Idolatry is Idol worship.... a practice that is not accepted by many in this world... but it does exist.
Its existence and the many followers of Idolatry itself proves that it is definitely NOT baseless. The practice has come to existence with Some significance which is Misunderstood. Hinduism undoubtedly follows Idolatry... BUT it does not preach that god exists only in Idols...
Idolatry does not find any support from Vedas ( Hindu Scriptures). In chapter 32 of Yajurveda it has been said that "God Supreme or Supreme Spirit has no ‘Pratima’ or material shape"
http://english.vishwahindusamaj.com/idol-worship.htm
Now, there is yet another question that arises... GOD?..this is where we have another class of believers and Non-believers... However let us not dig into this right now..but surely will share my thoughts on it.
"It is much difficult to focus on God as the unmanifested than God with form, due to human beings having the need to perceive via the senses."Bhagvad gita chapter 12 verse 5
http://www.hinduwebsite.com/idols.asp
As Human beings we understand what we perceive from our senses and anything beyond the perception of these senses is unimaginable. We can focus on an issue only when we understand and accept it. Being the earthly living creatures we are bound only to the understanding and Knowledge of the materials made from the elements of our Planet. So, man can accept and concentrate or focus only on what is manifested.
Meditation is concentrating or focusing by relaxing the mind... As a beginner if one is asked to concentrate without an object... it is not easy... we all need an object or an image in the mind if we are to concentrate..without an image or object the mind and its thoughts can get scattered on many issues and images.
This image can be now called a symbol..to represent what we want to focus on.... This is how and why Idols have evolved. An Idol is a symbol that helps one to concentrate on God. if the Idol is pleasant to look at.. it is perceived so and the mind is relaxed.
Religion is a Science...based on the fundamentals of physical, chemical and biological and more importantly the behavioral aspects of life and Nature. Religion is a discipline that was introduced to bring order to the society. Religion is a school that was put forth for a channelised organisation of and understanding for mankind. Being a Hindu, I have my share of understanding and perception of Hinduism.
Next, I will share my Perception and understanding about energy, energizing and an energized Idol. What is energy and being energized... Can a stone be energized?
Energy..we all have learned in school about energy... Now, where do we find energy? or lets put it this way.. where do we not have energy?
Energy is all prevailing in this world, in this universe..in our human body..in each cellular compartment that makes up our body. Energy is what makes life continuous...it is unseen but existing... in the various forms...be it static, potential OR dynamic. It is the force that makes the Universe.
As the law of Thermodynamics states....'Energy Can Neither Be Created Nor Destroyed'
To my Understanding... Energy is what makes things happen... a wave of particles moving in a sinusoidal pattern can be continuous and smooth or can be disturbed and destructive. We have learned from our physics books that two energies can be synergistic OR even antagonistic to provide a more energized wave or a disrupted wave. So I understand that energy is what governs the life and for me God is a Supreme energy , a synergistic energy that is a multitude of energies existing (every living and Non living is energy). We have often heard ..there is divinity in every one living... Is this divinity the energy we possess?
Even a stone bears energy.. I remember my school days when we used to give the example of a 'STONE' for a body having Potential energy/Static energy. Why not!..where ever there is matter and its particles, we have energy!
Sound is an energy and is created by particles in vibration moving in a wave pattern.
Sound energy can be be used to energize stones..How?
An Idol is worshiped only after Prana Pratishta... why?
Prana is a Sanskrit term that means Life, Breath,the activity and Dynamism... to sum up Prana is the energy... that makes a body alive OR simply the Vital energy OR Vitalism. Prana is comparable to the Chinese notion of 'Qi'.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prana
Prana Pratishta is invoking of Prana in an object or a body. What is a Human Body without Prana/ Life..... a body of flesh and bones which are made of the earthly elements..in other words a Human body without Prana OR Energy is a mere Object.
Mantras are Vedic Chants... that carry powerful vibrations... they comprise very powerful Sound energy.
Science and experiments have shown that pleasant music enhances the growth of plants.. and music is good to ease the mind. Indeed sound Vibrations can create wonders.
In Prana Pratishta, the procedure involves the Chanting of powerful Mantras to invoke or transmit or induce energy into an object. Each mantra is a composure of energetic Vibrations (sound) that are designed for the specific need. So, the person who chants these mantras must be in a position to spell out these verses in the energetic way, So his spiritual or meditative energy field must be of high range.
Meditation is a means of synchronizing the energy field in our body to align it in the most balanced OR energetic pattern.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meditation When an energy field is in the most aligned or balanced pattern...it is powerful and supreme.
So when an Idol is put through the Prana Pratishta process..it is now considered the Idol representing god..... a symbolic representation that can be meditated upon.
Now here again, my mind asks a question.....If we need a mere symbolic representation then why do we need to do Prana Pratishta?? if the symbolic Idol is only to help in Focusing in Meditation... we can use any object..then why the inducing of energy into it. ?
In Hinduism, Temple is the place of worship and Prana Pratishta of the Idol is done in a temple where the Idol is permanently placed for worship. Even before a temple is built, the land is selected based on the earthly elements and their composition in the soil....why... soil too has energy. Before the construction of the temple the land too is energized by Vedic mantras. Once the prana Pratishta and Sthapana (placement) of the Idol is done...then the building becomes a Temple. The temple bears a Dome shaped cone built on the roof and attached on top of this dome stands an elongated rod made up of a conducting metal. The dome too is made up of a metal and opens inside the temple centering on the Idol. The rod is meant for the absorption and conduction of the Cosmic energy
http://www.spiritual-reality.com/cosmicenergy.html. Now the place of worship has be imbibed with high energy and upon entering such a highly spiritual or energized place a person's energy field is only enhanced improving his overall health be it physical or mental or emotional etc. When one meditates in such a highly energized environment the purpose of meditation is achieved more easily.
So in Idolatry an Idol is a Symbolic representation of the unseen Supreme energy (God) that helps in meditation. It acts as the point of focus upon which one can meditate. It is just one school of thought among the many about spirituality that is being Practiced from ages.
In my Understanding, Life, man, nature and its beings and the Supreme force Governing the entire life is Energy, that has been and will always be eternal.
So, the Practice of Idolatry is just a Primary school of teaching that helps man to lead to higher levels of spirituality that believes everything is energy and this energy/God exists in every living and non-living thing and the space between.
Hinduism has always existed and will work the same way irrespective of any Idols.
I thank all my readers who have patiently read my post on Idolatry or Idol worship. The intention behind writing on Idolatry is only to try and explain and Clarify about the Practice of Idolatry.
