving and meditating upon His lotus feet, (5) worshiping Him, (6) praying to Him, (7) thinking oneself His eternal servant, (8) becoming His friend, and (9) surrendering everything to Him.” The fifth process mentioned here, arcanaà, worshipping the Lord, refers to Deity worship.

In Bhagabat Gita Lord says that the highest conception of yoga perfection is God-consciousness through “deity worship” is clearly explained in this verse.

“sa vai manah krishna-padaravindayor vacamsi vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane karau harer mandira-marjanadishu srutim cakaracyuta-sat-kathodaye mukunda-lingalaya-darsane drisau tad-bhritya-gatra-sparse ‘nga-sangamam ghranam ca tat-pada-saroja-saurabhe srimat-tulasya rasanam tad-arpite padau hareh kshetra-padanusarpane siro hrishikesa-padabhivandane kamam ca dasye na tu kama-kamyaya yathottama-sloka-janasraya ratih”

“King Ambarisha fixed his mind on the lotus feet of Lord Krishna, engaged his words in describing the abode of the Lord, his hands in cleansing the temple of the Lord, his ears in hearing the pastimes of the Lord, his eyes in seeing the form of the Lord, his body in touching the body of the devotee, his nostrils in smelling the flavor of the flowers offered to the lotus feet of the Lord, his tongue in tasting the tulasi leaves offered to Him, his legs in traveling to the holy place where His temple is situated, his head in offering  obeisances unto the Lord, and his desires in fulfilling the desires of the Lord… and all these qualifications made him fit to become an excellent devotee of the Lord.”

Muslims asks

I still do not see the difference. Koran also says that one should worship the Lord, but the act of worshipping idols as God is condemned. What makes the Hindu’s Deity worship any different from the worship of idols so condemned in the abrahamic tradition?

Hindu/Sanatan Dharmic answers

The difference is that God authorizes the worship of Deities. For example, if you put mail into an authorized mailbox it will be delivered to the address written on the envelope. But if you drop that mail into some box other than an authorized mailbox, it will not be delivered. Similarly, if you create some form, call it God, and worship it, all according to your own mental concoction, there will be no benefit and your act will be condemned by God. If however, you create a form according to the actual description of God’s form given in the revealed scriptures, and if you worship that form according to the rules and regulations given by God in the scriptures, you will achieve excellent results. The result of that worship is supreme love for God.

This is instructed by Almighty Lord Vishnu in his Lord Krishna incarnation. Uddhava a devotee of lord is getting “divaya gyan” on deity worship from Lord in this verse.

SB 11.27

Śrī Uddhava said: My dear Lord, O master of the devotees, please explain to me the prescribed method of worshiping You in Your Deity form. What are the qualifications of those devotees who worship the Deity, on what basis is such worship established, and what is the specific method of worship? All the great sages repeatedly declare that such worship brings the greatest benefit possible in human life. This is the opinion of Nārada Muni, the great Vyāsadeva and my own spiritual master, Brihaspati. O most magnanimous Lord, the instructions on this process of Deity worship first emanated from Your lotus mouth. Then they were spoken by the great Lord Brahmā to his sons, headed by Bhrigu, and by Lord Śiva to his wife, Pārvatī. This process is accepted by and appropriate for all the occupational and spiritual orders of society. Therefore I consider worship of You in Your Deity form to be the most beneficial of all spiritual practices, even for sinners.

So Lord Krishna, God Himself, has authorized the process of worshipping Him in the form of a deity.

SB 11.27.48: Whenever one develops faith in Me — in My form as the Deity or in other bona fide manifestations — one should worship Me in that form. I certainly exist both within all created beings and also separately in My original form, since I am the Supreme Soul of all.

Muslim Brother asks :

In principle I understand that if God actually authorizes some activity, it must be correct. Still, I have difficulty understanding how a person can learn to love God by worshipping a form that He himself has created. Perhaps my difficulty is that in the abrahamic scriptures, I know of no description of God’s form that is detailed enough to allow someone to craft a form like it. Also, I am not familiar with any descriptions in the Islamic scriptures about how to worship such a form like a Deity. Such worship is repeatedly condemned as idolatry.

Hindu/Sanatan Dharmic answers:

Abrahamic scriptures may not give a clear and detailed description of the form of God, but the Vedas do. The Vedas also give a very detailed description of the method of Deity worship. The principle is that if you want to love God, you must be able to develop some personal relationship with Him. As we have discussed several times, the purpose of religion is to develop love of God. Service to God is the symptom and means to that love. In our impure state, may be it hindu or muslim or Christian, we are not qualified to see the original spiritual form of God and to worship Him. By His mercy He has agreed to appear in the form of His Deity. Therefore, the whole process of Deity worship gives us an opportunity to directly serving God. As the devotee renders continuous and regulated service to the Deity according to the methods authorized in the scriptures, the impurities of our heart gradually become cleansed and our natural loving relationship with the Lord is manifest. Without being able to relate to God in some personal way there is no question of learning to love Him, even though He is all-pervading and can accept our offering any time or place.

 

Lord describes about the infinite nature of Him:

“sarvatah pani-padam tat sarvato ’ksi-siro-mukham sarvatah shrutimal loke sarvam avrtya tishthati” (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter 13 verse 14)

“Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna,I am everywhere and in everyone. In this way the Super Soul exists, pervading everything in this world.”

So, God is everywhere. Anyone who believes in God must accept God everywhere. He is in everything so is He not in this wood or stone?” But the difference is we are recognizing Him here, we are worshiping Him here, we are focusing our attention in Him here. It is explained in the scriptures that when an advanced devotee invokes the presence of the Lord in a form that is particularly designed as explained then out of causeless mercy and kindness the supreme God appears in that form to accept our love. If we approach the deity as stone, the deity appears to us as stone, if we approach the deity as God, the deity will reveal Himself as God; of course, at the beginning our vision is material so we cannot see the spiritual. It is for that reason that God allows us to worship His transcendental form in deity form.

Muslim Brothers asks :

So, Hindus are using deities for concentration? Then abrahamic faith followers and Muslims don’t need to worship deities because they are advanced than Hindus and need no concentration for god.

Hindu/Sanatan Dharmic answers :

No, this is wrong perception that Hindus are using deities is for concentration. Hindus or Sanatan Dharma followers are spiritually intelligent. Islam, Christianity and other abramahic religions focus on helping those who do not believe in God. For them believe in God is the beginning and end of the process.

Therefore the essences of abrahamic religions or Islam/Christianity are Fear god and obey god. However, in Hinduism belief is only the first and lower level system. The ultimate goal of Hinduism is to move beyond just believing in god to experiencing God here or direct experience of the Divine. The experience of God, in sense of complete God Realization, is sole motive of a Hindu life. Therefore the essence of Hinduism is to Love god and become one with the Supreme Soul.

The fear brings one only up to certain point and beyond that it repels, but love takes through to the point. Devotion or bhakti as often referred to is a very key concept in Hinduism, even for the philosophically inclined ones. While the shashtras – be it vedas, Agamas, purANas – describe the Glory of God, one finds abundance of stotras that praise the God in love.

So, it is understanding problem of non–Hindus that idol is required for concentration only in the initial stages and not later on when the mind reaches higher consciousness. Hindus starts their life having highest consciousness of god and their life ends on transforming and liberating experience of complete God realization or seeing God. Some Abrahamic faiths like Islam do not allow seeing god or completing god realization so followers of these religions live life in initial god consciousness and there is little hope for realizing god beyond going religious instructions.

Muslim brothers Asks :

Your explanation helps me have a clearer understanding of Hindu Deity worship, but your own scriptures say god has no form. These following verses I have found in “Islamic research foundation” site. What you gonna say now?

The following verses from the Upanishads refer to the Concept of God:

“Ekam evadvitiyam” “He is One only without a second.” [Chandogya Upanishad 6:2:1]1

“Na casya kascij janita na cadhipah.” “Of Him there are neither parents nor lord.” [Svetasvatara Upanishad 6:9]2

“Na tasya pratima asti” “There is no likeness of Him.” [Svetasvatara Upanishad 4:19]3

The following verses from the Upanishad allude to the inability of man to imagine God in a particular form:

“Na samdrse tisthati rupam asya, na caksusa pasyati kas canainam.” “His form is not to be seen; no one sees Him with the eye.”[Svetasvatara Upanishad 4:20]4

“na tasya pratima asti” “There is no image of Him.”[Yajurveda 32:3]5

“shudhama poapvidham” “He is bodyless and pure.”[Yajurveda 40:8]6

“Andhatama pravishanti ye asambhuti mupaste”

“They enter darkness, those who worship the natural elements” (Air, Water, Fire, etc.). “They sink deeper in darkness, those who worship sambhuti.” [Yajurveda] Sambhuti means created things, for example table, chair, idol, etc.

Hindu/Sanatan dharmic answers :

Well all the understanding and projecting the meaning of these verses are completely wrong.Let me explain it. Abrahamic faith followers sometimes failed to understand  and become confused in hindu scriptures because trying to do an in and out analysis without getting on to taste its fruit by practicing would make one feel exhausted. Because it is not a religion of limited contours. It is really an ocean of knowledge. Hindu shashtras – be it vedas, Agamas, purANas – describe two aspects of God

1. Nirguna Brahman The absolute with out qualities, is impersonal, without guna or attributes, Nirakara (formless), Nirvisesha (without special characteristics), immutable, eternal and Akarta (non-agent).in nirguna god is sadashiva, parameswar, paramatma or adisakti. In his formless form or nirguna aspect god is the transcendental formless reality, and the most unknown who is in the form of without qualities and attributes. Nirguna Brahman is the supreme lord , the eternal truth , the absolute ,invisible ,which is beyond the senses and mind and without time.
2. Saguna Brahman Qualified absolute, came from the Sanskrit saguṇa (सगुण) “with qualities” and brahman (ब्रह्मन्) “the Absolute.” The personal aspect of the Ultimate Reality. Saguna Brahman is cosmic lord who combines within himself the role of creatopn , maintenance , destruction ,concealment and liberation. As the supreme self or almighty divine being in saguna Brahman God is mahavishnu, mahasiva , mahasakti etc. But Saguna Brahman and Nirguan Brahman are not two different Brahmans but two identical aspects of one lord.

SO   “na tasya pratima asti” There is no image of Him.

So, there is no image of God when God manifests Himself as nirguNa brahman (attributeless god).

“shudhama poapvidham” “He is bodyless and pure.

God is bodyless when He is in his Nirakara/Nirguna State.

“Na samdrse tisthati rupam asya, na caksusa pasyati kas canainam.” “His form is not to be seen; no one sees Him with the eye.”

This verse says When God is Nirvikar or Nirakar or Nirguna , in this state no one can see him. Even God is in Saguna Form one can’t see his divine form from his material eyes. One can only see god through his spiritual eyes.

“Andhatama pravishanti ye asambhuti mupaste” “They enter darkness, those who worship the natural elements” (Air, Water, Fire, etc.). “They sink deeper in darkness, those who worship sambhuti.” 

This verse says without God’s authentication if one create some form, call it god and worship it, all according to it’s mental concoction then all his process will go in vain.

“Ekam evadvitiyam” “He is One only without a second.”

Hinduism is often labeled as a religion of 330 million gods. This misunderstanding arises when people fail to grasp the rich philosophy of Hinduism. Hindus believe in the One Lord,Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is the original and primeval person who is simultaneously expanded everywhere throughout existence and yet is still situated in His eternal abode in His original, transcendental form. He is the all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-merciful being. He is the chief eternal living entity amongst all eternal living entities who are His parts. He is responsible for fulfilling all the desires of the subordinate living entities since time immemorial.

Muslim Brothers Asks :

Well, Now my confusions about are clearing about Hindu deity worship.

Hindu/Sanatan Dharmic Answers:

The Lord is ultimately interested in the spiritual welfare of everyone. He instructs us to do that which is for our ultimate spiritual benefit and He condemns those activities that are unfavorable for us to develop our love for Him. If we serve the Deity according to the authorized process, then we will be spiritually benefited. Otherwise, we will not.

Therefore Lord Brahma says

ishvaraha parama krishnaha sac-chid-ananda-vigraha anadir adi govindaha sarva-karana-karanam

Krsna who is known as Govinda is the Supreme Godhead. He has an eternal, blissful, spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin and He is the prime cause of all causes.

namo brahmanya-devaya go-brahmana-hitaya cha jagad-dhitaya krishnaya govindaya namo namaha

“I offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Krishna, who is the worshipable Deity for all the brahmanas and the benefactor of the whole world. I offer my repeated obeisances to the Personality of Godhead, known as Krishna and Govinda.”

Sources

1. Radhanatha Swami Blog
2. Krishna .org
3. folknet .in
4. Lectures of Srila Prabhupada
5. Devi Gita
6. Bhagabat Gita
7. Srimad Bhagabatam
8. equalsoul .org
9. shaivam .org