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Do u believe in idol worship?I have always had trouble with my faith. I always considered myself an agnostic. Coz i find it hard to believe that u can find god in some ceramic/steel/bronze creation.After all, these have been made by humans, so how can they be god? Then, i reasoned it out that we arent praying to the "idols" themselves,but to god and the idols are merely a manifestation our desire to give god a "form" so that we can "see" the god we pray to. I have asked so many ppl for explanations but none of them have satisfied me.And christians/muslims, plz dont ask me to convert to christianity/islam coz i find those religion quite outrageous and hard to believe too.Can someone plz help me?Regarding the no. of gods that we have,my mother says that brahma/vishnu/shiva arent actually gods,(Coz i wondered how god-brahma could be born of a lotus)There is only one god, and they are all the manifestations of god.Can some one explain hinduism to me?

2006-10-29 19:13:27 · 26 answers · asked by Sunrise 5 in Society & Culture Religion & Spirituality

Wow, i am impressed, i've got some really amazing answers, and yes,all of you have really helped me clear my confusion. I dont know which answer to chose as the best coz so many of them explained various aspects of hinduism, and all of them together answered my question.Thanks guys......

2006-10-29 21:53:30 · update #1

I apologise, i didn't mean to say that other religions are outrageous, but i only said that because i was afraid my question might tempt them to tell me to convert to their religion, and i only wanted clarification abt hinduism.Sorry guys.....Everyone has a right to their beliefs and their religion.BTW, i am in india and i am a hindu.

2006-10-29 22:00:44 · update #2

26 answers

The statues and pictures of the devas are merely symbols (symbols within symbols to be exact since there are layers of symbolism there). The images are meant to be a focal point (much like the geometric yantras that some Hindus use instead). It isn't just a matter of wanting to have a form of God so we can see God, it is a matter of having a symbol to help remind us of the many qualities of God or remind us God within ourselves. Afterall, if the statues were God, why would the temple just throw them out and smash them to pieces whenever they have deterioriated beyond repair?

God has a thousand faces is what one Hindu told me once. I liked that expression. And of course with every face there is a name (or 108 or 1000). In fact, Hinduism doesn't have as many gods as people think. Hinduism has one God (with millions of names). Afterall it is the Hindu belief that whatever name you call God by that God still hears you...because God is all names, is all forms (and yet is beyond all names and all forms at the same time).

There is one God from which the entire universe manifested from and from which the entire universe will one day merge back into and our big goal as Hindus is to achieve moksha/mukti which is the liberation from samsara (the cycle of birth, death, birth, death, birth, death) and union with God. Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva are symbols of God. Brahma represents the process of creation, Vishnu represents the process of preservation, and Shiva represents the process of dissolution. Then there are various other symbols of God like Ganesh, Murugan, Ayyappa, Kali, Durga, etc. God is both male and female and yet is truly beyond all gender (is both and yet beyond it all, too). Everything in the entire universe contains the divine spark of God...it is connected to God through this spark. Often times, though, we have forgotten our true nature. We have forgotten about this connection to God and the divine spark. "Treat everyone as you would treat God" is a saying I have heard many times by Hindu teachers and read various different versions of the same saying in countless texts. Most Hindus worship only one form of God (some choose to expand to others during certain times). One's personal form of God is called your ishtadevata or ishtadeva or ishtadev (various different ways of saying the same thing). It is the personal form you most connect to or are most drawn towards. It doesn't mean that you discredit the other forms and names, or even the names and forms of other religions' expressions of God, you just merely use one. You use the form to remind you of certain things about God and at the same time as a way of focusing your mind during meditation. It is also helpful in performing puja (afterall it is easier to offer a tray of sweets or a cup of water to a focal point rather than just sitting them on the table....although I do know Hindus who don't use any forms whatsoever...and of course after prayers, etc, are done partaking of the food after first offering it to God is always a blessing).

My ishtadev is Ganesh. I know the symbolism of Ganesh quite well and when I look at the image I know and understand the message I receive just by looking it. It is a reminder for me (much like the cross is for Christians or the words from the Koran are for Muslims). Ganesh has an elephant head. The elephant head itself symbolizes God removing the obstacles along our spiritual journey. The large ears represent that God hears all prayers and the missing tusk reflects that the sacrifice of oneness into the many....that God manifested everything in the universe from Itself. The large belly represents the fact that everything is still contained in God (the divine spark in all things). He has four arms and hands. In one hand he holds a rope symbolizing God helping us draw us closer towards It. The next hand holds an axe symbolizing God cutting away at all our attachments (bad habits and other things that keep us from realizing God). The next hand holds a tray of sweets symbolizing the bliss and joy of God as well as the rewards that come with spiritual life. The final hand is empty but makes a mudra/gesture that means "I grant blessings" which is to remind us that God is the source of all blessings. Ganesh rides around on a rat called Mooshika. The rat symbolizes our egos (which tends to scury around from thing to thing, completely distracted, and totally sees itself as seperate). Ganesh riding the rat symbolizes letting God be our guide. There are mantras, chants, that can be said that are associated with Ganesh. The mantra I chant during meditation is related to Ganesh. There is a Hindu belief that one of the many various practices/paths (yogas) to God includes the chanting of the divine name. Simply repeating a sacred name over and over and over again helps to focus the mind...thus this leads to japa meditation and often to using a mantra with your mala while doing japa. The name Ganesh is symbolic, too (everything in Hinduism is full of symbolism...including the stories of the devas..there is often deeper meaning in the symbolism). Ganesh comes from Ga Na Esh which means Lord of Intellect & Wisdom. Another name used with the image of Ganesh is Vinyaka which means Remover of Obstacles.

Some great books on Hinduism:
"The Complete Idiot's Guide To Hinduism" - very well done and written by an American who not only practices Hinduism, but teaches it.
"Windows Into The Infinite" - very good book that has commentary on the sacred texts and describes the symbolism within the texts and what that means philosophically and theologically in Hinduism
"Am I A Hindu?" - very simple book written in the format of a discussion between a father and his son. It is really good at explaining the basics of Hinduism
"Paths To God: Living The Bhagavad Gita" - good book that not only explains the Bhagavad Gita, but also has practical ways in which a person can live out its teachings and gives ideas for practices, etc.

Some good websites that go into detail about Hinduism
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion
http://www.himalayanacademy.org
http://www.hindukids.org

I am a member of the Progressive Hindu Association and we have a yahoo group list that is full of people who were either born Hindus or, like me, adopted Hinduism as their religion. There are also folks who are interested in learning more about Hinduism and inquire about various topics. If you'd like to join the group and perhaps meet some other Hindus who could also give you some explainations on various topics related to Hinduism then please feel free to join. All the folks there are really nice. They live in the United States, Canada, India, Europe, and other places in the world. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/westernhindu It's just a suggestion since I know that many of these folks can answer the questions because they lead satsangs and, in the past, some of them were the ones that helped me find the books to read, explained some things to me, etc.


Hope all of my explainations helped.

Peace be with you.

Namaste.

2006-10-29 20:07:21 · answer #1 · answered by gabriel_zachary 5 · 3 0

Im not hindu, but have recently been studying it myself so heres what I can tell you, all the "idols" are just different manifestations of GOD, all of which represent different aspects and traits of the one God. Followers can choose the representation that they best relate to and worship them so that they can feel more closely related to God. Hindus believe that there are two levels of God, one with attributes and one without. The part without is known as Brahman and is all inclusive and all embracing and has no limits or characteristics. Brahman is everything. Both beyond creation and within it. There is no seperation between the creator and created as there is in most other religions. The part with attributes is known as Saguna and this is where all the "idols" come into play. Within Saguna is a trinity, as in the christian world, made up of Brahma (the creator) Vishnu (The Preserver) and Shiva (the Destroyer). To further complicate things each of these manifestations have goddesses and human deities associated with them. Brahma has as consort the goddess Sarasvati who represents speech and intelligence and is also the patron of arts. Vishnu has has his consort Lakshmi who represents wealth and fortune and is seen as the perfect wife. Whenever humanity is out of balance Vishnu incarnates in human form as Rama and Lakshmi incarnates as his lover Sita. When he incarnated as Krishna, Lakshimi became Radha and also Rukmini. Shiva, the destroyer, the third part of the trinity has consort Shakti, the universal divine, who is known by several other names, Parvati, Uma, Mahadevi, Durga, and Kali, as well as others. Shiva represents all principles of the gods.

Anyways, there is loads more, but maybe I was able to help a little bit..although Im sure I may have confused you further. Definitely a topic worth reading up on!

2006-10-29 20:07:25 · answer #2 · answered by Jen 3 · 3 0

Hinduism is not a religion. It is a culture. A culture that consists of:
Spirituality (Bhagawat Geetha)
Health (Ayur Veda)
Sex (Kama Sutra)
But the later Hindus misinterpreted them and the result is today's Hindu religion.

I am basically a Christian but after reading Bhagawat Geetha - I can say it is the super spirituality. If Christianity says the birth of a spiritual personality within us, Hinduism teaches the perfection of that person.

Idol worship is not a part of Hinduism but it is developed in the society through generations. There is only one God and He is the brain behind all the creations including you and me.

The stories such as Brahma born out of a Lotus etc. must be stories created by people through Generations to make their children follow the faiths they had.

Here the problem is they took God as a matter of faith and not reality. For example, we don't see air - but breathe and gradually learns that it is a reality. Similarly every individual must know God as a reality and then we can deal with him like a person to person.

2006-10-29 20:14:56 · answer #3 · answered by latterviews 5 · 3 1

Not asking you to convert or anything...that's a matter of choice on your part and nobody can decide that for you or pressure you into it...but sounds like you're going through the same delimna as the prophets Abraham and Muhammad (pbut). Both saw the idol-worshipping peoples of their day and went on a quest to find God, and God choose both of them to teach Islamic monotheism to their peoples. The idols the people worshipped were created by man and lifeless, but the one true God is eternal and one. He is not to be split into parts and he is too high to have any form on the earth, whether that be a son or manifestation of any sort. I think you would agree on these things, even if you don't believe in Islam per say. There are many agnostics who come across the same belief, and i'm pretty sure they will go to paradise too (but only God knows for certain). The Qur'an says that all who believe in God and do His will go to heaven (including Christians, Jews, and other religion or non-religion). God is fair with people and always will be. May He bless you for your sincerity and continue to guide you, no matter what path you choose.

2006-10-29 19:28:23 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1 2

That is one big question. I am going to try and explain this as simply as possible ... here goes :

Firstly ... Please do remember that Hinduism is not a religion. It is a way of life.

The Hindu way of life is built around one basic principle : the principle of karma ... As you sow - so you reap.

The basic rules of living your life are built around this principle, your specific place in society and the life stage you are at. E.g. if you are a teacher and you are just married, it is your duty to teach and thereby earn enough to provide for your wife.

The end result of life in Hindusim is either to be one with nature/ god or to die.

Around this principle, the basic rules of life and the end result you are seeking - are built the many ways in which you can live your life as a Hindu.

1. The Chaarvaka way == This route is for those who do not believe in god, soul, greater existence etc. You can choose to not believe in anything and still be a Hindu. In such a situation - the belief is that if you do bad to people - they will do the same unto you in this very life. This a completely materialistic way of life.

2. The Saamkhya way == Here the belief is that the world is made up of matter and soul. It is in the peaceful co-existence of the two that we will find joy. This way of life supports the practise of yoga and living a balanced life. It also asserts the need for greater self control to achieve the perfect equilibrium (which is the god state) ... which is not required in the Chaarvaka way of life.

3. The Nyaya way == this is the knowledge route. This route believes that pursuit of knowledge will lead you to understanding god and therefore help you reach god. Hence - logical knowledge is the way of life in this route.

4. The Vedanta way == this is the brahminical way of life. Here again you have the option to through the route of idol worship, ritual worship or meditative worship.

5. The Mimamsa way == here the vedas are considered supreme and the vedic way (worship of the forces of nature) is considered supreme. The gods in this area are therefore - the sun, the wind etc.

6. The Buddhist way

7. The Jain way

To answer your question on idol worship :: Hinduism acknowledges that there is only one god - but there are many many roads to meet that one god. Hindu's have a wide choice of routes to get there and they are free to choose as they like irrespective of their life stages, their place in society and the beliefs that they are born into.

2006-10-29 19:50:12 · answer #5 · answered by zuluind04 2 · 2 0

You have correctly interpreted the idol worship. Hindus do not treat the idols as Gods, but an external point to meditate on God

Also when there is a difficult explanation about a manifestation, they depict it with idols with many hands (showing more power) etc. it is called Iconography

Hindus believe there is one supreme consciousness, (called AUM, shiva,or Krishna by different people)..

This supreme manifests as a trinity to Create, operate and destroy the worlds (Brahma,Vishnu, Shiva)

Pls dont do by the mythological explanations of their births, as these are for the illeterate masses, who were unable to grasp a great idea.

Idol, is thus an external stumilii to fix our attention to the attributes of our form of God

Hinduism gives full liberty to its followers to worship God as Father, Mother, Baby, Guru or as formless Brahm...hence people chose the form of their choice and worship that form as One Supreme God....which outsiders blame as many gods.

2006-10-29 20:23:33 · answer #6 · answered by ۞Aum۞ 7 · 3 0

Hi

Hinduism is way of life than purely a religion.For Human being worshipping is more important than how ur worshipping.Surrender urself to god is the goal of every human being.So its irrelevant whether u would like to be Muslim,Christian or hindu.

It has become next to impossible for a human being to attain moksha without extraordinary efforts.And hinduism has proposagated 4 methods to attain the same:

Raja Yoga,Bhakti yoga,Gnana Yoga and Karma Yoga.

Except in Bhakti yoga there is no need to worhsip any idol in other ways i.e Raja ,Gnana and karma yoga's.

But out of all 4 bhakti yoga is the easiest way to attain moksha.And inorder to develop bhakti you need to c something physically in the intial stages once u come out of the maya i.e this illussioned world there is no need for any idol for you.So idol worshipping in the intial stages help you to reach your goal faster.

And thats the reason hinduism in way of life than a religion.

Exampes of number of saints can be taken for the same.

2006-10-29 19:28:58 · answer #7 · answered by osdaez 1 · 3 0

check this out.

to explain the most complex and wondrous teachings here?? no.
'

The Tao that can be trodden is not the enduring and
unchanging Tao. The name that can be named is not the enduring and
unchanging name.

(Conceived of as) having no name, it is the Originator of heaven
and earth; (conceived of as) having a name, it is the Mother of all
things.

Always without desire we must be found,
If its deep mystery we would sound;
But if desire always within us be,
Its outer fringe is all that we shall see.

Under these two aspects, it is really the same; but as development
takes place, it receives the different names. Together we call them
the Mystery. Where the Mystery is the deepest is the gate of all that
is subtle and wonderful.

2006-10-29 19:22:13 · answer #8 · answered by idiotjim 3 · 0 0

hi u are in dilemma and please dont say other religion as outrageous. everyone love thier religion. i am hindu regarding idol worshiping i beleive in them yes eventhough it is human made by praying and doing all rituals what they do in temples it gives life to that idol. see when u go to temple u will really feel that calmnessand see god u feel like crying and something attracts u and make u to pray. its a energy surrounding the idol which make s u to do so. just try to read our devotional stories try to learn sanskrit and read all great epics u will only understand how rich our religion is and how god is created and why we should believe in him. so try to do meditation and learn more about our vast and most interesting religion. why dont u try to read about other language stories like u will get lot of stories in tamil, kannada and telugu history which will find quite interesting even in kerala.see u will be surprised how deep it is the roots of our religion. take care

2006-10-29 19:31:52 · answer #9 · answered by anu 2 · 2 0

If you had a kid or a parent, that was overseas dont you sometimes fondly look at his or her photo and doesnt that bring fond memories. It is the same with idols. The idols are only pointers to divinity.

The hindu religion is based on Eternal Righteousness or 'Sanathan Dharma' and it dictates the way human beings need to deal in this world with each other and with God.

At the basis of Hinduism is that God or Divinity is in each and every being, living and non-living in this universe and divinity pervades the entire universe just as sweetness is present in sugar.

Hindus recognize divinity in all forms. There are several deities in hinduism which are different represnetation of the many aspect of the ONE God.

Contrary to popular beliefs - Hinduism is still monotheistic in its core. There is only God and that God pervades the entire universe as Consciousness - Hindus call this one God - "Brahman'.

The one God is capable of expressing Himself in infinite forms with unqique charatersistics - and the suble manifestations of the One God with specific charactersistics resuklts in the deities.

So, its like you have the one God at the apex called - Brahman. Brahman is both manifest and unmanifest. The unmanifest Brahman is called 'Nirgun Brahman' (equivalent to Allah) and is formless.

The manifest Brahman or "sagun Brahman' is with form and at the top layer of embodied Gods - we have Bramha (spelt different from Brahman), Vishnu and Shiva - The hindu trinity.

There are several other deities each with an embodied charactersistics of Brahman.

And finally, you have "Avatars" - who represent complete descent of transcendetal consciousness in a human form that walked on earth. Hence, you have Rama, Krishna....

HIndus believe that everything is created from God and souls go through a series of births and deaths through re-incaranation and all souls eventuall get liberated and finally merge in God.

One of the remarkable aspects of Hinduism is that it believes, God Himself descend on earth in human form to correct and guide erring humanity whenever it has strayed from the pat of righteousness. These manifestation of divinity are called avatars and Gods like Rama and Krishna fall under such category. Gods who walked on earth as humans.

The celbration of hinduism is the love and devotion between God and the devotee, and it is through such devotion eternal salvation or liberation is achieved from the cycle of birth and death.

Bhakthi or Devotion is one of the exalted paths in Hinduism and is what makes Hinduism a very special and adorable and heart rendering religion for its followers.

2006-10-29 19:40:00 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 3 0

How to measure that someone knows more or less? i would say that Hindu religion is so deep that anyone who has devoted his whole life will still be left with a lot to know..

2016-05-22 06:57:17 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

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