The Hindu Article - Worship of idols helps quell anger

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Date:16/12/2002 URL:

http://www.thehindu.com/2002/12/16/stories/2002121600430900.htm

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Miscellaneous - Religion

 

Worship of idols helps quell anger

 

CHENNAI DEC. 16 . On almost all occasions, scriptures administer us a

stern warning to guard ourselves against dangerous foes like passion,

anger, avarice, hatred and ego, lurking within us. Of them frequent

and inexplicable bursts of anger are the worst and scriptures

instantly advise us to keep them under control, a task, which is

almost impossible. But efforts can help us to tame them and a person

who has achieved this can be identified by his composure and

equipoise. God will never occupy the hearts of those who harbour this

evil.

 

How anger exerts its influence and how people's attitude will be, are

described in a verse. Like a man who smears his chest with sandal

paste can get it removed by dabbing it with a wet towel, a sane

person's ire will vanish within a few minutes. The second type of

person who loses his temper can be compared to one who uses betel

leaves getting rid of the stain in two or three days by a mouth wash

and gargling. His anger will subside after some time. In the next

category is one who will continue to smoulder within and takes some

time to calm down and he is likened to one who gets his or her

fingers decorated with herbal paste (mehendi). Like the colour fading

away gradually, he will be in his usual self over a period. Another

instance of a person requiring great efforts to quell anger and keep

his heart cleansed, is like the act of retrieving a brass vessel

lying at the bottom of a well for a long time and removing the clay

deposit and making it look like a new one with a tinker's help. In

the last group are sinners who are incorrigible and will get into

meaningless rage and will continue to show it forever.

 

One of the methods to curb anger is to worship the idols in temples.

Every one of them will look like answering the pleas of devotees. The

worshipper will derive mental peace and solace and his anger, if any,

will subside. Hinduism has given the option to a devotee to choose

any form of God and adore Him. The eyes of one of the idols of Lord

Narasimha, keeping the demon on His lap, seems to show pity that He

had to punish him. The effulgence of these idols is bound to bring

about a change in one who simmers with wrath. God is ever merciful

and will reveal Himself to those whose mind is freed of all evil

forces, explained Sri V. Srivatsankachariar, describing the beauty of

Varadaraja of Kanchi, portrayed by Vedanta Desika, in a poem of 50

verses on the Lord.

 

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