Idol worshipping (Murti Puja) in Hinduism

Idol worshipping (Murti Puja) in Hinduism

There are always questions raised on diverse worshipping systems in Hinduism such as multiple forms of deities and demi-gods, rise of several deities, system of idol worshipping etc. Replies of such questions have been attempted in this article.   
 
Multiple forms of Deities:
The Upanishads preaches the doctrine of the Absolute Being (Brahman) who is non-dual, formless, infinite and Sat-Chit-Ananda (Existence-Knowledge-Bliss). The different Gods and Goddesses are of the same one Supreme Being. Hence, the deity is an expression of the Universal Being, the Sat-Chit-Ananda. The practice of concentration on formless God is extremely difficult except for very highly advanced aspirants. Sri Ramakrishna says that God is with form, without form and beyond form. As you know our ordinary mind can conceive only finite things. So, one uses the form to go beyond the form.
 
System of worshipping multiple forms Deities:
Hinduism recognised various needs and desires of human being and to fulfil them various deities & forms are invoked. The desires include material needs such as power (Durga Devi), wealth (Lakshmi-Vishnu), knowledge (Sarasvati Devi), good fortune (Ganesh ji), energy (Sun God), to overcome health problems & evil spirits (Hanuman ji), to avoid sorrows (Shiva) etc. It is proper to adore the Divine in any form, provided there is the basic understanding that the other deities are only His partial manifestations.  When the devotee sits near the God in form and commune with Him and meditates on His attributes, it helps. It purifies the heart and steadies the mind. It fills the mind with Suddha Bhava (feelings) and Prema or pure love for the God. It gradually transmutes man into a divine being. 
 
Ancient History of Idol Worshipping:

1. There was no idol worship during Vedic period. Agnihotra or Yajna were performed. In Yajna, God is worshiped by honoring fire and fire is the vehicle that takes the request to God. However, Vedas contain hymns (mantras) to worship deities who number around 33 koti including Indra, Agni, Varuna, surya, vaayu, Vishnu and Rudra (later became Shiva). Idol worship is the extension of Yagna which is allowed in Vedas. 
2. Idol worshipping mainly included Shaivism (Shiva), Shaktism (Devi), Vaishnavism (Vishnu or his incarnations) and Smartism (formless Brahman).
3. During Indus Valley civilization (3500-1500 BC) people were believed to worship Shiva. Old scriptures suggest worshipping idols in India was prevalent for thousands of years ranging from the 7th to 4th centuries BC. The text, Astadhyayi, mentions of idols worshipping of male deities viz. Agni, Indra, Varuna, Rudra, Mrda, Pusa, Surya, and Soma and female deities such as Indrani, Varunani, Usa, Bhavani, Prthivi and Vrsakapayi.
4. During archeological excavations, figures of the Mother Goddess were unearthed in India (near Allahabad) of the period of Upper Paleolithic, and carbon-dates to approximately 20,000 - 23,000 BC. In Harappa and Mohenjo-daro, major cities of the Indus valley civilization, female figurines were found in almost all households indicating the presence of cults of goddess worship.
5. In the late-Vedic texts (~1000 to 500 BC), the concept of a metaphysical Brahman grows in prominence, and the Vaishnavism tradition considered Vishnu to be identical to Brahman. In ‘‘Mahabhasya’’ of Patanjali as of 2nd Century BC has mentioned about worship of Kubera, Rama, Kesava, Krsna, Vishnu and Shiva. An image was recovered from Mathura of 2nd century BC.

 
Rise of Idol Worshipping since Adi Shakaracharya (8th century): 

The philosophers of great Vaishnava movement during 5th-15th century gave big impetus to the idol worshipping in India. Vaishnavite (Sagun) Bhakti movement in Tamil Nadu was led by twelve Alvers or Azhwars. The Azhwars were influential in promoting the Bhagavata cult and the two Hindu epics, namely, Ramayana and Mahabarata. 
 

1. Idol worship of Five Deities–Shiva, Vishnu, Devi, Sun & Ganesha-Adi Shankaracharya:

Before the advent of Adi Shankaracharya, there were more than sixty-eight sects such as Charvakas, Lokayathikas, Kapalikas, Shaktas, Sankhyas, Buddhas and Madhyamikas. They had adopted different ways of worship and were under constant conflict.
 
Adi Shankaracharya (born in Kochi, Kerala and lived during 788-820), though was founder of Advaita Vedanta (Non-dualism) and was exponent of formless Supreme Being, the Brahman, he gave boost to idol worship as under:

1. He instituted the Panchayatana-Puja or worship of five deities’ viz. Shiva, Vishnu, Devi, Aditya (Sun) and Ganesha.
2. He formulated the rituals and rites to be followed in most of the major temples in India.
3. He composed 72 devotional & meditative hymns like Soundarya Lahari, Sivananda Lahari, Bhaja Govindam, Bhavani Ashtakam, Nirvana Shatkam,Shiva Manasa Puja,  Maneesha Panchakam and founded or renovated temples dedicated to them.
4. He organized the Hindu monks under four Maṭhas (monasteries), with the headquarters at Dvaraka in the West, Jagannatha Puri in the East, Sringeri in the South and Badrik ashram in the North.

 

1. Idol worship of Lakshmi-Narayana - Ramanujacharya:
2. charya (born near Chennai, Tamil Nadu and lived during 1017–1137), was the exponent of Vasishtadvaita (qualified non-dualism) philosophy and identified Upanishadic Brahman with Vishnu-Narayana. He founded Lakshmi-sampradaya and stressed on worshipping Lakshmi-Narayana. In his writings (Sri Bhasya, commentary on Hita, Gady-traya, Nitya-grantha etc), he described as follows:
   1. Regarding worship of Incarnations: Incarnations have got all divine glory. The Incarnations being non-different from Narayana, contemplating of Him is equal to contemplation on Narayana. An Incarnation’s body is of Suddha-sattva or pure stuff unalloyed by material nature and does not endure sufferings which Jivas undergo in Samsara. His descent is often described as the destruction of evil forces and establishment of Dharma as proclaimed by Sri Krishna in Shrimad Bhagwat Gita.
   2. Regarding divine Images in Temples: The idol is mute and inanimate metal or stone, but the eye of faith discovers the divine presence in it. This is helpful to give the devotees a feeling of direct communion.
   3. Regarding tradition of Temple worship: The idea of worship of holy images is not prominent in Vedic religious tradition. However, Ramanujacharya inherited it from the Alvars and propagated it.

 

1. Idol worship of Radha-Krishna–Nimbakacharya & Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu:

NimbakAcharya (born in Pandarpur, Andhra Pradesh and lived during 12–13th century in Mathura), was the exponent of Dvaitadvaita (Duality in unity) Philosophy and recognized the eternal form of Supreme Being as Radha-Krishna. Krishna is the God of love and Radha is the power of love. They are inseparable from each other. 
 
Sri Chaitanya (born at Mayapur near Navaidip, district Nadia, 75 miles from Kolkata, West Bengal, lived during 1486-1533) identified Sri Krishna as the Supreme Being, the source of all incarnations, the First cause. Radha, the Krishna’s powers are infinite, but three of them are the most important. These are Chit-Shakti, Maya-Shakti and Jiva-Shakti. Chit Shakti is internal and intrinsic power (Svarupa-shakti); Maya-Shakti is external creative power and Jiva Shakti is His preservative power. In the Chaitanya cult, the love of the Gopikas for Krishna, known as Madhura-bhava, is predominantly preached. He started Gaudiya tradition which expanded beyond India due to the efforts of Swami Prabhupada, who founded International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).

1. Idol worship of Bal-Krishna - Vallabhacharya:

Sri Vallabhacharya (born near Raipur, Chhattisgarh, lived during 1479-1532), propounded that Brahman reveals himself in the holy images to receive the loving adoration of the devotees. Bal (Child) Krishna image (Murti) is most common that is worshipped. This form of worship is the Vatsalya or parental form of devotion. The image is bathed, decorated, fed and put to sleep with great care and devotion. Generally, Krishna’s life is divided into eight sections, and in the hour representing each phase of his life, a service is performed with appropriate decorations and offerings. Services are short, and the worshippers throng to have Darshan. The shrine is closed at other times.
 

1. Idol worship of Sri Rama, Sita, Laxman & Hanuman:

Maharishi Valmiki, wrote Ramayana narrating the life of Sri Rama. As per various recent scholars' estimates the text range from the 7th to 4th centuries BC. The story of Ramayana has been popular since ancient times in south-eastern nations.
 
Ramananda (Born in Prayagraj UP and settled in Varanasi, lived in 1300-1411), placed devotional focus upon Rama, whom he considered supreme Lord, and his wife Sita. He was the spiritual stimulator & Guru of the twelve great leaders of Vaisnava cult in North India. They belonged to all caste. Among the group's most prominent members were Tulsidas, Kabir (Muslim), Mirabai, Ravidas (cobbler by birth), Sena (barber by caste), Dana (jat), Pipa (Rajput), Dadu and others.
 
Tulsidas (born in Varanasi, UP, lived during 1532-1632) was a great poet and was born in a Brahman family. His works include Ram Charit Manas (popularly known as Ramayana) include Gitawali, Kavitawali, Vinaya Patrika etc. In Ram Charit Manas, Tulsi Das made an exposition of religious devotion of the highest order in his writings. Tulsidas says, “There is one God; It is Rama, creator of heaven and earth and redeemer of mankind….For the sake of his faithful people a very god, Lord Rama, became incarnate as a king and for our sanctification lived as it were; the life of any ordinary man.” Rama was a personal and supreme God, which had feeling of compassion for the humanity which suffered.
 

1. Idol worship of Devi:

In the 18th and 19th centuries, Devi tantras such as Mahanirvana Tantra, Srividya, etc. were composed which became popular. In eastern India with the passionate Devi lyrics of Ramprasad Sen (1720–1781) opened the Shakti cult. Devi worship was boosted by Shakta experience by Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa (1836–1886), who held that the difference between the personal and the impersonal god was no more than that between ice and water.
Reference: Bhakti Schools of Vedanta – by Swami Tapasyananda, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai.