WORD "IDOL"

[Guest guest]

In a recent issue of Vol. I/022

d/02/20/01,

Sri Ramanjua Acharya Swamy from Australia correctly

points out that use of the word "IDOL" is rather

demeaning and insulting. My feeling is that there is

no equalent term in English language. The best term to

use is "Sri Vigraha." This was pointed out by Sri

Prabhpada, and ISKON devotees always use the term Sri

Vigraha. I am not an authority and am a very ignorant

person, but the question is Why not use the proper

sanskrit term?

 

In the service of Lord Sriman Narayana and his

devotees, I remain,

 

Sincerely

Narender P. Reddy

reddynp

 

 

 

______________

"Dear Sir

Adiyen dasanudasan

I am a westerner who was given SamAsrayaNam by His

Holiness Yatiraja

Jiyar Swamigal of Sriperumbudur. Some years back I was

appointed as

AchArya of the Ten Sampradaya by His Holiness. Here in

Sydney

Australia we have established a branch of the Yatiraja

Jiyar Matt

with both Indian and western members, and are having

regular

programs, Bhagavad aradhanai, upanyasa and

kAlakshEpams, utsavams

etc. We have jokingly called ourselves "Metgalai"

Sampradaya, because

there are certain points of the Vadakalai Sam. which

we consider as

correct and some points of the Tengalai Same of which

are more valid.

The long -standing conflict between the two branches

of the

Sampradaya should be bridged, we feel, Swami Desikan

was indeed one

of the greatest luminaries that appeared post

Bhashyakara, but

Manavalamamuni was not without greatness and wisdom.

We in Australia

study the works of both the AchAryas with equal

reverence.

 

I have a great regard for your journal but there is

one thing that

disturbs me greatly being a westerner; - the use of

the word IDOL.

This is a horrible, pejorative term coined by

missionaries to

denigrate the practice of ArchA Aradhana - it is a

term of

colonialism, cultural oppression and religious

imperialism that

should never be used by us. The correct term to use is

ICON, it is a

neutral term in modern society and is also the name

which the

Catholics apply to their own ArchA.

Yours humbly

in the service of Srimannarayana and the prapannas.

Sri Rama Ramanuja Acharya

=================================================

I appreciate the spirit in which you have advised the

use of the

word "Icon" in the place of "Idol". As per the

standard dictionaries,

both the words are synonymous and nothing pejorative

about the

word "idol" (Vide "Roget's Thesaurus of English words

and phrases"

pages 940-941)

The meanings of the word "Idol" are as follows:

Image, Exceller, Desired object, Person of repute,

Loved one,

Favorite, Good man, God, etc.

The meanings of the word "Icon" are as follows:

Copy, Image, Picture, Ritual object etc.

You may kindly review with reference to the above and

if you still

feel that "Idol" may not be used, please feel free to

inform me.

==================================================

His further Comments:

Dear Anbil

Adiyen Dasanudasan!

Thank you very much for replying to me in spite of

your busy schedule.

I refer to your dictionary definitions. The use of

language is not

only according to the literal dictionary definitions -

but also

culturally based.

 

I know that in India alone it is very common for

Hindus to refer to

Archas as Idols. In the west the same Archas in

churches and

religious establishments are never referred to as

idols but as icons.

So although this usage is common amongst Hindus and

perfectly

acceptable - to westerners this is a very negative

term used to

denigrate, never to appreciate. So in my teaching I

have always found

it useful to use the culturally based language of the

masses. I teach

many westerners and whenever they hear this word idol

they cringe.

 

If you read the bible you will find this term used

pejoratively

against the gods of the pagan masses and it states

quite clearly the

God of the bible hates idol worship and idolaters. So,

Western

culture is informed by biblical ideas and concepts and

hence the

discomfort with this term.

 

If your magazine and upadeshams are directed only at

expatriate

Srivaishnavas - there is no problem and my

well-intentioned remarks

are merely superfluous but if you anticipate reaching

out to western

readers and potential prapannas - then I think you

should consider

changing terms. For your interest I am including some

quotes from the

Bible.

Thank you for your time

Dasanudasan RamAnuja Dasan

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Sri Padmavati sameta Srinivasa parabrahmane Namah.

Srimad Venkata Lakshmana Yativaraya namah.

 

your servant is of the opinion that the term "image" is the most appropriate.

Agama Sastras frequently use the word "bimbam" for Lord's divya vigraham.

However, the term image or bimbam should not be taken as mirror or virtual

image. It is His real form once it is properly consecrated. In case of Thirumala

and such places, He Himself is standing as a bimbam wihtout any consecration,

just like He enetered the wombs of Kausalya and devaki.

 

Dasanudasan

Vishnu

 

 

 

 

 

On Tue, 20 Feb 2001 14:10:14

Narender Reddy wrote:

>

>In a recent issue of Vol. I/022

>d/02/20/01,

>Sri Ramanjua Acharya Swamy from Australia correctly

>points out that use of the word "IDOL" is rather

>demeaning and insulting. My feeling is that there is

>no equalent term in English language. The best term to

>use is "Sri Vigraha." This was pointed out by Sri

>Prabhpada, and ISKON devotees always use the term Sri

>Vigraha. I am not an authority and am a very ignorant

>person, but the question is Why not use the proper

>sanskrit term?

>

>In the service of Lord Sriman Narayana and his

>devotees, I remain,

>

>Sincerely

>Narender P. Reddy

>reddynp

>

>

>

>______________

 

>

 

 

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