Is idol worship allowed in Hinduism?

[Mazhar]

 

 

 

IS IDOL WORSHIP ALLOWED IN HINDUISM?

 

 

Note: I apologize in advance if this hearts any Hindu’s feelings. My intention is not to heart but to say the truth which is my duty to tell and your right to know. I am only quoting Hindu scriptures here.

An analysis of the Hindu Scriptures:

1. "Those whose intelligence has been stolen by material desires surrender unto demigods and follow the particular rules and regulations of worship according to their own natures."

[bhagavad Gita 7:20]

The Gita states that people who are materialistic worship demigods i.e. ‘gods’ besides the True God.

2. "Ekam evadvitiyam"

"He is One only without a second."

[Chandogya Upanishad 6:2:1] *

3. "Na casya kascij janita na cadhipah."

"Of Him there are neither parents nor lord."

[svetasvatara Upanishad 6:9] **

4. "Na tasya pratima ffice:smarttags" /><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">asti</st1:place></st1:city>"

"There is no likeness of Him."

[svetasvatara Upanishad 4:19] ***

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

5. "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] ****

THE VEDAS

Vedas are considered the most sacred of all the Hindu scriptures.

6. "na tasya pratima <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">asti</st1:city></st1:place>

"There is no image of Him."

[Yajurveda 32:3] *****

7. "shudhama poapvidham"

"He is bodyless and pure."

[Yajurveda 40:8] ******

8. "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 40:9] *******

Sambhuti means created things, for example table, chair, idol, etc.

Describing Almighty God in anthropomorphic terms also goes against the following verse of Yajurveda:

9. "Na tasya Pratima <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">asti</st1:place></st1:city>"

"There is no image of Him."

[Yajurveda 32:3]

This also goes against Svetasvatara Upanishad Chapter 4 verse 19.

10. "Na tasya pratima <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">asti</st1:place></st1:city>"

"There is no likeness of Him"

11. [Rigveda 8:1:1]10

The Brahma Sutra of Hinduism is:

"Ekam Brahm, dvitiya naste neh na naste kinchan"

"There is only one God, not the second; not at all, not at all, not in the least bit."

Based on these verses, a good Hindu should not worship the idols.

-----------------------

* [The Principal Upanishad by S. Radhakrishnan page 447 and 448]

[sacred Books of the East, volume 1 ‘The Upanishads part I’ page 93]

** [The Principal Upanishad by S. Radhakrishnan page 745]

[sacred Books of the East, volume 15, ‘The Upanishads part II’ page 263.]

*** [The Principal Upanishad by S. Radhakrishnan page 736 & 737]

[sacred Books of the East, volume 15, ‘The Upanishads part II’ page no 253]

**** [The Principal Upanishad by S. Radhakrishnan page 737]

[sacred Books of the East, volume 15, ‘The Upanishads part II’ page no 253]

***** [Yajurveda by Devi Chand M.A. page 377]

****** [Yajurveda Samhita by Ralph T. H. Giffith page 538]

******* [Yajurveda Samhita by Ralph T. H. Giffith page 538]

-----------------------

[Kulapavana]

Is the Black Stone in Kaaba an idol for the Muslims?

[Beggar]

Sri Murti Worship vs. Idolatry

Excerpt from The Life and Precepts of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, writen by Srila Sac-cid Ananda Bhaktivinod Thakura.

Of all these forms, kirtan or singing the Name etc., of Krishna is the best. Humble knowledge is necessary in these forms of worship and fruitless discussions must be avoided. There are some who start at the theory of worshipping Sri Murti. "Oh." they say, "it is idolatry to worship Sri Murti. Sri Murti is an idol framed by an artist and introduced by no other than Beelzebub himself. Worshipping such an object would rouse the jealousy of God and limit His Omnipotence, Omniscience and Omnipresence!" We would tell them, "Brethren ! candidly understand the question and do not allow yourself to be misled by sectarian dogmas. God is not jealous, as He is without a second. Beelzebub or Satan is no other than an object of imagination or the subject of an allegory. An allegorical or imaginary being should not be allowed to act as an obstacle to bhakti. Those who believe God to be impersonal simply identify Him with some power or attribute in nature, though, in fact, He is above nature, her laws and rules. His holy wish is law, and it would be sacrilege to confine His unlimited excellence by identifying Him with such attributes as omnipotence, omnipresence and omniscience—attributes which may exist in created objects such as time, space etc. His excellence consists in having in Him mutually contradicting powers and attributes ruled by His Supernatural Self. He is identical with His All-Beautiful Person, having such powers as Omnipresence, Omniscience and Omnipotence the like of which cannot be found elsewhere. His holy and perfect Person exists eternally in the spiritual world and at the same time existing in every created object and place in all its fullness. This idea excels all other ideas of the Deity. Mahaprabhu rejects idolatry as well, but considers Sri Murti worship to be the only unexceptionable means of spiritual culture. It has been shown that God is Personal and All-Beautiful, Sages like Vyasa and others have seen that Beauty in their souls' eyes. They have left us descriptions. Of course, word carries grossness of matter. But truth still is perceivable in those descriptions.

According to those descriptions, one delineates a Sri Murti and sees the great God of our heart there with intense pleasure. Brethren ! is that wrong or sinful ? Those who say that God has no form either material or spiritual and again imagine a false form for worship are certainly idolatrous. But those who see the spiritual form of the Deity in their souls' eyes, carry that impression as far as possible to the mind, and then frame an Emblem for the satisfaction of the material eye for continual study of the higher feeling are by no means idolatrous. While seeing a Sri Murti, do not even see the image itself but see the spiritual model of the Image and you are a pure theist. Idolatry and Sri Murti worship are two different things ; but my brethren, you simply confound one with the other out of hastiness. To tell the truth, Sri Murti worship is the only true worship of the Deity, without which you cannot sufficiently cultivate your religious feelings.

The world attracts you through your senses as long as you do not see God in the objects of your senses; you live in an awkward position which scarcely helps you in procuring you your spiritual elevation. Place a Sri Murti in your house.

Think that God Almighty is the Guardian of the house. The food that you take is His prasadam. The flower and scents are also His prasadam. The eye, the ear, the nose, the touch and the tongue-all have a spiritual culture. You do it with a holy heart and God will know it and Judge you by your sincerity. Satan and Beelzebub will have nothing to do with you in that matter. All sorts of worship are based on the principle of Sri Murti. Look into the history of religion and you will come to this noble truth. The Semitic idea, of a patriarchal God both in the pre-Christian period of Judaism and post Christian period of Christianity and Mohammedanism, is nothing but a limited idea of Sri Murti. The monarchic idea of a Jove amongst the Greeks and of an Indra amongst the Aryan karma kandis is also a distant view of the same principle

The idea of a force and jyotirmaya brahman of the meditators and a formless energy of the shaktas is also a very faint view of the Sri Murti. In fact the principle of Sri Murti is the truth itself differently exhibited in different people according to their different phases of thought. Even Jaimini and Comte who are not prepared to accept a creating God have prescribed certain phases of the Sri Murti, simply because they have been impelled by some inward action from the soul! Then again, we meet with people who have adopted the Cross, the salgram sila, the lingam and suchlike emblems as indicators of the inward idea of Sri Murti. Furthermore, if the Divine compassion, love and justice could be portrayed by the pencil and expressed by the chisel, why should not the personal beauty of the Deity embracing all other attributes be portrayed in poetry or in picture or expressed by the chisel for the benefit of man ? If words could impress thoughts, the watch could indicate time and sign could tell us a history, why should not the picture or figure bring associations of higher thoughts and feeling with regard to the transcendental beauty of the Divine personage ?

Sri Murti worshippers are divided into two classes, the ideal and the physical. Those of the physical school are entitled, from their circumstances of life and state of the mind to establish temple institutions. Those who are, by circumstances and position, entitled to worship the Sri Murti in mind have with due deference to the temple institutions, a tendency to worship usually by sravana and kirtana and their church is universal and independent of caste and color. Mahaprabhu prefers this latter class and shows worship in His Shikskastakam printed as an appendix to this book.

Worship then without intermission, with a feeling of resignation, and in a very short time you will be blessed with prema.

[Tirisilex]

Umm.. as far as I see it.. We dont worship the Idol.. We worship what the Idol represents.

[Mazhar]

 

Is the Black Stone in Kaaba an idol for the Muslims?

 

If you think that way then quote from Islamic scriptures tat say that Kaaba is the idol. Kaaba is not the idol, it is a direction.

 

I am quoting your scriptures directly, i said that my intention is not to heart some one but to present what is truth..

[Mazhar]

why do not you state it briefly and tell the world that why you worship idols even though your own scriptures condemn it? Please avoid those long articles. Thanks

[indulekhadasi]

Please read the following verse and try to understand:

 

atmaramas ca munayo

nirgrantha apy urukrame

kurvanty ahaitukim bhaktim

ittham-bhuta-guno harih

SYNONYMS

atma-aramah--persons who take pleasure in being transcendentally situated in the service of the Lord; ca--also; munayah--great saintly persons who have completely rejected material aspirations, fruitive activities and so forth; nirgranthah--without interest in any material desire; api--certainly; urukrame--unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, whose activities are wonderful; kurvanti--do; ahaitukim--causeless, or without material desires; bhaktim--devotional service; ittham-bhuta--so wonderful as to attract the attention of the self-satisfied; gunah--who has transcendental qualities; harih--the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

TRANSLATION

" 'Those who are self-satisfied and unattracted by external material desires are also attracted to the loving service of Sri Krsna, whose qualities are transcendental and whose activities are wonderful. Hari, the Personality of Godhead, is called Krsna because He has such transcendentally attractive features.'

 

If He has no form then how can he have attractive features?

[bhaktajan]

[moderator'note: post removed]

 

I have no reason to answer his questions.

I will speak my mind.

I must be in a unique position if I am the "offender"

 

"Now, still my post is an embarrassment due to it's rudeness."

[theist]

So far I see Mazhar has politely and respectfully offered an honest question and the responses have been insufficient to say the least. Bhaktajan's post is an embarrassment due to it's rudeness.

 

Looks to me like the respondents don't know why they themselves worhsip the murti in the temple.

 

This thread should be very interesting I just hope it can remain civil.

[Beggar]

 

 

This thread should be very interesting I just hope it can remain civil.

Spanish Civil War!!!!!!

[indulekhadasi]

I hope theist prabhuji thinks my post is civilized.

[theist]

 

I hope theist prabhuji thinks my post is civilised.

Of course. You are most civilized person on this forum. I am sometimes civilized and sometimes not but you are always.

 

I mentioned that because I have seen how these threads go. Next thing you know someone will start trying to make Mazhar defend Bin laden and the Taliban instead of answering his question.

 

In response to your very civilized post he might ask, "Even if God has form in the spiritual world why do we bother to carve forms for Him out of wood and stone and worship them here on earth?"

 

Well why do we?

 

ps I hope you are feeling better today.

[Beggar]

Srila Prabhupada:

"Chatur laksani manu: There are 400,000 species of human beings, most of which are uncivilized."

[Tirisilex]

Am I wrong? We are not worshiping the idol but what it represents?

[Samia]

 

why do not you state it briefly and tell the world that why you worship idols even though your own scriptures condemn it? Please avoid those long articles. Thanks

 

First off the articles posted are really quite short and full of information.

Secondly to keep it as simple as posible, they aren't Idols

[theist]

 

Srila Prabhupada:

"Chatur laksani manu: There are 400,000 species of human beings, most of which are uncivilized."

 

"Ugga Bugga' - Translation: "me want food me want sex me want defend my bone and my woman me want sleep."

 

Now C'mon beggar answer the gentleman in your own words. Why do you worship the murti form of the Lord?

[lokeshvara]

it should be noted that the original poster is not posting his or her own textual analysis unless they are, Dr. Zakir Naik. otherwise it is plagerized.

 

as for the actual question presented, there is no reason why the kabba and murti don't function in the same way. the kabba is a geographical location, offering direction for the prayers of the devotee. the murti can function similarly, only there is one in ever temple as opposed to one on earth.

[Beggar]

My words sometimes fail so that's why I posted (post#3) an excerpt from The Life and Precepts of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura.

[theist]

It doesn't matter if he posted someone elses question. He did so in a respectful manner and these are questions that those engaged in worshipping the Deity in the temple should know or why are they worshipping that form at all.

[theist]

 

My words sometimes fail so that's why I posted (post#3) an excerpt from The Life and Precepts of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura.

 

Cop out. You are very good with words and even very creative with expressing yourself in words when you want to. Is it not your duty as a disciple to answer all such inquiries?

[indulekhadasi]

 

Of course. You are most civilized person on this forum. I am sometimes civilized and sometimes not but you are always.

 

I mentioned that because I have seen how these threads go. Next thing you know someone will start trying to make Mazhar defend Bin laden and the Taliban instead of answering his question.

 

In response to your very civilized post he might ask, "Even if God has form in the spiritual world why do we bother to carve forms for Him out of wood and stone and worship them here on earth?"

 

Well why do we?

 

ps I hope you are feeling better today.

 

We do not have the eyes to see Krishna face to face right now. So how can we establish a loving relationship? How will we worship Him? So Krishna mercifully sees our problem and appears as the archa vigraha- the Deity form. By worshipping His form (which is non different from Him) we can make spiritual advancement.

 

Still have a scratchy throat and it seems like I have a sinus infection. I don't mind, Krishna knows what is best for me.

[bhaktajan]

BG 12.5 PURPORT

…the path of bhakti-yoga, the process of being in direct service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is easier and is natural for the embodied soul.

…The individual soul is embodied since time immemorial. It is very difficult for him to simply theoretically understand that he is not the body. Therefore, the bhakti-yogé accepts the Deity of Kåñëa as worshipable because there is some bodily conception fixed in the mind, which can thus be applied. Of course, worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His form within the temple is not idol worship. There is evidence in the Vedic literature that worship may be saguëa and nirguëa—of the Supreme possessing or not possessing attributes. Worship of the Deity in the temple is saguëa worship, for the Lord is represented by material qualities. But the form of the Lord, though represented by material qualities such as stone, wood or oil paint, is not actually material. That is the absolute nature of the Supreme Lord. . . .

SB 7.5.23-24 Purport:

… The special purpose of Deity worship is to keep oneself always pure and clean. …

SB 7.14.39 Purport:

. . . It is said in Çrémad-Bhägavatam (11.2.47):

“A person who is very faithfully engaged in the worship of the Deity in the temple but does not know how to behave toward devotees or people in general is called a präkåta-bhakta, or kaniñöha-adhikäré.”

A präkåta devotee, or neophyte devotee, is still on the material platform. He certainly engages in worshiping the Deity, but he cannot appreciate the activities of a pure devotee.

It has actually been seen that even an authorized devotee who is engaged in the service of the Lord by preaching the mission of Kåñëa consciousness is sometimes criticized by neophyte devotees.

…For those who cannot properly appreciate the activities of authorized devotees, Deity worship is the only way for spiritual advancement. In the Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 7.11) it is clearly said, kåñëa-çakti vinä nahe tära pravartana: without being authorized by Kåñëa, one cannot preach the holy name of the Lord throughout the entire world. Nevertheless, a devotee who does so is criticized by neophyte devotees, kaniñöha-adhikärés, who are on the lower stages of devotional service. For them, Deity worship is strongly recommended.

SB 7.14.40

Sometimes a neophyte devotee offers all the paraphernalia for worshiping the Lord, and he factually worships the Lord as the Deity, but because he is envious of the authorized devotees of Lord Viñëu, the Lord is never satisfied with his devotional service.

PURPORT

Deity worship is especially meant for purifying the neophyte devotees. Actually, however, preaching is more important. In Bhagavad-gétä (18.69) it is said, na ca tasmän manuñyeñu kaçcin me priya-kåttamaù: if one wants to be recognized by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he must preach the glories of the Lord. One who worships the Deity must therefore be extremely respectful to preachers; otherwise simply worshiping the Deity will keep one in the lower stage of devotion.

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.

PURPORT

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is worshiped according to the faith of a particular worshiper. The Deity form, arcä, is specifically mentioned here because Deity worship is essential for spiritual progress. Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura mentions that inexperienced persons may think that the Deity is meant for the sense gratification of the worshiper, since superficially the Deity is made of external substances such as marble or brass.

But through the process of installing the Deity by chanting of authorized mantras, one invites the Supreme Personality of Godhead to enter the Deity form.

By regulated, faithful worship one gradually understands that the Deity is completely nondifferent from the Supreme Lord Himself. At that stage, on the strength of Deity worship, one rises to the second-class platform of devotional service. At this more developed stage one desires to make friendship with other devotees of the Lord, and as one becomes solidly established in the community of Vaiñëavas, one completely gives up material life and gradually becomes perfect in Kåñëa consciousness.

Madhya 13.139:

“My dear Kåñëa, formerly, when You were staying in Mathurä, You sent Uddhava to teach Me speculative knowledge and mystic yoga. Now You Yourself are speaking the same thing, but My mind doesn’t accept it. There is no place in My mind for jïäna-yoga or dhyäna-yoga. Although You know Me very well, You are still instructing Me in jïäna-yoga and dhyäna-yoga. It is not right for You to do so.”

PURPORT

The process of mystic yoga, the speculative method for searching out the Supreme Absolute Truth, does not appeal to one who is always absorbed in thoughts of Kåñëa. A devotee is not at all interested in speculative activities. Instead of cultivating speculative knowledge or practicing mystic yoga, a devotee should worship the Deity in the temple and continuously engage in the Lord’s service. Deity</ST1:P worship is realized by the devotees to be the same as direct service to the Lord. The Deity is known as the arcä-vigraha or arcä-avatära, an incarnation of the Supreme Lord in the form of a material manifestation (brass, stone or wood). Ultimately there is no difference between Kåñëa manifest in matter or Kåñëa manifest in spirit because both are His energies. For Kåñëa, there is no distinction between matter and spirit. His manifestation in material form, therefore, is as good as His original form, sac-cid-änanda-vigraha [bs. 5.1]. A devotee constantly engaged in Deity worship according to the rules and regulations laid down in the çästras and given by the spiritual master realizes gradually that he is in direct contact with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus he loses all interest in so-called meditation, yoga practice and mental speculation.

SC 21:

…There is no need of any other performances. Nevertheless, to keep oneself clean in habits and mind, Deity worship and other regulative principles are required. Çréla Jéva Gosvämé says that although saìkértana is sufficient for the perfection of life, worship of the Deity in the temple must continue so that the devotees may stay clean and pure.

Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (NOD) chap 30:

… Deity worship should be done very carefully: the dress should be changed daily, and as far as possible there should be ornaments. Everything should be so clean that the Deity is attractive to all visitors.

Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (NOD) chap 9:

… In the Dvärakä-mähätmya the importance of dancing before the Deity is stated by Lord Kåñëa as follows: “A person who is in a jubilant spirit, who feels profound devotional ecstasy while dancing before Me, and who manifests different features of bodily expression can burn away all the accumulated sinful reactions he has stocked up for many, many thousands of years.”

In the same book there is a statement by Närada wherein he asserts, “From the body of any person who claps and dances before the Deity, showing manifestations of ecstasy, all the birds of sinful activities fly away upward.” Just as by clapping the hands one can cause many birds to fly away, similarly the birds of all sinful activities which are sitting on the body can be made to fly away simply by dancing and clapping before the Deity of Kåñëa. …

… the worship of Kåñëa should be performed in just the way that a king is worshiped in his palace. So in Våndävana there are many hundreds of temples wherein the Deity is worshiped exactly like a king.

… a person who is engaged in the worship of the Deities can minimize his stock of sinful reactions coming from many, many previous births. …

In the Agni Puräëa it is stated, “Any person who in gladness sees the worship of the Deity in the temple will obtain the results of kriyä-yoga which are described in the Païcarätra scripture.” Kriyä-yoga is a system of practice much like practical devotional service, but it is especially meant for the mystic yogés. In other words, by this gradual process the mystic yogés are eventually elevated to the devotional service of the Lord.

 

...................................................................................................................................

 

now can I be your servant too?

Bhaktajan

[Kulapavana]

 

If you think that way then quote from Islamic scriptures tat say that Kaaba is the idol. Kaaba is not the idol, it is a direction.

 

I am quoting your scriptures directly, i said that my intention is not to heart some one but to present what is truth..

 

Kaaba is not a direction. It is a building, a place in which the sacred Black Stone resides, which functions as the presence of God here on earth. Muslims pray facing the Black Stone in Kaaba, the manifestation of Allah's presence here on earth. We pray facing our Deity in the temple. Because God is great, He can be directly present in many objects. I for example pray to Lord Krishna who is present here on earth in a salagrama sila - a black stone from the Gandhaki River - situated on my altar. You think my Black Stone and your Black Stone are different in principle? If so, you are a hypocrite.

[yogesh]

Thank You for your caring attitude ( I do sincerely mean it).

 

I will try and answer as best as I can.

 

But before I do my question to you is have you done a through research on Scriptures you have quoted or at least researched the authors who wrote these quotes.

 

I am sure you can appreciate me asking you this because How can someone give their interpretations of the various vedic scriptures if they do not have authority to do so

It is like asking a Bhudist to give commentaries on the Koran/the Surahs / Torah etc.

 

Remember it is very easy to take one or two verse and try and form a picture but it is very foolish

Because just think about it. If you have two or three puzzle pieces how can you see the bigger picture made up of a million puzzles pieces?

 

The "Hindu" Scrptures (Vedas) are vast beyond comprehension ( I am sure there are more knowladgable devotees who can give you a better understanding of composition of the Vedas).

 

To make it easy for us (in this age of Degradation/Kali Yuga) Sirla Vyasa Dev has given us the Srimad Bhagavatam It is a bona fide commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra by the same author, Śrīla Vyāsadeva which is like the concentration/aim of the Vedas.

 

According to Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

 

"The Vedic injunctions are self-authorized, and if some mundane creature adjusts the interpretations of the Vedas, he defies their authority. It is foolish to think of oneself as more intelligent than Śrīla Vyāsadeva.

 

 

 

He has already expressed himself in his sūtras, and there is no need of help from personalities of lesser importance. His work, the Vedānta-sūtra, is as dazzling as the midday sun, and when someone tries to give his own interpretations on the self-effulgent sunlike Vedānta-sūtra, he attempts to cover this sun with the cloud of his imagination.

 

 

"The Vedas and Purāṇas are one and the same in purpose. They ascertain the Absolute Truth, which is greater than everything else. The Absolute Truth is ultimately realized as the Absolute Personality of Godhead with absolute controlling power.

 

 

 

As such, the Absolute Personality of Godhead must be completely full of opulence, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge and renunciation. Yet the transcendental Personality of Godhead is astonishingly ascertained as impersonal.

 

 

"The impersonal description of the Absolute Truth in the Vedas is given to nullify the mundane conception of the absolute whole. Personal features of the Lord are completely different from all kinds of mundane features. The living entities are all individual persons, and they are all parts and parcels of the supreme whole. If the parts and parcels are individual persons, the source of their emanation must not be impersonal. He is the Supreme Person amongst all the relative persons.

 

 

"The Vedas inform us that from Him [Brahman] everything emanates, and on Him everything rests. And after annihilation, everything merges in Him only. Therefore, He is the ultimate dative, causative and accommodating cause of all causes. And these causes cannot be attributed to an impersonal object.

 

 

"The Vedas inform us that He alone became many, and when He so desires He glances over material nature. Before He glanced over material nature there was no material cosmic creation. Therefore, His glance is not material. Material mind or senses were unborn when the Lord glanced over material nature.

 

 

 

Thus evidence in the Vedas proves that beyond a doubt the Lord has transcendental eyes and a transcendental mind. They are not material. His impersonality therefore is a negation of His materiality, but not a denial of His transcendental personality.

 

 

"Brahman ultimately refers to the Personality of Godhead. Impersonal Brahman realization is just the negative conception of the mundane creations. Paramātmā is the localized aspect of Brahman within all kinds of material bodies.

 

 

 

Ultimately the Supreme Brahman realization is the realization of the Personality of Godhead according to all evidence of the revealed scriptures. He is the ultimate source of viṣṇu-tattvas.

 

 

"The Purāṇas are also supplementary to the Vedas. The Vedic mantras are too difficult for an ordinary man. And thus the Mahābhārata as well as the Purāṇas are made easy to explain the truths of the Vedas. In his prayers before the boy Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Brahmā said that there is no limit to the fortune of the residents of Vrajabhūmi headed by Śrī Nanda Mahārāja and Yaśodāmayī because the eternal Absolute Truth has become their intimate relative.

 

 

"The Vedic mantra maintains that the Absolute Truth has no legs and no hands and yet goes faster than all and accepts everything that is offered to Him in devotion. The latter statements definitely suggest the personal features of the Lord, although His hands and legs are distinguished from mundane hands and legs or other senses.

 

 

"Brahman, therefore, is never impersonal, but when such mantras are indirectly interpreted, it is wrongly thought that the Absolute Truth is impersonal. The Absolute Truth Personality of Godhead is full of all opulences, and therefore He has a transcendental form of full existence, knowledge and bliss. How then can one establish that the Absolute Truth is impersonal?

 

 

"Brahman, being full of opulences, is understood to have manifold energies, and all these energies are classified under three headings under the authority of Viṣṇu Purāṇa [6.7.60], which says that the transcendental energies of Lord Viṣṇu are primarily three. His spiritual energy and the energy of the living entities are classified as superior energy, whereas the material energy is an inferior one which is sprouted out of ignorance.

 

 

In the Bhagavad-gītā also the living entities are described as belonging to the superior energy of the Lord. According to the principles of intimate correlation between the energy and the energetic, both of them are nondifferent also. Therefore, the Lord and the living entities are nondifferent as the energy and the energetic.

 

 

"Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and ego are all inferior energies of the Lord, but the living entities are different from all as superior energy.This is the version of Bhagavad-gītā [7.4].

"The transcendental form of the Lord is eternally existent and full of transcendental bliss. How then can such a form be a product of the material mode of goodness? Anyone, therefore, who does not believe in the form of the Lord is certainly a faithless demon and as such is untouchable, a not to be seen persona non grata fit to be punished by the Plutonic king."

 

These are the words used by an authorative person in the line of guru parampara in the Brahma-Narada-Vyas sampradaya (Lineage of authority on the Vedas)

 

Further more we do not worship Idols we worship that form that is described by Lord Brhma as Shyamsundar (Dark blue like the monsoon clouds) and Lord Brhma sings further describing the Lord

 

"I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is adept in playing on His flute, with blooming eyes like lotus petals, with head decked with peacock's feather, with the figure of beauty tinged with the hue of blue clouds.."

 

The Arca Vigraha form of the Lord is beyond the understanding of those who cannot understand the Lords power to take on the deity form.

 

The standard for deity worship is very high yet personal and gives us an opportunity, with our limited human senses, to form a personal relationship with him.

 

Please forgive me for my long explanation but I hope this at least answers your question to certain extent.

 

Dear Mazhar You certainly seem like you have Vaishnava quality about you for you seem genuinely concerned for our spiritual well being.

 

In the same vein we also have some small quantities of genuine concern for spiritual well being of all humanity irrespective of their religion, race etc and thus we have AUDARYA FELLOWSHIP.

 

Hare Krsna/Krishna

 

Jay Sirla Prabhupada

[shvu]

 

why do not you state it briefly and tell the world that why you worship idols even though your own scriptures condemn it? Please avoid those long articles. Thanks

 

You had no problems copying a long islamic web page and posting it here. You cannot object to others who respond to your post by copying and posting long web pages. Just like you will not read them, they did not read yours in full either.

 

It is a lot more simpler to approach this problem from the opposite direction. Hindus are worshipping idols though the concept is condemned by scriptures (your position). So why do you think they are doing it?

 

Either,

 

1. The alleged scriptures are not followed (they follow other scriptures) or

2. These scriptures are interpreted differently than in your Islamic web page.

 

As you can see, with either option, there is no problem here at all.

 

Btw, for interested parties, the Islam web page copied verbatim by Mazhar can be found here and in several other sites.

http://www.islam101.com/religions/hinduism/conceptOfGod.htm

 

 

Cheers