IDOL WORSHIPING

   When we talk about many religions in the world, the Abrahamic religion - Judaism-Christianity and Muslim - have no so called Idol Worshiping, In contrast to that in Hindu Religion , we have as many Idols as many people. So the question arises as to why they perceived need for so many Gods? The objection is that there is no REAL(?) God in Idol made out of clay or wood or Brass or even Gold. So why do you have your faith at something that is not real God? There is a sub group of Hindu religion called ARYSAMAJ . They do not do Idol worshiping. The Person who started it was named Dayanand Sarasvati . His story is well known. When he was a child, he went to a temple and saw a small mouse climbing on Lord Shankar PNDI . He thought to himself that if this GOD cannot save or take care of himself from a small mouse , how is he going to take care of me or the world from the evil. So he decided that the Idol worship is useless. The answer is mixed and may or may not be acceptable to everyone. 

   The big shots and proponent of Adwyatya - ONE AND ONE ONLY -Ramakrishna also worshiped Goddess Kali with great passion. When we want to focus our mind  and shut the intellect and try to find out Formless- Limitless- all Pervading -SPIRIT OR GOD -it is impossible to do so. WHAT DO YOU CONCENTRATE UPON . When we concentrate, we concentrate our mind EKAGRA -MIND - we need an object where we can concentrate. All human beings do it ,no matter which religion one follows. The Christians have their mind concentrated upon CROSS or JESUS  or Mary . There is no Jesus in the wooden or Golden Cross but they Respect it , worship it and if someone breaks it or does not treta it with respect , they are upset feel insulted . So they concentrate on SOMETHING may not be an Idol as that is the weakness of Human mind . We can not concentrate FORMLESS GOD. If we believe that the GOD created the entire Universe  and nothing is outside his production, then everything has to be part of the God. If i make a table out of a wood , the wood comes from tree. The tree is not me and it did not come from me. But if did come from the GOD . There is nothing in this universe which was created outside of God and so it MUST have God in it. So everything is GOD Another example is that of a spider  and the net that it creates, The material for the net comes from the spider and same could be said about everything in the universe. So everything is God and for human mind we need an objest to focus and so we have several Idols and we worship not the wood or brass or the gold or the shape or the form , but we worship the Devine - Ultimate being which has no limit of DESH - KAL - VASTU - meaning Location - Time -Identity limitation. When one understands this principle then the form and shape disappears. 

HUMANIZING GOD

    Since we were talking about the God of Death Yamaraj is humanizing the God . We cannot conceive formless -NIRAKAR ,Quality less-NIRGOON  God. So, we have SAGOON or with GOONAS and SAKAR or one with form. This is very well seen in our devotional format. We call the God as Mother or Friend or Father. This is the humanization of the God. When we do POOJA, the worship of the God, this humanization of God is seen. There is a term used for the Pooja - called SHODASH POOJA . The word means 16 steps worship of the God . The humanization is seen in this worship. If we think as to how we treat our guests, we are doing the same with God.

    The 16 steps in Shodash Pooja are similar to our welcoming the guests. These steps are as follows.

1. Dhyaana – Concentrating on the God in our desired form(Ganesh, Shankar, Krishna or any Goddess)We think about calling our guest , so that will be comparable to concentrating on the God.
2. Aavaahana – Inviting the deity like sending invitation or calling the God. Just like we call our friends and say do you want to come to our place for Cup of Tea or dinner . Same way we invite the God. 
3. Aasana – We offer a seat to rest when the guest arrive at our home.If you recollect we do the same thing to our guests - take them to Living room or Family room and ask them to have a seat. 
4. Paadya – Washing the deity’s feet. When guests come to our place we do show them the restroom and see if they want to wash feet as when you come from outside especially in India with lots or dust  and dirt roads, this is same . The step 5 is similar. 
5. Arghya – Offering the deity water to rinse hands and mouth. Please see step 4.
6. Aachamana – Offering the deity water to drink.Again this step is very common when we have guests . We offer water and in modern society tea-coffee or fruit juice or alcohol is offered. But water is more common in all the societies.
7. Snaana – Bathing the deity. This is not common in modern day societies , but when in India guests come from far away distance by train or by horse carriage in past, we do ask them if they want to take a bath and certainly soap and other things are offered. 
8. Vasthra – Dressing the deity in clean clothes.
9. Yagnopaveetha – Offering the deity a clean sacred thread. This is typical of Hindu religion. The sacred thread - also called Yadnopaveet or JANVHE is worn by every person who has gone through education of religion. 
10. Gandha – Spreading fresh sandalwood paste. Again in modern society we have other things like cream, face powder etc.
11. Pushpa – Offering fresh flowers while chanting the deity’s names.
12. Dhoopa – Spreading incense smoke throughout the house. Just like we would do with candles or air freshener in modern day. 
13. Deepa – Waving a lamp to illuminate the freshly decorated deity. This part is done only when we have very important guests. Even today when a political leader or at the time of wedding the groom or bridegroom comes in we do this part. 
14. Naivedya – Offering the deity food. This does not need explanation.
15. Taambula ­– Offering the deity a refreshing mix of betel nut. In India we offer so called PAAN after the dinner . In modern society we may offer after dinner drink.
16. Pradakshina & Namaskara – This is done when we go around the Deity and then bow down. We do this for our elders either in age or in knowledge in India. The so called SASHANG NAMASKAR. 

  So as one can see the whole POOJA or the worship of the God is if we are treating him or her as out Guest. HUMANIZING THE GOD !!