You shall not make for yourselves idols, nor shall you set up for yourselves an image or a sacred pillar, nor shall you place a figured stone in your land to bow down to it. This is the easiest form to comprehend and worship for everyone. That is why after completion of festive period, they throw away the same idols without any emotional attachment. As far as i am concerened hinduism has not one book but many books and just by going through one line and spreading a rumor that idol worship is banned in hindusim doesnt suit. Vedas the ancient sacred books of hinduism india the. India is one place where they went into elaborate systems of idolmaking. Hinduism idols for concentration but vedas against idol. All those who worship demi gods, all those do idol worship, they are materialistic people. Idol worship not allowed in hinduism vedas and upanishads, somebody tell this donkey rogi aadityanath. Idolatry is the worship of an idol or cult image, being a physical image, such as a statue, or a person in place of god.
Idols can be made of any material, with or without any shape. Idols in the hindu way of life why are they worshipped. Although there is only one true living god i am, there are also other gods and man can turn anything to be a god. Vedic hinduism believed in monotheism and did not promote idol worship anywhere. Idol worship is the evolution from the theories of vedas in order to take the god who is actually formless to even common people. So far we have been unable to find vedic scripture that support idol worship. An introduction the following are some references from hindu scriptures. Vivekanandas explanation on idol worship and many gods. No idolatry in vedas western indologists dr vivek arya swami dayanand was first scholar in modern times to proclaim that idolatry or worship of god in forms of idols is not sanctioned in the holy vedas.
Online shopping for vedic books in the books store. Idol worship is perhaps the greatest falsehood of this great religion. But as a matter of fact most of hindus or christians or which ever religion, are all doing the same thing ie limiting to the plane of idol worship for material gains, and are never rising above it that is. After the mind reaches higher consciousness, the idol is not required for concentration. As you yourself said vedas do not prohibit idol worshipthis matter is explained better in bg which clarifies worship of god with form and without form and consider both equal. The samhitas of the rig, yajur, sama, and atharva single volume, unabridged jan 10, 2017. In these monotheistic religions, idolatry has been considered as the worship of false gods and is. As for hindus are concerned, they do not worship idols.
Can someone learn about god by reading the book of mormon. The vedic literature mention many gods and goddesses, as well as the use of homa votive ritual using fire, but it. The vedas also are thoroughly opposed to idol worship, but what you have seen in hindu temples is not idol worship but rather deity worship. In abrahamic religions, namely judaism, christianity and islam, idolatry connotes the worship of something or someone other than god as if it were god. Church, wanting to convert pagans into their religion compromised the commandments within the holy scriptures and allowed pagan influence to creep in.
This is why we find in our holy book, the koran, both scholastic discourse and phrases which hint at. The hindu pundits and scholars agree that the vedas and other hindu religious scriptures prohibit idol worship, but initially because the mind may not be matured, an idol is required for concentration while worshipping. In other stories of idol worship that was detestable in gods eyes recorded in the bible, names of the false god baal or bel was mentioned. They are the original scriptures of hindu teachings, containing spiritual knowledge encompassing all aspects of life. The great sages, who were the embodiments of the treasure gained by long ascetic practices, received veda as a series of sounds and spread it over the world by word of mouth from preceptor to pupil. A short history, karen armstrong asserts that the kaaba was officially dedicated to hubal. The hindu devotees worship these sacred books with utmost respect. Mark that it is god that is worshipped in the form of the idol and not the idol as god. What is the difference between the ideology of islam, and the ideology of hinduism. Idol worship is perhaps the greatest falsehood of this great religion of hinduism. I liked the key pointman is to become divine by realizing the divine. That is why, vedas do not tell for idol worship but if people desire, they can go ahead. Do not worship anyone besides him alone, praise him alone rigveda, book 8, hymn 1, verse 1 praise him would matchless and alone rigveda, book 6, hymn 45, verse 16 3. The idea that vedas are agianst idol worship is an interpretation of arya samaj from the vedas.
Yajurveda chapter 32, verse 3 na tasya pratima asti there is no image of him it further says. Is it true, idol worshiping prohibited in hinduism. The help of an idol is sought by the hindu to make it more simplified. So long as you think it is an idol you have not got it. Hinduism is being followed by almost fifteen to sixteen percent of the total population in the world which accounts for. It is something like icons in the windows screen which are not the programs by itself but acts as tool to bring the program. Stone and idol are the parts of brhamand and vedas say. Why do you worship idols when vedas and scriptures of. Yajurveda vedas are the most sacred amongst all the hindu scriptures. Idol worshiping is not prohibited in vedas, but considered as least kind of worshiping. Idol worship is not supported in vedas or upanishads.
It doesnt mean worship only through the idols, but the meaning is that idol worship is as true and fine as the worship of any other kind. Idol worship is the extension of yagna which is allowed in vedas. Acharya priyavratha vedvachaspati gives the same opinion about this. In hinduism there are many words to describe the nature of god, and we will refer to them as the need arises, but in this regard, the most. In fact if someone worships the nirakar form without having the ability to do so, his worship will be uselessyou guys of arya samaj can hold on to your blinded beliefsbut there are real believers out thereand it is not proper to instil doubts in their minds. But i am a human being and i believe its my duty not to make the general public illiterate about our scripture get the idea that vedas are against idol worship. Everyone worships god in image form only even those who think they worship the formless god, because the mind objectifies everything, even the idea of formlessness. It is the sin nature of man that causes us to worship modern idols, all of which are, in reality, forms of selfworship. Idolatry ancient times and today origins what does. If you look at it from the standpoint of modern science, we know today that everything is the same energy, but.
Why do people worship idols even though they are banned in. And, they have been utilized in the performance of yajnas and yagas sacrifices, which were the most common form of indian religion. Assalam alaikum, this is yaseen ahmed i am a software engineer by profession. Upasana is approaching the chosen ideal or object of worship by meditating on it in accordance with the teachings of the sastras. This has been misunderstood by other cultures as worshiping some doll as a god. The name of swami dayanand comes first in people with such thoughts. Although many reformers in past like adi shankracharya, guru basava, guru nanak, sant kabir, dadu, raja ram mohan roy. The vedas are considered the earliest literary record of indoaryan civilization and the most sacred books of india. Nothing is existed in this universe, without the brahma, so stones and idols also have the same composition, what the brahmand has. Here, people are very much aware that it is we who create the shapes and forms. From the above facts, we can clearly infer that one can realise god through worship of murti or idol, that the worship of the lord in saguna form is a great aid for vedantic realisation also and for the realisation of the lord in his allpervading, formless aspect and that the worship of the murti is very essential for the purpose of concentration and meditation in the. Even if idolatry and avatar are not mentioned in vedas, still the idea of avatar came from vedas and vedas have their own literature from vishnu to vaman. Before the idol worship starts, the worshiper invites gods energy to reside in the idol during prana prathista installing the.
Are you aware of the fact that idol worship is prohibited in the vedas. Rahul asking vedas dont prohibits idol worship zakir naik part1. It is very easy to understand how deity worship may at first appear as idol worship to a person who is unfamiliar with the principle behind this important devotional. Hindus do idol worship which is condemned in abrahamic religious books like the holy quran, the holy bible and the holy torah. The veda emanated from god himself as inhalation and exhalation. Idolatry is the worship of an idol or cult image, being a physical image, such as a statue, or a. The concept of god in hinduism is unparalled in this world that everything is god and god is everything. This method is possible to only those who have a lot of meditation practice, and those people are.
Worship is the effort on the part of the upasak he who does upasana or worship to reach the proximity or presence of god or the supreme self. The third one is rare and here is the science behind archane or loosely called idol worship. I would also like to say that i very much enjoy temple visits because of the divine feeling that one gets when going to temples. You shall have no other gods before me and you shall not make to you any graven image.
Hindus do worship idols, but so do christians, jews and even muslims. Thus idolworship is very important to begin the progress in bhakti. When an idol is made by the hindu, he assigns certain qualities to that idol. The passages about idolworship that have been quoted at the beginning are from an article titled superstition and indians by n. The vedas, four in number, form the roots of indian civilization. Yajurveda chapter 32, verse 3 na tasya pratima asti there is no image of him it. No idolatry in vedas western indologists vedicvoice. If idol worship means to revere an idol, a stone, an object without personality, a thing without defined qualities or character then no, hindus are not idol worshipers. The following are only few references, you may find many more once you go through it. The brother has asked the question, that the hindu pandits and scholars they agree that the vedas is against idol worship, against making an image of almighty god but they give the logic that initially, because the mind is not matured, you require idol to concentrate.
Same way idol is not god but we can understand god thru that. Except for the abovementioned investigations, no learned in vedas says that vedas do have or present idolatry, but that idolatry is not allowed by vedas. The temptation to worship ourselves in various ways is a powerful temptation indeed. The whole day, one is busy thinking about making more money, buying more jewelry, buying a bigger house, a nicer car, etc.
Why do you still worship idols representatives of god almighty while you say that you follow vedas and scripts of hinduism. The present concept of the hinduism revolving around the sacred books. There are numerous reasons and tremendous benefits behind idol worship. My question is the hindu pandits and scholars, agree that the vedas, and other hindu religious scriptures prohibit idol worship, but initially because the mind may not be matured, therefore an idol is required for concentration. Out of his extreme kindness and for the benefit of everyone, he is still standing there in those divya kshetrams and in the numerous forms and shapes that we worship in our homes. The idols of rama, sita, lakshmana, krishna, venkateshwara, ganesha, laxmi and many innumerable idols are worshipped all over the world by hindus. If idol worship is a sin, muslims are greatest idol worshippers. They hate idol worship and idolaters as biggest enemy.
Idol worship refers to the practice of worshipping god in image form. When the universe is brahma hence, called brahmand, why not a stone is brahma or shiva. Yes, idol worship has been started within two thousand and five hundred years. They have been handed down to the posterity by oral tradition. The vedas absolutely nowhere say that idolworship is prohibited. This method of puja worship is recommended to give devotion a concrete focus. Books on the vedas, vedic culture and religion brahma find here a list of selected books on the vedas, the wisdom of the vedas, teachings, vedic culture, vedic mathematics, philosophy, rituals, beliefs and practices. From vedas prohibition of idol worship in yajurveda there is no image of him.
Idol worship why do we worship god importance of worship. The philosophical maxims of vedic literature have stood the test of time, and the vedas form the highest religious authority for all aspects. Idol worship truth, mystery and science lifeinvedas. I would ask our hindu brothers please refrain from such rumours better read all the vedas upanishads before. Such utilization of the vedas in the sacrificial processes naturally led to its division.
The hinduism has been thriving by following the principles of vedas. In worship that incorporeal creator of vedas in the form of image of veda, i imagine him in human form for worshipping. Different parts of world have different popular holy books. First of all i would like to say that i am not an expert on deity worship. The hindu pundits and scholars agree that the vedas and other hindu religious scriptures prohibit idol worship, but initially because the mind may not be matured, an idol is required for. In fact, it is impossible to conceive of god without some form of idol, for idol worship is the way of religion. Rahul asking vedas dont prohibits idol worship and large hearted ness of god. Shudra are not even allowed to study vedas until they become arya refer chapter 10 of satyarth.
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