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 !!

LORD OF DEATH YAMARAJ

    In this Upanishads  we have concept of God of Death and this may be not understood by people who have not much of the concept of Hindu thought process. So I will try to explain. In Hindu concept we have HUMANISE the Gods as it is difficult to conceive the God with no no form. We also have a concept to have different names for the assigned work for the God .So the same person when seen by his mother will be looked as son and if same person is seen by wife she will identify him as husband  and by his brother as brother and by his patient as Doctor. The person is the same but different people looking at him will call him or look at him in a different way. Now in Hindu religion we have a concept that this unverse was made by the God - same as in other religion. But we have assigned different names to different work or function  and or positions . If we ant to make anything we need Knowledge as to how to make it - from simple back yard Gym to build a computer . So we have a God who created the universe called BRAHMADEO . We have humanize him and so his wife is Goddess Sarasvati, who is Goddess of KNOWLEDGE  and we worship her for blessing to gain knowledge. To maintain anything we need money . Say we want to maintain a big mansion, we will need money. We have a God called VISHNU who does this job and his wife  named Lakshmi is worshipped for getting money. If we need to destroy anything or get rid of bad elements , we need strength and so to destroy we need strength and we have that assigned to God Shiv and his wife is named Goddess Parvati or Durga whom we worship for the strength.In the same way we have a physician for the Gods and we have a Teacher for the Gods  and we also have LORD OF DEATH - the YAMA RAJ . 

KATHOPNISHADA CONCLUSSION

     There are more than 100 Upanishads  and one of the most popular is Kathopnishada. The 10 of them are considered main  and rest are also studied. It is almost like how we study for the examination. Some parts are important and we must know and others are studied if we have time . But main thing is that the theme is same. The reason this one got more popular, is that all of us are interested in knowing about Death and dying. What happens AFTER death is, a question that all of us have thought about . So, when there is story where Lord of Death Yama is giving the answer , all us want to know about it. But when you read through it you realize that the theme is same. Ultimate Goal is same . Ultimate TRUTH is same . Ultimate SPIRIT-BRAHAMA -GOD IS SAME. 

    One thing that I have realized is that there is a theological or philosophical concept in Hindu religion which is as scientific as anything can be there. Every religion has 3 parts. One is the so called 10 commandments -all the religion have similar behavior advice. No religion tells us to steal or kill or tell a lie .Certainly people can distort what is stated in scriptures .But that is not what is told . The second part is  variable based on time and region. Again this is also advice as far as behavior is concerned. But sometimes what was good advice at a particular time may not be pertinent at a different time or place . Not to eat pork or birds with web or Beef etc. may be something like that. Certainly NOT TO KILL ANY ANIMAL IS WHAT I believe. But we may have been asked not to eat beef may be due to need for milk and it's byproducts  and bulls being used for farming and transportation . The same thing may hold true for other restrictions in other religion. Again as one can see these are all related to how we must behave. In Hindu religion we have similar ones , YMA AND NIYAM But the difference is 5 of them are external  and 3 are Internal .DYAN - DHARANA -SAMADHI are Internal  and we need to practice. The last part is philosophical  and that is different in many religions. The concept of Heaven and Heil and Satan  are different in different religion. The same is the concept of what happens after the death.

    My thinking is that one should not stop at just reading these scriptures ,but NEED TO PRACTICE to achieve ultimate freedom . This is what is taught in most and all of HINDU scriptures .  

KATHOPNISHAD -SHANTI MANTRA

                                                              ॐ सह नाववतु |

                                                 सह नौ भुनक्तु ।

                                               सह वीर्यं करवावहै ।

                                तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ।

                                      ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

                                        OM SAHA NAVAVATU|

                                        SA NAU BHUNAKTU |

                                    SA VIRYA KARAVAVAHAI|

                   TEJASVI  NAVADHITAMASTU MA VIDVISHAVAHAI|

                            OM SHANTIHI  SHANTIHI  SHANTIHI ||

THE GOD WHICH IS OMKAR, PROTECT BOTH OF US

NOURISH  US GIVE BOTH OF US THE STRENTH TO DO EFFORTS. 

THE STUDY THAT WE HAVE DONE, BECOME MORE BRIGHT OR GLOWING.  LET US NOT HATE ANYBODY. 

                                     PEACE -PEACE-PEACE |

      This is called SHATI MANTRA, which means it is for the peace. This is done in many chanting as the beginning or at the end or at bot times. It is done as prayer. In this Upanishad, Nachiket is talking to Lord of Death, So we have SADUN- with qualities OR GUNAS- God. So this is humanization of the God  so, the prayer is appropriate. 

     The concept of Upanishads was that the Teacher gave discourse to a student  and so at the end of the discourse the prayer involves two -the teacher and the student. In Sanskrit there is difference in the verb for singular, pleural and also one for TWO . They are asking for the blessing  and at the same time stating that when we study we know he meaning of the words , but we may not know the implied meaning  and we will ot get enlightened. So they are praying enlighten our STUDY. Certainly one can not study if there is threat or one is hungry  and so the they are asking to be protected and also nourish us . 

     The request for PEACE ,THREE TIMES has some meaning . The peace of environment is needed , the peach of mind is needed  and then the peace for past Karma should be there too. These are called ADHIBHAUTIC - meaning related to BHUTA or living beings -ADHIDAIVIC - meaning related to FATE and lastly ADHYATMIC - meaning related to ATMA or MIND . So we need all three  to be at PEACE. 

        

    

KATHOPNISHADA CHAPTER 6 SHLOKA 18

                                                     मृत्युप्रोक्तान्नचिकेतोऽथ लब्ध्वा 

                                                     विद्यामेतां योगविधिं च कृत्स्नम् ।

                                                      ब्रह्मप्राप्तो विरजोऽभूद्विमृत्यु-

                                                -रन्योऽप्येवं यो विदध्यात्ममेव ॥ १८ ॥

                                MRUTYU  PROKTANI  NACHIKETO- ATHA LABDHVA

                               VIDHYAM  ETAM  YOGA -VIDHIM  CHA  KRUTASNAM |

                                    BRAHMA-PRAPTO  VIRAJO BHUD  VIMRUTYAR

                                     ANYO PYA  EVAM YO  VID  ADHYATAM  EVA ||18

NACHIKETA,HAVING BEEN SO INSTRUCTED BY LORD OF DEATHIN THIS KMOWLEDGE

AND WHOLW PEOCESS OF YOGA,(HE) BECAME FREE FROM  ALL IMPUTUITES AND                                                   DEATH,AND ATTAINED BRAHAMAN.

                   AND SO WILL BE TOO ATTAIN WHO KNOWS THUS INNER SELF.||18

This is the last of the SHLOkAS ,of this UPANISHADA. We are told the detail of the way to know the Inner Self and Brahman . And once that happens ,one is free of all impurities and attains eternity. In this shloka, we have on word VIRAJA- This means things that are attached to Rajas Guna. So when we do not act on Rajasic element which is relates to desires , we are free . To me it is also interesting that this discourse to have freedom from DEATH is given by Lord of Death . It is like examiner for our examination giving us tips to pass the examination. Or IRS agent giving us educations on Taxes and tell us how to not pay taxes - freedom from paying taxes. We want freedom from death  and who better to teach us that than The Lord of Death. So this is the end of the KATHOPNISHADA.

KATHOPNAISHAD CHAPTER 6 SHLOKA 17

                                                              अङ्गुष्ठमात्रः पुरुषोऽन्तरात्मा 

                                                              सदा जनानां हृदये संनिविष्टः ।

                                                                तं स्वाच्छरीरात्प्रवृहे

                                                                 न्मुञ्जादिवेषीकां धैर्येण ।
                                                           

                                                                   तं विद्याच्छुक्रममृतं 

                                                           तं विद्याच्छुक्रममृतमिति ॥ १७ ॥

                                    ANGUSTMATRAHA  PURUSHAHA  ANTARATMA

                               SADA  JANAANAM  RHYUDAYE SANUVISHTAHA 

                                       TAM  SWATA SGARIRAT PRAVRUHET

                                           MUNJAT  IV  ISHIKAM DHAIRYEN 

                                          TAM VIDYAT  SHUKRAM AMRUTAM 

                                     TAM VIDYAT SHUKRAM AMRUTAM ITI ||17

  PURUSHA IS THE SIZE OF THUMB AND RESIDED IN HEART. OF ALL LIVING BEINGS,

ONE SHOULD SEPERATE HIM FROM THE BODY WITH COURAGE AS ONE DOES WITH

 STALK FROM THE GRASS REED , ONE SHOULD KNOW HIM AS PURE AND IMMORTAL ||17

     This one may look like the one in past . There is some contradiction in this one and other ones though. In past we are told that the SELF or Brahman is not limited by DESH- KAL VASTU the one that are for everything else in this mortal world. DESH is location as mentioned in past . Everything here has location limitation. If I am HERE , then I am not there. That does not happen to SELF. The KAL is time limitation. I am here today  and I will not be there when I die. I age  and get older  and change . The SELF does not . And lastly VASTU which is identity. I am ME  and not YOU or a table or a glass. So, if SELF does not have these limitations ,then how come we are told that SELF IS SIZE OE FORM OF THUMB AND IT IS LOCATED IN GTHE HEART? The answer is that this is for US who cannot think of shapeless -timeless limitless SELF to concentrate upon. We also have great difficulty in understanding that SELF is separate from physical body and mind and intellect and ego. One needs courage to separate the SELF from what we know as US .We are again told that the SELF is PURE and IMMORTAL.