Idol Worship

Ever since a man named Moses on one fine day declared idol worship to be bad, it has remained so. Subsequent reiterations from Prophet Mohamed and Jesus Christ has led to this view not only becoming dominant but also superior i.e. idol worship is looked down upon. As a Hindu, idol worship is an integral aspect of the religion. In my view it is something quite brilliant!

Typically the response for why we indulge in idol worship is something like this - it helps us focus, gives us an anchor to base our spiritual thoughts. Not wrong at all. I would, however, like to add further dimensions to this. As a child when I first questioned the need for idol worship the response I got from a family elder was by pointing to a toy elephant. That is an elephant but it really is not. It resembles an elephant but is only a toy. Similarly the stone at the altar resembles God but that alone is not God. Again not a wrong view and a simple explanation that still captures the deep philosophy behind idol worship. How often have we taken our phone and shown it to our friends saying that's my mom or my son or daughter. Obviously we don't mean that the image in the phone is the real person, it is only a photo or  a video. Still, in resembling the real person it expresses a certain aspect of that person. If asked, this would most likely be my explanation to my child as well.

Going one step beyond this, idol worship, to me, brilliantly captures the core philosophy of vedantic thought that everything is God and God is everything. Tat Tvam Asi. To declare God as a supreme super human being that is omnipotent, omnipresent and all the omni's that exist and so we need to bow and worship (sometimes even fear!) that all powerful entity is, in my view, quite basic. On the contrary, to look at a mere stone that is powerless, characterless and many a times shapeless and in something like that to realize the Almighty's presence...well, that is truly awesome! Brilliant, I would say. True genius, whoever thought of this.

So when a Hindu bows before a powerless stone, it is an acknowledgement that even this powerless object is an aspect of God. This is so because the Vedantic view of what is God, does not stop with just a description of God as a super powerful being but goes further to state God to be a Super Consciousness and it is this Super Consciousness that has expressed itself in the form of the reality that we all experience. So everything is God including you and me. Aham Brahmasmi.

Even without knowing any of these deeply significant philosophies, every time a person bows and worships an idol it is an acknowledgement and affirmation of it. Eventually, as it has happened with me, one can figure this out and then quietly revel in its ingenuity.

No, idol worship is neither stupid nor bad, it is simply brilliant and beautiful as with many things in Hinduism.

What is Good and What is Evil? - The Simply Beautiful Ramayanam (Part 1)

It is that time of the year, the 9 nights or 10 days when there is a religious fervour across India with each region celebrating in their own style and for diverse reasons! I come from that part of India where Navratri - the 9 nights are dedicated to the 3 Goddesses of Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi, in that order with 3 days to each and the final 10th day or Vijayadasami / the day of victory is to Mahishasura Mardhini, the Goddess who destroyed or killed Mahishasura.

On a side note, while writing Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi, a thought struck me. I find it strange that strength is followed by wealth and finally by education! In the world we live today, it is the other way round i.e. it is education that is giving us access to wealth which enables you to become powerful. Maybe, given this is about Goddesses and so from a spiritual perspective, this order could be a reference to inner power / strength enabling us to enjoy / realize the wealth of happiness which leads to enlightenment or eternal knowledge!! Who knows, I could be completely off the mark, as this is just my speculation!

Coming back, despite being from a part of India that remembers Mahishasura Mardhini's 9 days of war against Mahishasura and 10th day of final triumph, I am drawn to the other war for which Dussera (10 days) is celebrated - the war between Ram and Ravanan.

Last year or the year before, I am not sure which exactly, I remember saying Diwali and my American boss saying its for good vs evil, right? and I responded with a yes. The conversation ended there. For some reason I keep going back to this conversation this year. What is bothering me is the question - What is good and what is evil?

You see, in Hinduism, there is no concept of God and anti-God. You are not by default good because you believe or worship God nor are you by default bad because you do not believe in God or against God! Almost all the asuras, as far as I can remember, worshiped and believed in God. Ravanan, till date, is considered to be the biggest devotee of Lord Shiva. Even Hiranyakashipu was only anti-Vishnu not anti-God. What then is good and what is evil.

In my mind, almost all of the Hindu legends deals with just this concept and with such clarity. There is no discrepancy in how they define what makes an asura evil or to be politically correct, there is no discrepancy on what makes any person become an asura, the evil one! However, the two epics, Ramayanam and Mahabaratham to me, are exceptional in how they define what is good. Both epics are such lovely contrasts. Ramyanam is simple in dealing with just two exceptional individuals while Mahabharatam has a host of characters who are just human.

If we look at most of the Hindu legends of asuras and their demise, they typically follow a pattern. The asura undertakes intense penance. Penance that are physically and mentally challenging. Just sitting still for many years chanting Om alone would fall into this category. Most increased the intensity by standing on one leg or sitting on beds of thorns or on fire etc. Moved by their Intensity, Brahma or Shiva (don't recollect Vishnu ever granting a boon to an asura!)  request them to stop their penance in return for a boon or granting of a wish. Now, the asuras want only one thing - immortality. However, this cannot be granted. Neither Shiva nor Brahma have the power to grant this because it will disrupt the inherent order of the universe. Anything that is created in this universe has to be destroyed. Death is inevitable.

In this scenario, the next best alternative is to choose the least probable way in which you can die. This then makes death nearly impossible. This is what the asuras go for. Now, which are the least probable options is a subjective matter. So each asura have their own assumptions and they also get quite creative. Each adding a vibrancy with lots of colour and flavor to these legends. Mahishasura for example requested that he can be killed only by a woman. Not a bad choice, for woman are still considered to be the physically (and sometimes even emotionally!) weaker sex. So for a man as strong as a buffalo (hence Mahisha or buffalo) to assume that the probability of a woman coming up to him and killing him as least likely is neither stupid nor absurd, I would say. On the creative side, Bhasmasura's request that he can be killed only if he puts his hand on his own head is a good one. Clearly you are not leaving the chance of your death to someone else but ensuring it stays with you in your own hands, literally. The most creative, however, for me, is Hiranyakashipu. Wishing that you cannot die in the day or night, inside or outside (any structure), neither by a human being or by a beast and with any weapon is truly awesome. Smart guy! So, there are many legends and many such requests that does make you wonder at the intelligence of the asuras.

Surely, seeking immortality or choosing the least probable way to die is not evil. The devas guarded amruth, the elixir of life that which gives you immortality, with their life! Amruth is also not absolute in its powers, the universal rule still applies. In Tamil we say, if taken in excess even amruth becomes a poison.

It is neither their penance nor their boons that makes asuras evil. It is what happens next. In the knowledge that the possibility of their death is nearly improbable, they undertake deeds that in itself makes the least probable outcome, highly probable resulting in their inevitable death! The abuse of their nearly no death situation through torture or blatant exploitation of others who do not have this power, results in the emergence of The Woman who destroys Mahishasura or leads to the moment when Bhasmasura so enamored by Mohini forgets himself and puts his hand to his head or even the impossible situation of half lion half man Narasimha appearing at sunset when it is neither day nor night dragging Hiranyakashipu to the doorstep which is neither inside nor outside and killing him with his nails which would not qualify as a weapon. It is our own action that causes the outcomes. Karma phala i.e. we get the fruits of the seeds we ourselves sow.

This then is the clarity that exists in Hinduism and comes out clearly in each of the legends - actions that are undertaken to purely satisfy one's ego is evil. Period. No second thoughts about this. Absolute clarity.

From this emerges the journey of an Hindu or the Hindu way of life. The quest to get away from the urge to satisfy one's ego is the purpose of life. Achieving that results in liberation or moksham. Again, simple and clear.