Idol worship or Ideal worship?

Contents

• Deity Worship & educated vision • God’s form – Christianity & Islam• God’s form – Vedic Insights• Can God manifest through matter? • Symbolism – Descending vs

Ascending• From Idol Worship to Ideal Worship

Book as an object of material dimensions

Educated Vision: Book as an a source of wisdom

Cumulative Learning vs Complementary Learning

Educated Vision of Deity Worship

2. Form of God in all religions

Is idol worship anthropomorphism?

2. Form of God in all religions

“under His feet” (Exodus 24:10)

“inscribed with the finger of God” (Exodus 31:18)

“the hand of Lord” (Exodus 9:3)

“the ears of the Lord”(Numbers11:1)

2. Form of God in all religions

“the eyes of the Lord” (Genesis 38:7)

Ezekiel (1:26) - God as having “the semblance of a human form” and ‘’Man is made in the image of God” (Ezekiel 1:27)

2. Form of God in all religions

Face of Allah: 55.27, SB (9.93.503), Eyes of Allah: 20.39, 96.14, 52.48, 20.39, 54.14Foot of Allah: SB (6.60.373), (9.93.481),Hands of Allah: 38.75, 39.67, 48.10, SB (9.93.509), (9.93.515) Finger of Allah: SB (9.93.510-511)Throne of Allah: 69.17, 57.4, Laughter of Allah: SB (1.12.770), (9.93.532), “…he will keep on invoking Allah till Allah will laugh because of his sayings, and when Allah will laugh because of him, He will say to him, ‘Enter Paradise,’ and when he will enter it, Allah will say to him, ‘Wish for anything.’ So he will ask his Lord, and he will wish for a great number of things, for Allah Himself will remind him to wish for certain things by saying…”

2. Form of God in all religions

Image of Allah: 72.22-25, SB (9.93.532), (6.60.105), (8.76.577), SB (9.93.529),

We were sitting with the Prophet and he looked at the moon on the night of the full-moon and said, “You people will see your Lord as you see this full moon, and you will have no trouble in seeing Him…

SB (8.74.246):

The Prophet said, “Allah created Adam in His complete shape and form (directly), sixty cubits (about 30 meters) in height. When He created him, He said (to him), “Go and greet that group of angels

2. Form of God in all religions

SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM (cantos 2, 7, 4, and 10)

Is God nirguna or saguna?

Solution by Arthapatti (Postulation)?

Vedic Insights

Is 60% score good or bad?

For one capable of scoring 40%, it is excellent

For one capable of scoring 80%, it is undesirable

Vedic Insights

Is the idea that God has no form good?

For those who can’t see beyond material forms,

it is recommended

For those who can understand spiritual forms,

it is undesirable

“ After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare”. (Bhagavad Gita 7.19)

Two extremes- Impersonalism and pantheism

Lord comes as Deity

Sanction V/S Speculation

Sanction V/S Speculation

Symbolism – Two types

Ascending – Flag: Abstract represented by concrete, no innate connection

Symbolism – Two types

Descending – Photo: Concrete represented by concrete, inseparaby connceted

Who looks more attractive: God or Man?

na tasya pratima asti

Pratima nahi tumi sakshad vrajendra nandana

Thank You