Ganesha idols adorn Indian town before Hindu festival

[SanjeevaniButi]

The scriptures are open to various interpretation. And so your quotation will only reflect the meaning you believe in and so proving or not proving will be useless.

True, which is why Hinduism gives importance to Guru's and Baba's and Yogis and Brahmins who have learnt it and more importantly understood it.

Which is why Hinduism developed a detailed system of Tarka shashtra or Hindu Logic.

A good teacher will help you pass the exam of life with better grades.

Its not like that yaar, They just follow the differant path...Idol worshiping is not necessary in Hinduism it just another way to connect and visualized the god...Nowhere is written that idol worshiping is compulsory...Just keep you faith in good Karma that's enough...

Which is what I said. They walk their path. Other walk theirs.

 

[SQ8]

True, which is why Hinduism gives importance to Guru's and Baba's and Yogis and Brahmins who have learnt it and more importantly understood it.

And each of them have their own ideals about idols and what their actual role and importance and significance is.

Many hindus do NOT consider the idols as gods but rather representations of good people with whom god had favor. Hence, more of an intercession than actually thinking these people are god.

 

[Stephen Cohen]

Many hindus do NOT consider the idols as gods but rather representations of good people with whom god had favor. Hence, more of an intercession than actually thinking these people are god.

No Sir ; IDOLS are of GODS or Dieties

Not of Humans

If you are refering to Sai Baba of Shirdi ;
then we consider him ALSO to be an AVATAR of Lord Vishnu

We worship Sai Baba as GOD ; Though he was A Human Being
But he was a very special and divine man

Hence he has been elevated as a GOD

 

[Rau]

And each of them have their own ideals about idols and what their actual role and importance and significance is.

Many hindus do NOT consider the idols as gods but rather representations of good people with whom god had favor. Hence, more of an intercession than actually thinking these people are god.

about bolded part totally agreed....but not sure about latter one.

 

[Stephen Cohen]

Without IDOLS in Temples and without PHOTOS in Homes

Hindus can never be satisfied or happy

We also carry little images in our wallets; have little idols in our Cars

 

[SanjeevaniButi]

NOBODY can speak for ALL Hindus......

That too would be absurd. Each Sampradaya has its own gurus and its own interpretation of the scriptures and all of they follow their own path.

Everything said and done, for most matters regarding scriptures the final authority and the most respected scholar is Swami Jayendra Saraswathi.

And each of them have their own ideals about idols and what their actual role and importance and significance is.

Many hindus do NOT consider the idols as gods but rather representations of good people with whom god had favor. Hence, more of an intercession than actually thinking these people are god.

No. 99.9% of Hindus associate deities with god.

They may have idols of heroes, gurus, etc.... but no one confuses them for god. That is just for respect and for demonstrating and reminding themselves about that respect.

Same as any statue of any political leader in any park in the world.

 

[Stephen Cohen]

That too would be absurd. Each Sampradaya has its own gurus and its own interpretation of the scriptures and all of they follow their own path.

Everything said and done, for most matters regarding scriptures the final authority and the most respected scholar is Swami Jayendra Saraswathi.

No. 99.9% of Hindus associate deities with god.

They may have idols of heros, gurus, etc.... but no one confuses them for god. That is just for respect and for demonstrating and reminding themselves about that respect.

Same as any statue of any political leader in any park in the world.

Swami Jayendra Saraswati is the Shankaracharya of only the KANCHI Peeth

There are other Shankaracharyas too ; Dwarka ; Jagannath Puri ; Badrinath

Shankaracharya - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Rau]

Without IDOLS in Temples and without PHOTOS in Homes

Hindus can never be satisfied or happy

We also carry little images in our wallets; have little idols in our Cars

I some what disagree here... the ultimate stage of Bhakti is where there is no difference between you and god...You is god and God is you .. also as god is every where no need for idols but it is most easiest way to talk and feel the god is in idol form... Consider the example of Hanuman who find Ram even in pear neckless and other hand Meerabai who find his Krishna in her poem..

 

[Stephen Cohen]

also as god is every where no need for idols but it is most easiest way to talk and feel the god is in idol form...

This part of your statement is what I am referring to

People do not NEED idols or images

But they LIKE it and prefer it that way

 

[SanjeevaniButi]

Swami Jayendra Saraswati is the Shankaracharya of only the KANCHI Peeth

There are other Shankaracharyas too ; Dwarka ; Jagannath Puri ; Badrinath

Shankaracharya - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yes to coincide with the Char dhaam, however among all shankaracharyas, Swami Jayendra Saraswati is the most respected by others and holds premier position due to his learning, intellect, knowledge of the scriptures.

 

[Hindustani78]

There is not concept of "take away soul". That is for the noobs.

Life and death and existence is governed by karma and Rta. The same way the movements or electrons is governed by its own laws. No one removes an electron from one orbit to another. Same is true for souls.

IT (soul / aatma) moves from one body to another till its ready to be merged with the ( Everlasting soul / Param atma) The stories of the Puran is the help non philosophers understand how dharma and karma operate.

The same way Newtonian physics is taught before Quantum physics. Or Simple mathematics is taught before Calculus.

If you insist on claiming you know better, I suggest you come up with an authentic link for your claims.

Concept of life - death , Swarag-Naraka is there in Rig Vedas because all humans are mortals.

I can keep on giving verses of Rig Vedas. Reincarnation is like life after death/rebirth but reincarnation in hinduism is for the divine and pious souls.

 

[trident2010]

Ganpati Bappa Morya !

 

[Neuro]

And each of them have their own ideals about idols and what their actual role and importance and significance is.

Many hindus do NOT consider the idols as gods but rather representations of good people with whom god had favor. Hence, more of an intercession than actually thinking these people are god.

Not many hindus , first of all criticism allowed in hinduism such liberty you can't find in other religions. You can't say like that those representations are different. For example in tamilnadu we used offer prayers to 64 nayanmargal(devotees of Shiva) and 12 Alwars(devotees of Vishnu) everybody know well they are nothing but our gurus or elders not our Gods. In addition among 64 nayamars Kannapa nayanar was considered as first eye donator in the world. Hinduism is an ocean you can't learn in one day. Even most of hindus don't know why they are celebrating Vinayaka chaturthi and dissolve the idols in ocean. Those are half baked genius.

Nayanars - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alvars - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[SanjeevaniButi]

Concept of life - death , Swarag-Naraka is there in Rig Vedas because all humans are mortals.

I can keep on giving verses of Rig Vedas. Reincarnation is like life after death/rebirth but reincarnation in hinduism is for the divine and pious souls.

The human BODY is mortal, the aatman (soul) is NOT. Rg Veda makes the distinction between the two.

Provide any verse in the Rg Veda that speaks of Swarag-Narak. You will not find one.

Instead you will find, Om tad visnoh paramam padam sada pasyanti surayah.

Which means: All the sura's i.e the gods look towards Vishnu's feet as the final place.

It means Moksha as merging with the supreme.

Reincarnation is not necessarily as a human, a bad karma can result in you being born as a dog or an insect and then the path back to life as a human can take another 100 to 10,000 more reincarnation.

To be born as a Human is the final step to finding Moksha. If you miss this chance, the next try can take a 1000 more years.

Also to add is the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantar in the Rg Veda, Being in India, you must have heard of it.

Om tryambakam yajamahe sugandhim pusti vardhanam,
urvarukam iva bandhana mrtyormuksiya mamrtaat.

Om ...oh tree eyed one (Shiva) we adore, you who's fragranced nourishment sustains us,
the creeper that holds us back, free us from death towards immortality.

This should show you what the Rg Veda's view of life and death is. Life is like a creeper which will continue to hold your should back on earth, being born again and again with no end in sight. The prayer is for freedom from this cycle of rebirth.

 

[Hindustani78]

The human BODY is mortal, the aatman (soul) is NOT. Rg Veda makes the distinction between the two.

Provide any verse in the Rg Veda that speaks of Swarag-Narak. You will not find one.

Instead you will find, Om tad visnoh paramam padam sada pasyanti surayah.

Which means: All the sura's i.e the gods look towards Vishnu's feet as the final place.

It means Moksha as merging with the supreme.

Reincarnation is not necessarily as a human, a bad karma can result in you being born as a dog or an insect and then the path back to life as a human can take another 100 to 10,000 more reincarnation.

To be born as a Human is the final step to finding Moksha. If you miss this chance, the next try can take a 1000 more years.

Also to add is the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantar in the Rg Veda, Being in India, you must have heard of it.

Om tryambakam yajamahe sugandhim pusti vardhanam,
urvarukam iva bandhana mrtyormuksiya mamrtaat.

Om ...oh tree eyed one (Shiva) we adore, you who's fragranced nourishment sustains us,
the creeper that holds us back, free us from death towards immortality.

This should show you what the Rg Veda's view of life and death is. Life is like a creeper which will continue to hold your should back on earth, being born again and again with no end in sight. The prayer is for freedom from this cycle of rebirth.

Rigveda (1.22.20) states, Oṃ tad viṣṇoḥ paramam padam sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ: "All the suras (devas) look towards the Supreme Abode of Lord Vishnu", referring to Vaikuntha, the Supreme Abode

Vaikuntha is known as Paramdhama where liberated souls dwell for eternity enjoying pure bliss and happiness in the company of God Narayana or Vishnu.

HYMN XLVII. Indra Vaikuntha.
8 Grant us the boon for which I pray, O Indra, a spacious home unmatched among the people.
To this may Heaven and Earth accord approval: vouchsafe us mighty and resplendent riches.