This holy book is written in the sanskrit language. Apr 03, 20 the holy books in hinduism are there only for guidance. Dec 14, 2007 as far as i am concerened hinduism has not one book but many books and just by going through one line and spreading a rumor that idol worship is banned in hindusim doesnt suit. In hinduism there are many words to describe the nature of god, and we will refer to them as the need arises, but in this regard, the most. Idols or temples or churches or books are only the supports, the. Hinduism holy book important books and writings of hinduism sacred text of hinduism some important books and writings on hinduism hinduism does not possess a single holy book like bible in christianity and quran in islamic dharma. There is a whole science of idol making where a certain form is created with a particular material. Idol worship is neither mandatory nor prohibited in hinduism. They dont recognize idols or symbols made out of colors or rock, dance or musical notes. Even though the latter convey more meaning than any socalled holy book. At the front was a big central pulpit and behind the preacher. Many idols personify the different aspects of nature.
They may intend to pray for favors already received. Dec 11, 2011 salam alekum, hope this is the right place to post this question as it involves hinduism. In the hindu way of life, the only important thing in human life is his liberation. Hindus are not idol worshippers in the sense implied. The vedas are scriptures that the hindu people use as a guide to daily and religious life. There are two bodies of holy literature that form the primary texts of sanatana dharma. Hinduism and judaism similarities pakistan defence. Hinduism does not have a single holy book, but many ancient texts and scriptures. Therefore, hindus who may be weakhearted, pregnant or in otherwise illhealth should not proceed any further. Other holy scriptures in hinduism are called the upanisads, the smrutis, the puranas, the ramayana and the mahabharata. A direct translation from the sanskrit to english is problematic. How do hindus show respect for their holy book answers. Buddhist dhammapada, the sikh adi granth, the jewish torah, the christian bible and the muslim koranthe veda is the hindu holy book.
We invoke the presence of god from the higher, unseen worlds, into the image so that we can commune with him and receive his blessings. Apr 25, 2014 hinduism is the worlds oldest living religion and the third largest behind christianity and islam with more than 1 billion followers. Hindu is a cultural identity, not a religious identity. In fact, it is impossible to conceive of god without some form of idol, for idol worship is the way of religion. That is why i have raised this question so that other faith people whom we respect will understand the significance of idol worship. The puranas do not enjoy the authority of a scripture in hinduism, but are considered a smriti.
Why do people worship idols even though they are banned in their. May 07, 2007 if all the holy books go for revision its better. Hinduism is the worlds third most popular religion, with around 750 million followers. There are approximately 950 million adherents, most of them in india or nepal. Jan 30, 2010 in hinduism idol worship is not prohibited. They may wish to have a closer experience of the god that they worship, or they may wish to wash away their sins by bathing in a holy river. Going on pilgrimage plays an important part in hinduism. What is the reason of failure of idol worship outside india.
There are a number of reasons for hindus making a pilgrimage. Some of the holy books are the ramayan and the bhagvad gita. Idol worship is often considered as one of the major distinctions between western religions and hinduism. Sso basically ive been doing some research on jinns and how they were creating, what they do etc.
Worship takes a multitude of forms depending on community groups, geography and language. So, it is not surprising that they feel comfortable worshiping the divine in his material manifestation. The bhagavata purana has been among the most celebrated and popular text in the puranic genre. Nor is it based on the teachings of a founder or holy book. Idol worship murthi puja or image worship in hinduism refers to the worship of the names and forms murti of god, any divinity or reverential person such as a guru or a saint. But as a matter of fact most of hindus or christians or which ever religion, are all doing the same thing ie limiting to the plane of idol worship for material gains, and are never rising above it that is my observation. Hinduism today magazine, published quarterly from kauais hindu monastery. The form carved in a stone or painted on a paper is also an imaginary form and not even a direct photo. In these monotheistic religions, idolatry has been considered as the worship of false gods and is forbidden by the values. In abrahamic religions, namely judaism, christianity and islam, idolatry connotes the worship of something or someone other than god as if it were god. Sikhs follow the guru granth their holy book and do not pray to. All those who worship demi gods, all those do idol worship, they are materialistic people.
Sadhguru looks at the worship of idols in the hindu way of life, and explains that they are not merely depictions of gods. According to quran, mohammad paigambar was just a messenger and not the founder. Hindus show respect by reading it, or even having it in their homes next to the gods. When an idol is made by the hindu, he assigns certain qualities to that idol. Rishis are the seers of the mantras, not its authors. Idol worship is perhaps the greatest falsehood of hinduism. The king in an attempt to mock idol worship told swamiji, ive no faith in idol worship. The hindu trinity is represented by three godheads.
Sikhism prohibits idol worship, in accordance with mainstream khalsa norms and the teachings of the sikh gurus, a position that has been accepted as orthodox growing sikh popular discontent with gurdwara administration and practices during the 1800s, revivalist movements in the mid1800s who opposed idol worship like the nirankaris who strongly opposed the practice, though reverting to. Even though the hindu religion is the oldest religion in the world. Idols in the hindu way of life why are they worshipped. It is the sin nature of man that causes us to worship modern idols, all of which are, in reality, forms of selfworship. I came across a post here on shiachat that made me question a few points. If you ever wanted to learn about the concepts and fundamentals of hinduism then this is the book for you.
Islam vs hinduism hinduism facts facts about hindu religion. As far as i am concerened hinduism has not one book but many books and just by going through one line and spreading a rumor that idol worship is banned in hindusim doesnt suit. Nobody has done any revision to the holy books of hindus. His book and the hindus icon are much alike in this way. The four books of the vedasrig, yajur, sama and atharvainclude over 100,000 verses. There are a number of scriptures and holy books in hinduism. The termvedic belivers conservatives if one properly follows the 4 system of that holy rule book then we can say him as a hindu or vedic beliver since you said but it is of relegious view.
The rigveda is a collection of hymns dedicated to 33 gods especially to indri and agni. Lord krishna said believe in me, have faith in me, worship me and you can see me with divine eyes etc. Is it true, idol worshiping prohibited in hinduism. Some argue that hinduism is more a way of life than religion. And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm.
The belief system in the hindi religion is outlined from these scriptures. All hindu deities are themselves symbols of the abstract absolute and point to a particular aspect of the brahman. The word hindu or hinduism was not found in any holy book of hinduism even the word was been newly introduced. In this way hinduism is the least idol oriented of all the. At the front was a big central pulpit and behind the preacher were some pews for the choir. In this essay, we present ten valid reasons that justify the practice of idol worship in hinduism and why hindus pray to idols and images at homes and in temples. Importance of worshipping a bilwa tree on a monday. Posts about hindus worshiping idols written by hinduism1om1. What is the difference between the ideology of islam, and the ideology of hinduism. Idol worshipping, western terminologies and the modern view.
Other holy scriptures in hinduism are called the upanisads, the smrutis, the puranas, the ramayana and the. Idols can be made of any material, with or without any shape. The religion of hinduism originated in northern india, near the river indus, about 4000 years ago and is the worlds oldest existing religion. What is the thathwa behind hindus worshiping idols. Hindus not just worship idols of gods and goddesses, but also consider some objects as very sacred. As explained, idol worshipping in its true meaning enhances one focus and concentration. I read bhagvad gita and its nowhere written in it anything about idol worshipping in hinduism. A unique and allencompassing characteristic of hinduism is that one devotee may be worshipping ganesha while a friend worships siva or vishnu or kali, yet both honor the others choice and feel no sense of conflict. The practice of idol worship in hinduism and why hindus pray to idols and. I am often told by religious people that celebrities are now being worshiped like gods.
Hindu texts are manuscripts and historical literature related to any of the diverse traditions within hinduism. Idolatry is the worship of a physical object as a god of any object, person. But jesus rebuked him, saying, be silent and come out of him. The most holy of the hindu books is written in sanskrit and is referred to as the vedas. Hindus do worship idols, but so do christians, jews and even muslims. Hinduism is the third largest religion in the world. We do hope that all serious students of hindu religion and philosophy will find the book useful and.
The book, which was first published in 1947, has now been rearranged in a more convenient form, with useful additions here and there, and is now released in its fifth edition. Vivekananda answers christians about worshiping god idols. The vedas a collection of hymns praising the vedic gods. Hinduism download books, sacred, spiritual texts and pdf e. Hindu religion is very practical and life oriented. Could never really understand the idol worship argument. Idols in the hindu temples are not toys or statues.
The best advice for such hindus is to turn off the computer, close your eyes and chant hare rama. Vedas and upanishadas are the most authoritative amongst all hindu scriptures and holy books. It is the sin nature of man that causes us to worship modern idols, all of which are, in reality, forms of self worship. Hindu worship idols so that they do not forget the real image of. In fact puranas like shrimad bhagavatam itself mention the process of deity form worship of the god and what the idols can be made of. These hindu texts have been influential in the hindu culture, inspiring major national and regional annual festivals of hinduism. These two fundamental convictions in some ways make hinduism and islam polar opposites. Thus, thus symbolically in idol worship one not only worships the concrete form of god murtam but also the subtle, invisible and formless self amurtam in the body. Or you dont worship anything and you can be a hindu. Idolatry is the worship of an idol or cult image, being a physical image, such as a statue, or a person in place of god. Extreme admiration, love, or reverence for something or someone. It is a very controversial thing about this verses along the religious websites, especially non hindu websites, they are claiming that idol worship is prohibited in hinduism. It was the way of life which later took the form of religion.
However, the holy books in hinduism are the basis on which we have evolved our culture and way of living. But for all other religions, it is a must and mandatory. I was buddhist for 25 years and experimented with hinduism for 4 years. Lifex, vivekananda answers christians about worshiping god idols in hinduism. The concluding portions of the vedas are called upanisads. This misperception results from ignorance, not only among the foreigners, but even among indians about the underlying philosophy of god in indian tradition and the symbolic nature of idols that are hardly different from other symbols like a sacred site or holy book revered in other. The christian missionaries disliked and were against their idolworshipping, as their beliefs from the old testament stated that thou shalt not worship false idols. Some people concentrate on the idols, some on the light of candle and some on the rising sun. Therefore speak to them and say to them, thus says the lord god.
Hindus do not worship a stone or metal idol as god. I liked the key pointman is to become divine by realizing the divine. Importance of idols in the hindu way of life sanskriti. The idols of rama, sita, lakshmana, krishna, venkateshwara, ganesha, laxmi and many innumerable idols are worshipped all over the world by hindus. Idol worship is described in uddhava geeta by lord krishna to his cousin and disciple uddhava in bhagwata puran. A sense of bhakti or devotional love if generally invoked. No doubt it is prohibited in all holy books like vedas, upanishads, talmudh, bible and the quran. V an idol or an image is a living embodiment arca of god. The ancient buddhist, hindu and jaina texts discuss the nature of existence. Part 1 in indian society, idol worship is one of the major superstitions that preclude the development of a scientific bent of mind. Comparison between hinduism and sikhism free essay. Vivekananda answers christians about worshiping god idols in. Once swami vivekananda visited king of alwar in present day rajasthan.
Fire, wind, sun and soil are considered holy in hinduism. And they were all amazed and said to one another, what is this word. Vivekanandas explanation on idol worship and many gods. Although all the scriptural excerpts below are genuine and taken directly from hindu holy books, the truth can sometimes be too much to handle for some people.
There is no single scripture as it is in other religions like christianity and islam. Sep 11, 2008 i liked the key pointman is to become divine by realizing the divine. Hinduism is practised by more than 80% of indias population. There are also other holy books like puranas, ramayana, mahabharta etc. But in hinduism, idols murti are worshipped as reminders of god. Worship in hinduism is an act of religious devotion usually directed to one or more hindu deities. Prophet mohammad paigambar is considered as the founder of islam. The vedas are not books, they are revealed facts by rishis. Sikhism beliefs criticizes caste, worship of idols and traditions and believes in one imaginative source, ten gurus of history, faith of guru granth, commencement rituals built up by tenth guru gobind singh including five ks that means the articles of faith and teachings of ten gurus wherever hindus believe in caste, worship of idols and. The following are the most sacred holy books in hinduism. Central to hindu worship is the image or icon, and central to hindu belief is the concept of rebirth or reincarnation. My dear lord, o master of the devotees, please explain to me the prescribed method of worshiping you in your deity form. Mar 02, 2011 hence, different names and idols were given by the people to comprehend the ultimate reality. The deification of celebrities is also a form of idolatry.
This article was first published at patheos i was brought up in pennsylvania in an independent bible church. All religions have their symbols of holiness through which the sacred flows into the mundane. Is there any holy book in hinduism where idol worship is. When i have seen amongst them that are called idolaters, men, the like of whom in morality and spirituality and love i have never seen anywhere, i stop. It is a means to focus ones religious pursuits and worship bhakti. What idolatry means in hinduism hindu american foundation. Be a proud and staunch hindu never be afraid if someone calls you a communal, whoever say s so, is the pseudosecular or a. The different gods and goddesses in the hindu mythology are derived from these books. Download the bible, the holy quran, the mahabharata and thousands of free pdf ebooks on buddhism, meditation etc.
Image worship is also practiced in buddhism and jainism. From a small basil plant to the vermilion powder, these small sacred objects have a spiritual significance. Any one of the house of israel who takes his idols into his heart and sets the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and yet comes to the prophet, i the lord will answer him as he comes with the multitude of his idols, that i may lay hold of the hearts of the house of. Western society and abrahamic religions are often dazzled and confused by all the deity worship with in the hinduism. They are rig veda, sama veda, yajur veda and atharva veda.
Why are only catholics and hindus accused of worshipping. This is why we find in our holy book, the koran, both scholastic. Sep 08, 2009 idols and signs are essential part of every religion hindus have murtis not idols of their gods christian worship cross, jesus and mother marys photos muslims bow before an uncut black stone sikhs worship a book as guru pagans worship symbols what is the philosophy behind worshiping photos, murtis and stones and books for worshipping god. Therefore, one should not undermine the importance of idol worship in hinduism. The masses assume that by worshipping idols, their sins will be forgiven and they will be rewarded in this life as well as after. From vedas prohibition of idol worship in yajurveda there is no image of him. I would ask our hindu brothers please refrain from such rumours better read all the vedas upanishads before believing in one sentence. A few texts are shared resources across these traditions and broadly considered as hindu scriptures. In hinduism one of the ultimate attainments is that the seeker transcends the need of all form and symbol. Our church building was a large auditorium designed for people to listen to biblebased sermons.
The temptation to worship ourselves in various ways is a powerful temptation indeed. The only religion in the world that doesnt need to worship an idol is hinduism. It is a very controversial thing about this verses along the religious websites, especially nonhindu websites, they are claiming that idol worship is prohibited in. It is the qualities that are worshiped by the hindu. Hinduism holy book important books and writings of hinduism. Again, in the history of hinduism deities have been pictured, in the indus valley seals were found of the yogichorned god and statues of the mother goddess. The statues and photos are only models representing the concept, which is knowledge. According to their beliefs, idolatry is the wrong interpretation of hinduism. Hindu religion, philosophy and concepts shalu sharma on. Idol worship and rituals are at the heart of hinduism and have great religious and philosophical significance. I am hindu, i want those who are ignorant about hindus worshiping idols to know the answer. Idolatry is the worship of an idol or cult image, being a physical image, such as a statue, or a. Vivekananda answers christians about worshiping god idols in hinduism.
Hindu scriptures and holy books hinduism facts hinduism facts. Brahma the creator, vishnu the protector, and shiva the destroyer. They only recognize idols made out of letters or alphabets or paper. The holy book in the hindu religion is known as the vedas. An introduction the following are some references from hindu scriptures. Information on hinduism for kids primary homework help. And the holy quran also states that allah is the beginning, and the end.