Hinduism, Vaishnavism, and Idolatry - one perspective

[Guest guest]

Dear members of ,

 

First of all, forgive me if I am speaking out of ignorance. Although, I am 38,

I was born and raised in the U.S. I recently joined , because I know

that many of the teachings were dear to my late father, Srinivasa Raghavan.

 

This is my exposure to Hinduism:

1) mythological stories learned as a child, Ramayana, Mahabharatha, and others.

2) The Bhagavad-Gita

3) " Yogas and Other Works " by Swami Vivekananda (yes, I know he was a follower

of Advaita, not Visishtadvaitha.)

4) Atmabodha by Swami Nikhilananda (same comment here.)

5) The first two volumes of the 4-volume English translation of the Principal

Upanishads by Swami Nikhilananda.

6) Assorted other writings and websites

7) The first three parts (up to varnas and stages of life) of " Hinduism

Rediscovered " by our own Sri Anbil Ramaswamy.

 

Anyway, although it is obvious to all of us, it is worth stating that Hinduism

does not prohibit idolatry. However, if one were to read the Jewish Torah,

which is part of the Christian Old Testament, and which has also influenced

Islam, the Ten Commandments clearly prohibit idolatry, right at the outset.

 

How are we to reconcile this with the statement in the Rig Veda?: " The Truth is

One. Sages call it by different names. "

 

Simple: The only requirement to be a Hindu is to believe the Vedas, including

the Upanishads, which are the foundation of Vaishnavism - the belief that all

other gods are merely forms of Narayana.

 

I knew this already, but even in " Hinduism Rediscovered " it is stated that idol

worship is not mentioned in the Vedas. The rules for idol worship are outlined

in other scriptures which are not held to the same standard.

 

First an aside: Forgive me for disagreeing with Sri Anbil, but Hindu idols are

not like telephones. If I am speaking with my dear mother on the telephone and

someone comes up and smashes it, I am only mildly disappointed at property

damage. Yet if someone were to destroy a Hindu idol, the emotions unleashed are

severe. After all, God is Everywhere, " even inside the stone of the idol. "

 

Back to my main point though:

1) Hinduism--once again--does not prohibit idolatry.

2) However, if a Hindu wishes to take to heart the teachings of the Abrahamic

religions--particularly the extensive strictures against idolatry in

Deuteronomy, the final book of the Torah, nothing is lost!

 

Hinduism only requires being True to the Vedas. And the Vedas include the

foundation of Vaishavism, the Upanishads.

 

If one wants to be a Hindu and defend the faith to Westerners, one can point out

that there is no requirement in the Vedas to worship idols. As in Judaism, it

is the sacrifices in Agni that are central, even to ritualistic worship--prior

to the stage where an individual is enlightened enough to give up rituals and

focus on philosophy.

 

Rajesh S. Raghavan

Ohio, USA

[Guest guest]

I think you are missing a very great aspect of idol worship. Let me try and

explain to you.

 

The song of " Raghuvamsha Sudha " composed by Patnam Subramanya Iyer (or for that

matter any song by Saint Thyagaraja or Saint Dikshither), do not have great

followers compared to music rendered in films. The reason is not because

`raghuvamsha sudha' had any deficiencies as regards to raga or rhythm or modern

day appeal. It is just that when you watch a song in a film, the emotions and

feeling are portrayed as visual treat, whereas when we listen to classical music

rendered by great musicians, we have to imagine emotions and feelings.

 

Similarly, though idol worship is not mentioned in the Vedas, it is our gurus,

acharyas, maharishi and other great people, who helped us imagine emotions and

feelings by visual representation (as idols) so that it is easier for us to

understand Vedas.

 

This led to creation of agamas and rituals

 

" I am only mildly disappointed at property damage " indicates how you look at

object and incidents. If you revere your mother for her advice, guidance then

breaking of telephone, while talking to your mother, should give you same

emotion as breaking of an idol because here the telephone and idol are in the

same footing being vehicles.

 

With regards

Kumar Ramabhadran

 

, " Rajesh " <optical_physicist wrote:

>

> Dear members of ,

>

> First of all, forgive me if I am speaking out of ignorance. Although, I am

38, I was born and raised in the U.S. I recently joined , because I

know that many of the teachings were dear to my late father, Srinivasa Raghavan.

>

> This is my exposure to Hinduism:

> 1) mythological stories learned as a child, Ramayana, Mahabharatha, and

others.

> 2) The Bhagavad-Gita

> 3) " Yogas and Other Works " by Swami Vivekananda (yes, I know he was a follower

of Advaita, not Visishtadvaitha.)

> 4) Atmabodha by Swami Nikhilananda (same comment here.)

> 5) The first two volumes of the 4-volume English translation of the Principal

Upanishads by Swami Nikhilananda.

> 6) Assorted other writings and websites

> 7) The first three parts (up to varnas and stages of life) of " Hinduism

Rediscovered " by our own Sri Anbil Ramaswamy.

>

> Anyway, although it is obvious to all of us, it is worth stating that Hinduism

does not prohibit idolatry. However, if one were to read the Jewish Torah,

which is part of the Christian Old Testament, and which has also influenced

Islam, the Ten Commandments clearly prohibit idolatry, right at the outset.

>

> How are we to reconcile this with the statement in the Rig Veda?: " The Truth

is One. Sages call it by different names. "

>

> Simple: The only requirement to be a Hindu is to believe the Vedas, including

the Upanishads, which are the foundation of Vaishnavism - the belief that all

other gods are merely forms of Narayana.

>

> I knew this already, but even in " Hinduism Rediscovered " it is stated that

idol worship is not mentioned in the Vedas. The rules for idol worship are

outlined in other scriptures which are not held to the same standard.

>

> First an aside: Forgive me for disagreeing with Sri Anbil, but Hindu idols

are not like telephones. If I am speaking with my dear mother on the telephone

and someone comes up and smashes it, I am only mildly disappointed at property

damage. Yet if someone were to destroy a Hindu idol, the emotions unleashed are

severe. After all, God is Everywhere, " even inside the stone of the idol. "

>

> Back to my main point though:

> 1) Hinduism--once again--does not prohibit idolatry.

> 2) However, if a Hindu wishes to take to heart the teachings of the Abrahamic

religions--particularly the extensive strictures against idolatry in

Deuteronomy, the final book of the Torah, nothing is lost!

>

> Hinduism only requires being True to the Vedas. And the Vedas include the

foundation of Vaishavism, the Upanishads.

>

> If one wants to be a Hindu and defend the faith to Westerners, one can point

out that there is no requirement in the Vedas to worship idols. As in Judaism,

it is the sacrifices in Agni that are central, even to ritualistic

worship--prior to the stage where an individual is enlightened enough to give up

rituals and focus on philosophy.

>

> Rajesh S. Raghavan

> Ohio, USA

>