Swami Sivananda Vani - 8 - IDOL WORSHIP

[Guest guest]

IDOL WORSHIP: It was during the All-India Tour on the 13th of

September, 1950. Dr Hafiz Sayed, Ph.D., D.Litt., of the Allahabad

University, an admirer of the Master and a keen student of Hindu

philosophy, met the Master at his university. During the course of

his conversation, he said that he had stayed at Tiruvannamalai in

South India for some time, and asked the Master, " Swamiji, do you

believe in the greatness of the Arunachala hill? Do you think there

is special glory in the hill itself? "

 

" Yes, yes. Why not? By the very remembrance of the place one gets

liberation. It is true. We must have faith and realise its benefit. "

 

Then Dr Sayed acquainted the Master with his own study of the

Master's works. He summed up his estimation of the Master's mission

in the following words: " Swamiji, a man has only Rs. 50 and gives the

whole thing in charity. Another has a few lakhs of rupees but keeps

it all to himself. Swamiji, you are like the man who has lakhs and

still gives everything away. You are more useful to society and

mankind than the sages who dwell in caves. "

 

Dr Sayed had another interesting question to ask the Master.

 

" Swamiji, when Vedanta says that God is nameless and formless, how

did idol worship arise? Do you justify it? "

 

" Yes, yes, " came the Master's immediate reply. " What about the

beginner? He requires a name and a form upon which to fix his mind.

Further, the Vedas ask the idol worshipper to repeat hymns like the

Purusha Suktha, which take him to the very threshold of the nameless

and attributeless Brahman. "

 

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" You should seek a renewal of the spiritual life as a solution to

many of the problems that confront you. " - Swami Sivananda