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An example of external worship of God (by using idols, symbols and sometimes even a certain specific direction during prayer): an old blog

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An example of external worship of God (by using idols, symbols and sometimes even a certain specific direction  during prayer): an old blog Empty An example of external worship of God (by using idols, symbols and sometimes even a certain specific direction during prayer): an old blog

Post by Seva Lamberdar Mon Dec 29, 2014 10:06 am

The worship and prayer to external deity (God) are considered symbolic (Ref. 1), by making use of symbols (e.g. materialistic) etc. In the Vedas, several names (Agni and Indra etc.) are used for Brahman, which help in focusing and connecting with the deity during worship and prayer. In addition to different names etc. used for Brahman as external deity, devotees also make use of other physical objects and symbols to facilitate their worship and prayer, as indicated in the following.


In India, a village settlement exists near the base of a hill. At the top of the hill there is a small ancient temple which has no walls and has the Shiv-linga (deity) situated in its center. Since the temple basically is an open area, worship and prayer to the central deity (including chanting of mantras and hymns etc.) can be conducted from all sides, without preference to any direction.


The road to this village zigzags around the base of the hill. Thus, no matter where a person stands in the road near the village, he usually is able to see the top of the hill and has the feeling of facing the temple and deity directly. It is a common practice in that area among some people to come to a brief stop while walking on the road, turn towards the temple facing it directly and pay obeisances to the deity, even without climbing the hill or visiting the temple. Thus a person standing at point P on the curving road may look westward towards the temple and pay obeisance to the deity, whereas another one at point Q on the road (looking northward towards the temple) may do the same without any reservation.


Both persons in this case -- even standing far from the deity at separate locations (P and Q) and looking differently (towards west and north, respectively) -- are able to pay their obeisances to the deity and pray and worship while just keeping their sights on the temple. In addition, whenever the temple is not visible from a distance, such as during night time or rainy weather, people still are able to face westward or northward etc. in the direction of hill (temple) and offer their prayers.


It seems that, unlike in the case of meditation involving the Immanent (God), the worship or prayer to God externally requires the use of symbols to connect with the deity. In the above example of temple-deity at the top of a hill, the sense of direction (facing north or west towards the hill and the temple) as well as the temple and its location on the hill are important symbols (tools) used by far-away devotees to help them focus on the deity and worship and pray. Furthermore, in addition to such physical symbols, the use of sound and words (chanting and singing the holy name) can also be a part of external worship.



APPENDIX
The srutis (Vedas) give freedom of choice in worship and prayer, 
and advise people against discrimination and casteism


(1) "O God ... each fault done in a village or in forest, in society or mind, each sinful act that we have committed to Shudra or Vaishya or by preventing a religious act, even of that sin, you are the expiation..." Yajur Veda (Kanda 1, Prapathaka 8, Hymn i.8.3.d)

(2) "In many ways people worship (using mind, voice, and body including the senses) and in many ways they find God. Know that all worship is holy work and realizing this leads to liberation." Gita (Ch. 4 – V. 32)

References

(1) Subhash C. Sharma, “Worship and prayer according to Vedas”, http://www.geocities.ws/lamberdar/vedic_deity.html 

------------------------------------ 
By: Dr. Subhash C. Sharma 
Email:
 lamberdar@yahoo.com
Date: Feb. 21, 2007[/color][/size]

http://www.geocities.ws/lamberdar/external_worship.html


Last edited by Seva Lamberdar on Mon Dec 29, 2014 10:14 am; edited 1 time in total
Seva Lamberdar
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Post by Hellsangel Mon Dec 29, 2014 10:10 am

What do people who live in plains do?
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Post by Seva Lamberdar Mon Dec 29, 2014 10:24 am

Hellsangel wrote:What do people who live in plains do?

Perhaps kneel down en-masse and pray in a certain direction together, intrinsically implying (even if claiming not to believe in the idol worship using symbols) that the deity or God (the object of reverence) is situated in that direction (in a far-off place and not visible to the eye).
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Post by Seva Lamberdar Tue Dec 30, 2014 9:51 am

the point being that even those who just pray or worship facing a certain direction, while thinking that they are not using any worship / prayer symbol or idol (at least not in front of them e.g. in the home or a temple etc.), are inadvertently signifying the object of reverence (God / deity etc.) as a symbol or idol through the specifically chosen direction for their worship / prayer.
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Post by TruthSeeker Mon Mar 23, 2015 8:05 pm

Hi Seva,

An excellent post, your fundamental idea being - that in a physical world, humans are restricted by "symbolic" representations of God. A "direction", "cross", "idols", does not matter. 

What I personally find ironic is that ALL religions declare - "God is one!", "ONE is God".

And then they start fighting with each other, indirectly saying and believing - "Your God", or "My God"? 

If you "TRULY" believe that God is ONE all across, then "WHY?". I personally dont care if you choose to call God as Allah, or Jesus's dad, or Krishna, or XYZ, why should anyone care, if they are just "Names" ?

Anyways, clueless men who have absolutely no idea of God, have used religion.

BS says TS.

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Post by Seva Lamberdar Tue Mar 24, 2015 8:30 am

Thanks TS. Valid points.
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