GOKUL: Interesting talk on deity worship

[Maija]

Namaste friends !

I went to a GOKUL meet up (Global Organization for Krsnacaitanya's Universal Love) today it was a talk on deity worship.

The topic, definitely geared at educating those from predominately Abrahamic upbringings had thorough explanation of why deity worship is an importance in SD.

She started by an introduction of how we treat our guests, we give them something to drink, eat, the best spot in our house to sit and rest. We mind our manners around them, we serve them to eat first, we make sure the climate is OK for them, if needed a fan, appropriate lighting..etc

This is the same as the deity, while God can embody anything, He can take a form for us to take care of. By taking care of the deity, not only are they a physical reminder for us, but it also helps us to build our own relationship with that deva.


I will not be dishonest, from the background I came from deity worship and guru worship even more so, was very odd. Although, Catholics do love their idols, they just call them "icons." lol

Anyway, I just wanted to share what helped me understand how SD honors their deities.

 

[Poeticus]

Protect those Murtis from iconoclasts!

 

[ratikala]

namaskaram maija ji :namaste

Namaste friends !

I went to a GOKUL meet up (Global Organization for Krsnacaitanya's Universal Love) today it was a talk on deity worship.

The topic, definitely geared at educating those from predominately Abrahamic upbringings had thorough explanation of why deity worship is an importance in SD.

She started by an introduction of how we treat our guests, we give them something to drink, eat, the best spot in our house to sit and rest. We mind our manners around them, we serve them to eat first, we make sure the climate is OK for them, if needed a fan, appropriate lighting..etc

jai jai , very nice advice , .... many people are a little confused as to how to treat the deity forms of the lord , even people brought up in sanatana dharma , I have met many young hindu that have said that their grandmother worships the deity but no one in the house can give realy good explanations as to why there are so many rules and regulations as to the way things are done , they will only be able to tell you that it is tradition to do it this way . this is not allways very helpfull when it comes to forming a relationship with the lord , we need to know exactly what we are doing and why .

This is the same as the deity, while God can embody anything, He can take a form for us to take care of. By taking care of the deity, not only are they a physical reminder for us, but it also helps us to build our own relationship with that deva.

if you keep any deity at home you are inviting that deity in to your life , you are making that divinity a central part of your household , so we are setting them in an honoured place and treating them as the most honoured guest

I will not be dishonest, from the background I came from deity worship and guru worship even more so, was very odd. Although, Catholics do love their idols, they just call them "icons." lol

yes it takes a little time to get used to for any one coming from abrahamic traditions who look on idol worship as superstitious , but as soon as you look at it from the dharmic veiw that god pervades all things then suddenly it becomes so logical that god may also if he wishes pervade the murti , it is for this reason that there are ceremonys to invite the lord to reside in the deity form once it is instaled in the temple , then this murti becomes the lord (or devi )in his or her fullness .

Anyway, I just wanted to share what helped me understand how SD honors their deities.

thankyou , I am realy glad that you shared this , it is realy good that this awareness is being propogated , we must also remember that the same appiles to pictures of the lord , many people start of with pictures before bringing deity worship in to the home . we should treat all pictures with the same reverence :namaste

 

[ratikala]

namaskaram maitra varuni ji :namaste

Protect those Murtis from iconoclasts!

most certainly :namaste

 

[Poeticus]

most certainly :namaste

Namaste, Homie:

Yes. I shall protect them from you. You can't help but accidentally drop the Murtis from your altar. Muahaha!

(jus' teasin')

 

[ratikala]

namaskaram bai :namaste

Namaste, Homie:

Yes. I shall protect them from you. You can't help but accidentally drop the Murtis from your altar. Muahaha!

(jus' teasin')

Hummmmmm , .. I think prehaps you made small typo here you will protect them from me ??? ....... I hope I am not going to start droping deities

we do our best here to look after our deities :yes:

but even one day if I drop one diety by acident the deity will understand that this is the material world , sometimes acident do happen , but if the acident happens when one is serving with love then the deity will take the love and accept the acident :namaste

Haa ha ....you can tease me because I know you do not mean it

 

[Maya3]

Namaste friends !

I went to a GOKUL meet up (Global Organization for Krsnacaitanya's Universal Love) today it was a talk on deity worship.

The topic, definitely geared at educating those from predominately Abrahamic upbringings had thorough explanation of why deity worship is an importance in SD.

She started by an introduction of how we treat our guests, we give them something to drink, eat, the best spot in our house to sit and rest. We mind our manners around them, we serve them to eat first, we make sure the climate is OK for them, if needed a fan, appropriate lighting..etc

This is the same as the deity, while God can embody anything, He can take a form for us to take care of. By taking care of the deity, not only are they a physical reminder for us, but it also helps us to build our own relationship with that deva.


I will not be dishonest, from the background I came from deity worship and guru worship even more so, was very odd. Although, Catholics do love their idols, they just call them "icons." lol

Anyway, I just wanted to share what helped me understand how SD honors their deities.

That is kind of how I see it too. I think God is everything, and therefore the same energy is in the deity as well. And if we treat it as our most honored guest, then symbolically this is how we would treat God if he/she/it would visit.

Maya

 

[Viraja]

Namaste friends !

I went to a GOKUL meet up (Global Organization for Krsnacaitanya's Universal Love) today it was a talk on deity worship.

The topic, definitely geared at educating those from predominately Abrahamic upbringings had thorough explanation of why deity worship is an importance in SD.

She started by an introduction of how we treat our guests, we give them something to drink, eat, the best spot in our house to sit and rest. We mind our manners around them, we serve them to eat first, we make sure the climate is OK for them, if needed a fan, appropriate lighting..etc

This is the same as the deity, while God can embody anything, He can take a form for us to take care of. By taking care of the deity, not only are they a physical reminder for us, but it also helps us to build our own relationship with that deva.


I will not be dishonest, from the background I came from deity worship and guru worship even more so, was very odd. Although, Catholics do love their idols, they just call them "icons." lol

Anyway, I just wanted to share what helped me understand how SD honors their deities.

Typically, traditional Hindus do a 'Shodasopachara' or 16-different forms of respects for the deities. It includes :
1. Invitation of the guest, recitation of some slokas that solute the deity and invoke him/invite him to come.

2. Offering a seat.

3. Washing of the deity's feet.

4. Washing of the hands.

5. Taking 3 sips of water to drink.

6. Offering the deity something to drink.

7. Bathing the deity with curd, milk, ghee, etc, or with water.

8. Offering of clothes to the deity.

9. Application of sandal paste on the forehead.

10. Offering of flowers with chanting 108 names of god.

11. Offering of incense.

12. Offering of light.

13. Offering of different kinds of dishes as 'naivedyam'.

14. Offering of beetal leaf.

15. Offering of camphor.

16. Going around the deity.

This completes full respect given to the deity.

 

[Maija]

That is kind of how I see it too. I think God is everything, and therefore the same energy is in the deity as well. And if we treat it as our most honored guest, then symbolically this is how we would treat God if he/she/it would visit.

Maya

Maya-ji!

This is what they said exactly You're brilliant!

yes it takes a little time to get used to for any one coming from abrahamic traditions who look on idol worship as superstitious , but as soon as you look at it from the dharmic veiw that god pervades all things then suddenly it becomes so logical that god may also if he wishes pervade the murti , it is for this reason that there are ceremonys to invite the lord to reside in the deity form once it is instaled in the temple , then this murti becomes the lord (or devi )in his or her fullness .

This is also exactly what they said about the ceremonies to invite the Lord, also if the deity is not invited or the idol not viewed as really being present with the deva, then that deva will not come.

thankyou , I am realy glad that you shared this , it is realy good that this awareness is being propogated , we must also remember that the same appiles to pictures of the lord , many people start of with pictures before bringing deity worship in to the home . we should treat all pictures with the same reverence

I was going to basically stick with beautiful prints, maybe a plate, definitely one day some tulsi.

• poly-krishna-plate-01 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
• Marble Plate Round - - Lord Child Hood Krishna with His Flute, Painting on Marble Plate

There is a bronze looking form on ebay, I learnt the word "Vigraba" I believe it was, I think it is Bengali for form..
Marble Plate Round - - Lord Child Hood Krishna with His Flute, Painting on Marble Plate

I would love to get a murti of Sri Krishna to gaze upon when I go to the ashram!