Vedanta and Idol Worship

A pseudo-Vedantin feels ashamed to bow before an idol in the temple. He feels that his
Advaita (attitude of oneness) will evaporate if he prostrates himself. Study the lives of the reputed
Tamil saints—Appar, Sundarar, Sambandhar, and others. They all had the highest Advaitic
realisation. They saw Lord Shiva everywhere. Yet, they visited all temples of Shiva, prostrated
before the idol and sang hymns which are on record till today. The sixty-three Nayanar saints solely
practised the worship of the idols of Shiva and attained God-consciousness thereby. They swept the
floor of the temple, collected flowers, made garlands for the Lord and put lights in the temple. They
were illiterate, but attained the highest realisation. They were practical Yogis and their hearts were
saturated with pure devotion. They were embodiments of Karma Yoga. All practised the Yoga of
synthesis. The idol was all consciousness to them, not a mere block of stone.
Madhusudana Swami, who had Advaitic realisation, who beheld oneness of the Self and
who had the feeling of oneness with all creation, was intensely attached to the form of Lord Krishna
with flute in His hands.
Tulsidas realised the all-pervading essence. He had Cosmic Consciousness. He communed
with the all-pervading, formless Lord. And yet, his passion for Lord Rama with bow in His hand did
not vanish. When he was at Brindavan, beholding the idol of Lord Krishna with flute in hand, he
said, “I will not bow my head to this form.” At once Lord Krishna’s form assumed the form of Lord
Rama. Then only he bowed his head.
Tukaram also had the same cosmic experience as that of Tulsidas. He sings in one of his
songs: “I see my Lord all-pervading, just as sweetness pervades the sugar-cane”, and yet, he always
speaks of his Lord Vittala of Pandharpur with His hands on the hips. Mirabai also realised her
identity with the all-pervading Krishna, and yet she was not tired of repeating again and again, “My
Giridhar Nagar!”
From the above facts, we can clearly infer that one can realise God through worship of the
idol; that the idol is a great aid for the realisation of the Lord in His all-pervading, formless aspect
also; that the worship of the idol is very essential for the purpose of concentration and meditation in
the beginning; and that such a worship is not in any way a hindrance to the attainment of
God-realisation.
Those who vehemently attack idol worship are groping in extreme darkness and ignorance,
and have no real knowledge of worship. They enter into unnecessary, vain debates and discussions
83
HINDU FASTS & FESTIVALS
against idol worship to show that they are learned persons. They have not done any real Sadhana at
all. They are persons who have made idle talking and tall talk their habit and profession. They have
ruined themselves. They have unsettled the minds of countless persons and ruined them also. The
whole world worships idols alone in some form or another.
The mind is disciplined in the beginning by fixing it on a concrete object or symbol. When it
is rendered steady and subtle, it can be fixed on an abstract idea such as Aham Brahma Asmi. As one
advances in meditation, the form melts in the formless and one becomes absorbed in the formless
essence. The worship of idols is, therefore, not contrary to the view of Vedanta. It is rather an aid to
the highest Vedantic realisation