Aniconic Hinduism?

[Breathe]

I was just wondering if there are many people who profess the Hindu faith, but do not perform puja to any murti or representations (that includes shiva-linga, etc), so I decided to ask here.

Well, I dunno how to expand upon that, really.

 

[Metempsychosis]

I was just wondering if there are many people who profess the Hindu faith, but do not perform puja to any murti or representations (that includes shiva-linga, etc), so I decided to ask here.

Well, I dunno how to expand upon that, really.

You can include me,I dont like Idol worship at all.But,I actually started liking Idolatry after learning that abrahamic religions hate it.Still,I dont do the idol worship .


I am also following the impersonalist school.

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

I was just wondering if there are many people who profess the Hindu faith, but do not perform puja to any murti or representations (that includes shiva-linga, etc), so I decided to ask here.

Well, I dunno how to expand upon that, really.

There are many schools of Hunduism that dont use any murti.

 

[Satsangi]

There are some sects - as far as I know- Aryasamaj and Brahmakumaris- but they don't consider themselves as Hindus- this is according to another thread. Are there any others?

To some extent, even Abrahmic faiths have some sort of "representation"- Jesus on a cross and muslims doing namaaz towards Kabaah (which could be a bit difficult if a muslim went to a lunar mission.... lol.....)

Regards,

 

[Madhuri]

I have not performed worship in a while and it has been fairly rare for me for a couple of years. In the past I performed worship frequently to deities. These days I am exploring my spirituality on a more intellectual context. I hope to combine both when I am ready.

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

There are some sects - as far as I know- Aryasamaj and Brahmakumaris- but they don't consider themselves as Hindus- this is according to another thread. Are there any others?

To some extent, even Abrahmic faiths have some sort of "representation"- Jesus on a cross and muslims doing namaaz towards Kabaah (which could be a bit difficult if a muslim went to a lunar mission.... lol.....)

Regards,

The followers of Kabir, the Bauls, and the nath yogis don't use Murtis.

 

[Breathe]

The followers of Kabir, the Bauls, and the nath yogis don't use Murtis.

Can you explain a little more about these guys please?

I hope to combine both when I am ready.

Best of luck with that.


(And, following on from this: do many of these denominations still believe in avatars?)

 

[Madhuri]

As a gaudiya vaishnava I have always believed in pretty much every avatar.

 

[Metempsychosis]

There are some sects - as far as I know- Aryasamaj and Brahmakumaris- but they don't consider themselves as Hindus- this is according to another thread. Are there any others?

Arya samaj is Hindu....But they are vehemently against Idol worship and don't accept the incarnation theory.They are also against any thing other than the vedic religion (which does not make them any better).Here is an incident in Swami Dayananda (founder of arya samaj) life.

A number of incidents resulted in Dayananda's life questioning traditional beliefs of Hinduism and inquiring about God ( Bhagwan) in early childhood. Still a young child on the night of Shivratri (literally: the night for God Shiva) when his family went to a temple for overnight worship, he stayed up waiting for God to appear to accept the offerings made to idol of God Shiva. While his family slept, Dayananda saw a mouse eating the offerings kept for the God. He was utterly surprised and wondered how a God, who cannot even protect his own "offerings," would protect humanity. He argued with his father that they should not be worshiping such a helpless God.

To some extent, even Abrahmic faiths have some sort of "representation"- Jesus on a cross and muslims doing namaaz towards Kabaah (which could be a bit difficult if a muslim went to a lunar mission.... lol.....)

Regards,

Yes...but idolatry is unforgivable sin.

 

[Andal]

Arya samaj is Hindu....But they are vehemently against Idol worship and don't accept the incarnation theory.They are also against any thing other than the vedic religion (which does not make them any better).Here is an incident in Swami Dayananda (founder of arya samaj) life.






Yes...but idolatry is unforgivable sin.

Maybe the mouse was Shiva

 

[Metempsychosis]

Maybe the mouse was Shiva

The mouse,the idol and the man are all Shiva alone.

Simple people imagine that they should see God as if he stood there and they here. This is not so. God and I, we are one in knowledge.
----- Meister Eckhart

 

[Andal]

The mouse,the idol and the man are all Shiva alone.

You got me there can't argue with that.

 

[Satsangi]

The followers of Kabir, the Bauls, and the nath yogis don't use Murtis.

Naath Yogis have traditional dieties in their "Maath"- the place where they live as far as I have seen in India. The Kabirs- that is a surprise to me- especially when some of Kabir's bhajans are on dieties according to my belief- I do not know in details about the Kabirs though. and I may be wrong. Who are the Bauls?

Regards,

 

[Metempsychosis]

Naath Yogis have traditional dieties in their "Maath"- the place where they live as far as I have seen in India. The Kabirs- that is a surprise to me- especially when some of Kabir's bhajans are on dieties according to my belief- I do not know in details about the Kabirs though. and I may be wrong. Who are the Bauls?

Regards,

Kabir was a great sufi saint ,it is obvious that his folowers would carry on the aniconic muslim traditions.BTW.Are the Kabirs followers are saint Kabir?

 

[Satsangi]

Kabir was a great sufi saint ,it is obvious that his folowers would carry on the aniconic muslim traditions.BTW.Are the Kabirs followers are saint Kabir?

Shirdi Sai Baba was also a Sufi Saint and yet he did not oppose any Murti worship. Well, I guess the Saints cannot be "classified"!!

Regards,

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

Kabir was a great sufi saint ,it is obvious that his followers would carry on the aniconic muslim traditions.BTW.Are the Kabirs followers are saint Kabir?

Kabir was born a muslim he had a Hindu Guru and he was initiated with the name of Rama. He had both Muslim and Hindu followers.

 

[Metempsychosis]

Kabir was born a muslim he had a Hindu Guru and he was initiated with the name of Rama. He had both Muslim and Hindu followers.

IMHO it is fine to be aniconic,but some religions tend to be anti-iconic ,that causes intolerance and bigotry.

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

Who are the Bauls?

The Bauls are a group of mystic musicians from who travel around Bengal. Bauls have many different subsects, but their membership mainly consists of Vaishnava Hindus and Sufi Muslims. Ramakrishna talked about them a lot and sung some of their songs.

Though their numbers are small, they have great influence on the culture of Bengal. In 2005, the Baul tradition was included in the list of "Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity" by UNESCO.

Rabindranath Tagore was greatly influenced and inspired by the music and the beliefs of the Bauls.

Baul Worship​

[youtube]5PRFdKredT0[/youtube]
YouTube - BAUL SONG 1 QUALITY​

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

I was just wondering if there are many people who profess the Hindu faith, but do not perform puja to any murti or representations (that includes shiva-linga, etc), so I decided to ask here.

Well, I dunno how to expand upon that, really.

It is not so uncommon for people to do meditation and engage in Raja Yoga or Jnana Yoga and not pray to any murti, or even pray at all, one type of spiritual practice is just to ask your self who you are.

 

[dharma_seeker]

Almost all religions have sort of focal points. Muslims use Kaaba, Catholic churches have statues of Jesus, Mother Mary and christians worship them, Hindu have idols to use as focal points, Sikhs use the scripture AGGS as their GURU, and so on.

Idolatory can be anything..For examples, All muslims bow their heads towards mecca for their prayer. Even "figures" of speech are depictions and are a form of idolatry. For example, the Islamic prayer is only in Arabic it cannot be localized in any other languages. Allah is extremely localized god in Islam.