Moorthy pooja

Why do we pray to stone idols when God is everywhere? How can stone be a intermediary between God and man? "


We keep photographs of our loved ones like romantic partners, children, parents etc, in our wallet, purse, office desk, on our mobile phones, or on our computer screens right? The photograph is just printed paper, or digital pixels, and not our loved ones. When our loved ones are far away, we see their photograph to make up for their absence. We do not think - “Oh that this only a piece of paper, or pixels of screen”. On the other hand, when we see the photo, our heart warms up and it feels as if our loved ones are in front of us. Using the photo as a intermediary symbol, we serve our purpose - which is to connect with our loved ones in our heart.

In the same way, most people find it easier to perceive God having some name and form, as the nature of the mind is to associate with names and forms. The devotee creates an idol of God as a symbol he can personally relate to. He uses the idol as an intermediary to connect with his beloved God in his heart, just as we use photographs to connect with our loved ones. This is usually done in followers of Bhakti Yoga, where a personal God is advocated. Another example of a symbol is the profile picture we put up on facebook. In the absence of the person in front of us, the profile picture helps to relate to the person better. Although we all know it is just a set of pixels, most of us would agree that a facebook profile with a picture looks better and is easier to relate to as compared to a profile with no picture.

This is not to say that you have to have a symbol for God. Followers of Vedanta have no need for a symbol for God. The Vedantin reaches out to God via rigorous, analytical study of the meta-physical realities that is expounded in the scriptures. Instead of an idol to visualize, he attempts to grasp God via his intellect, understanding Him to be the divine, formless, eternal, immutable consciousness that dwells within each one of us.