Worship Of Murtis - We Have Been Unable To Find Vedic Scripture That Support It

[Guest guest]

shriadishakti , ashishcool tandon

<ashishcooltandon> wrote:

>

> Dear Jagbir,

> >

> > I presented your book to Shri Mataji when I was in

> > India. She spent almost half an hour to go through the book.

> > Overall, She was very pleased with the book and especially with

> > youreffort in compiling the information. She Mataji felt that it

> > needs some editing. She asked me to convey to you " Tell Jagbir

> > now to leave it to Her " .

> >

> > !jai Shri Mataji!

> >

> === message truncated ===

>

>

> Dear Brother jagbir,

>

> JSMJ,

>

> On going through your mail and the host of impressive

> topics covered, there were a few that cought my

> immediate attention.

>

> I would very much appreciate if you could elaborate on

> them a bit.

>

> Worship Of Murtis . . . We Have Been Unable To Find

> Vedic Scripture That Support It "

>

 

 

After a few years of meditating on the Adi Shakti i realized that

worshipping idols was wrong. It was Shri Ganesha who brought forth

this awareness. We had a big bronze idol of Him sitting in a conch.

It was a unique murti that many had admired. There were many times i

specifically bowed to Him to convey thanks in gratitude for all He

had done for the family and the priceless enlightenment.

 

One day while meditating this question came into my consciousness:

" If you already know what I look like why are you meditating on my

idol? " This was quite a disturbing experience as it went against a

revered Hindu tradition.

 

To cut a long story short i started investigating the Hindu

scriptures. Despite all attempts i never found anything even

remotely positive. That was when i decided to ask the great gurus to

help me answer my question of idol worship (which by then i already

knew was a false ritual that was never scripturally sanctified.)

 

 

" Jagbir Singh <jagbir

A. Palaniswami <palani

 

Worship of Murtis

Thursday, February 11, 1999 9:32 AM

 

Dear Palaniswami,

 

Namaste!

 

We would be grateful if you could provide us with specific quotes

from Hindu scriptures related to the worship of murtis. This is a

controversial issue among non-Hindus, and so far we have been unable

to find Vedic scripture that support it. Perhaps you and your

associates will be able to provide us with precise texts to back

this practise. Thank you and have a blissful Shivaratri Puja.

 

 

 

OM! Shanti!

 

 

 

jagbir "

 

Jagbir Singh<jagbir

 

 

 

" Acharya Ceyonswami <ceyon

jagbir <jagbir

 

worship of murthis

Saturday, February 20, 1999 6:54 PM

 

Reply to: worship of murthis

 

" Namaste Jagbir,

 

Prostrations to Vighna Vinayaga,

 

 

There are a great many quotes in the various scriptures of the

different sects of Hinduism referring to the worship of murthis —

the Saiva Agamas, Vaishnava Agamas, and the Shakti agamas, as well

as the ancient Tirumantiram of Tirumular and much more. The

Karanagama, Silparatna and Kasyapa silpa deal in great length the

details of the various murthis. The Pratima Kosha, or Encyclopaedia

of Indian Iconography gives various research on the art form of

icons and how the murthis are to be designed.

 

However, we don't think it would be worthwhile spending the time

to type up quotes to convince Christians of anything — it

won't matter to them what our scriptures say, as they don't

consider them scripture! We need to stand strong for our Hindu

faith and practices without having to feel defensive to anyone for

what we do. Sanatana Dharma is the fountainhead of all religions and

each practices a certain part of the One Eternal Dharma. One God,

One World.

 

Om Sivaya,

 

 

 

Ceyonswami "

 

Acharya Ceyonswami <ceyon

 

 

 

 

" GURUDEVA

<gurudeva-dws

Cc: <repost-dancing-siva

 

Dancing with Siva Shloka 108

Wednesday, February 24, 1999 1:12 AM

 

What is the Nature of Image Worship?

 

SHLOKA 108

 

We worship God Siva and the Gods who by their infinite powers

spiritually hover over and indwell the image, or murti, which we

revere as their temporary body. We commune with them through the

ritual act of puja. Aum.

 

BHASHYA

 

The stone or metal Deity images are not mere symbols of the Gods;

they are the form through which their love, power and blessings

flood forth into this world. We may liken this mystery to our

ability to communicate with others through the telephone. We do not

talk to the telephone; rather we use a telephone as a means of

communication with another person who is perhaps thousands of miles

away. Without the telephone, we could not converse across such

distances; and without the sanctified murti in the temple or shrine

we cannot easily commune with the Deity. His vibration and presence

can be felt in the image, and He can use the image as a temporary

physical-plane body or channel. As we progress in our worship, we

begin to adore the image as the Deity's physical body, for we know

that He is actually present and conscious in it during puja, aware

of our thoughts and feelings and even sensing the pujari's gentle

touch on the metal or stone.

 

The Vedas exclaim, " Come down to us, Rudra, who art in the high

mountains. Come and let the light of thy face, free from fear and

evil, shine upon us. Come to us with thy love. " Aum Namah Sivaya. "

 

GURUDEVA <gurudeva-dws

 

 

 

There is not even a single line in the Vedas or Puranas that support

idol-worship.

 

Thus if great learned men use the best Vedic quote, " Come down to

us, Rudra, who art in the high mountains. Come and let the light of

thy face, free from fear and evil, shine upon us. Come to us with

thy love, " and translate it into worship of stone idols we can only

reel in disbelief and disgust. Is this one of the " great many quotes

in the various scriptures of the different sects of Hinduism

referring to the worship of murthis " ? This is just the proverbial

drowning guru clutching straws.

 

It is so easy for anyone to look at an image for weeks/months,

remember it, and then worship/meditate in the mind. i do that all

the time because i know how Shri Krishna, Rama or Jesus looks like.

How come Hindus are unable to do so despite centuries and still need

idols? Christians and Buddhists are no different. They are all

conditioned to praying to icons. The ultimate act against the Spirit

is to worship that which has no Spirit - idols/icons have no Spirit

whatsoever.

 

Thus no matter how Hindus try to twist and turn there is absolutely

not even a single verse in the Vedas or Puranas that condone idol-

worship. This perhaps is the greatest stain on the otherwise supreme

Sanaatana Dharma.

 

 

jagbir

 

NOTE: Those SY meditating on Shri Mataji will one day learn to

discard Her external image, and focus their attention on the Shakti

within.

 

 

 

" There were no photographs before. Only in my lifetime the

photographs have started, for your information. These photographs

also you have developed yourself on your own, of course with the

help of the Holy Ghost no doubt. That goes without saying, but you

have developed it. I myself did not know this photography would

catch me so much. I did not know myself. You'll be amazed that I

started seeing that these photographs are more powerful than a

statue which is made according to what I was before. Because this is

the present thing; this is how I exist. I was amazed myself that it

was emitting vibrations and life, and that my photograph came up so

well. . . .

 

And the photograph, if you think, is representing me I think you're

not expressing it fully. I was amazed that my photographs are much

more powerful than many statues put together, even produced by

Mother Earth because photograph has so many elements in it. For

example, you see it has Light element, it has Water element, it has

Earth element and also Air element. If the air is not all right, you

cannot take a photograph. And also it has the ether element. With

all these five elements, you can not produce a statue. Ether element

it has because if you have a photograph here, you can transmit it to

another place. You can transmit the photograph but you cannot

transmit a statue, as it is, anywhere — only the photo of a

statue you can. So it has also ether in it. So photograph is much

more powerful than any statue. . . .

 

So there's a very big difference between a statue and a photograph

because my attention is there. Of course, even the statues which are

created by Mother Earth also have vibrations and they also show they

have vibrations. But they cannot give you the awakening of the

Kundalini because my photograph has my desire also in it. They

cannot. If they could, Stonehenge would have. "

 

Shri Bhavanagamya Devi

 

Bhavanagamya (113rd): Realised by mental effort (called dhyana).

Here it may be Dhyana of (1) vigraha or pratika which is outside,

(2) or by concentration inside the heart on a mental image and

worshipping Her by various offerings, (3) or by losing the

devotee's individuality in Sri-Lalita-paramesvari in the

Sahasrara. This is the best and is called sattvika-bhavana.

 

 

 

 

" This union of Atma and Shakti as the protector of one's existence

is important to understand . . . At a practical level what this

means is that if one goes against the Spirit, identifying with

anything apart from it, the heart 'catches' . . .

 

When we come to Sahaja Yoga the Tantra is damaged and impure and the

heart 'catches.' There is nothing to be upset in that. One should

settle down silently and work to undo the 'catches,' gradually and

slowly. The whole Library of Divine Knowledge is at one's hand and

if the heart's desire to evolve the being and achieve the Absolute

is pure, the solution to every problem will occur automatically,

effortlessly and spontaneously — Sahaj.

 

The ultimate act against the Spirit is to worship that which has no

Spirit — gross matter or raksasas. Shri Muhammad inveighed against

both . . . The Atma and its expression is the sole Reality in the

Universe. Identification with anything else causes the heart

to 'catch.' "

 

 

Shri Niradhara Devi

 

(Niradhara (132nd): Unsupported, She is the support of the Universe.

She is worshipped by keen meditation unsupported by a physical or

mental image or formulation, i.e., She is pure Consciousness,

unformulated or undifferentiated.)