If you are a Hindu: How to worship and pray to Isvara without using Image/Idol?

[Satyamavejayanti]

"sayak83,"

Namaste,

Could you explain this comment? Siva/Vishnu/Durga are all considered Isvara by their devotee-s and they are believed to animate the images being worshiped.

Sorry for the confusion, but i was not clear of what i meant. As per my reply to Aup hopefully should clarify, What i mean is that i don't think it is possible to worship Ishwar or Brahman without the use of a Murthi of one of the attributes/aspects or whatever of Ishwar, to me Ishwar is a title given to either Vishnu, Shiva Devi or any Ishta Devta.

Obviously. I think we have interacted enough times so that you would know I do not have such misunderstandings.

Sorry, but i did take the post a wrong way, my apologies.

Yes. Others have pointed out that Kirtan is a regular feature in the Vaisnava tradition. I was saying that Hindu temples could sport a prayer/meditation room with some basic scriptures and mantra-books and asanas where people can come and pray/meditate without requiring a murti.

Ok, now i get the point.

There are two big temples near my place, Both are Shiva Mandir, one is Nepali one is South Indian, the Nepali Mandir does have "scriptures", YajnaVedi, Yoga rooms ect that anyone can use for, which does not require the use of Murthi per say, the South Indian one has a Yajna Veda and Hall for i assume Kirtans, Bhajans or Tirrikuttu but also hosts Ramlila and some Bharatnatyam classes where there is not much requirement of a Shiva Linga. In Fiji largely the Mandirs have a area for Ramalila performances and Hawans, but some are only simple rooms with lots of Murthis ect, rarely in Fiji would one find rooms for Yoga or any form of meditation (which is one thing i do not like about Fijian Hindu temples), so i guess it depends on the geography and the "culture", of the peoples that contribute to what is available at the Mandir.

The Arya Samaj exclusively worship without Murthi, by Yajna and Mantra Japa only, but i don't like this way of doing things.

Dhanyavad, sorry for the confusion.

 

[Aupmanyav]

What i mean is that i don't think it is possible to worship Ishwar or Brahman without the use of a Murthi of one of the attributes/aspects or whatever of Ishwar, to me Ishwar is a title given to either Vishnu, Shiva Devi or any Ishta Devta.

I get your point, Satya, We cannot have a murti without giving attributes to our Ishta, perhaps even when we are doing 'manasa puja' (like @Shrew said), except perhaps when we surrender to Brahman (the undefined). The last is not possible for me, because I am the part and the whole (Purnamadah, purnamidam ..), according to my views.

 

[ajay0]

In Hinduism, just as one can pray to your chosen deity using through image/idol, you can also do so without using an image/idol if you find it difficult to mentally connect Isvara with an image (I can quote many things to support it, but I suspect nobody would seriously challenge this). Now practically, what recourse do Hindus, today, have to do this? Note, I am not talking about meditation, but praying and worshiping without using an image.

You can worship Ishwara using Japa alone , and visualizing the image of God in mind.

My grandfather had been a materialist much of his life, but now that he is hampered by a lot of court related issues, family problems and aggravating health issues, he now sits down in his chair due to bad knees most of the time, and keeps chanting 'Om Namah Shivaya'.

He is in no position to go to temples , but worships God through Japa.

Japa is considered one of the best ways to spiritual progress, and Samarth Ramdas is said to have attained sainthood through Japa alone. Same with Valmiki.

 

[Shrew]

Japa is considered one of the best ways to spiritual progress, and Samarth Ramdas is said to have attained sainthood through Japa alone. Same with Valmiki.

In more recent times Swami Ramdas attained elightenment by constant repetition of the Mantra Om Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram.
I wish I would find a Guru to give me inititaion - but even if I would I would lack the perseverance of Swami Ramdas.

 

[Aupmanyav]

You already know the mantras. What initiation do you want now? Can't understand it.

 

[Vinayaka]

You already know the mantras. What initiation do you want now? Can't understand it.

A king called on a Guru about initiation, inquiring whether or not it was needed. The Guru explained that it would take much preparation to prove oneself worthy.
The king retorted, 'Nonsense. I am the king. I demand you give me diksha now!"
The Guru yelled at the guards, "Arrest that man!" referring to the king. The guards didn't listen.
Then the king yelled, "Arrest that man!" referring to the Guru. The guard immediately arrested the Swamiji, and proceeded to take him away. He convinced them to allow him one more word.
"You see, the guards listened to you when you spoke the mantra, "Arrest that man!" but disobeyed me. That is because you have the authority and the power to speak that mantra. You spent a long time preparing to be king. And so it is with spiritual mantras.
After that the king, realising his mistake, became a true sadhaka.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Ah, one needs an authority to chant the name of the deity!

 

[Aupmanyav]

This post is to nullify what I said in my last post. That was written more in fun. Initiation is a traditional part of Hinduism for people who want to be more committed. Vinayaka, Nitaidasa, Ratiben, Swamini, etc. are more committed to their sampradayas. And I appreciate that. That needs sacrifices which I am not able to do. That is solely my limitation. I am sorry for my last post.

 

[Spirit_Warrior]

I am surprised nobody has mentioned this, so I was going to chime this in. One of the best modern texts describing sadhana of all kinds is Ramana Maharishi's Upadesh Sara. It is a short and beautiful text that describes the means by which one purifies their mind, which are the lower means and the highest means This is what it says about Bhakti Yoga:

4. The actions done by the body -- puja, the speech -- Japa, and the mind --- contemplation are serially superior to each other.​

5. Serving the world with the attitude of serving the Lord is the true worship of the lord, who is the wielder of 8 forms -- the 5 elements representing all of nature, the sun and the moon representing the whole universe, and all jivas​

This means the highest worship we can for God is through service to nature(protect environment) and by service to animals(animal welfare) and service to humanity. It is this kind of worship which makes sense to me, and not worship of some idol in a temple. Recently, this practice has come under a lot of criticism in Bollywood satires like Oh my God with Paresh Rawal and PK with Aamir Khan and struck a chord with a lot of people; everyday in India we offer millions of tons of milk, fruits, other food stuff and money to idols of gods, ironically in a country where hundreds of millions live in poverty and tens of millions starve everyday, wouldn't it be greater worship of God to offer it to these destitute people? Would you not gain greater punya karma through the well wishes of such people, than from a mute idol? Is it not better looking after vulnerable animals than sacrificing animals in certain temple rituals, will you not gain the punya karma and affection of the animals? Is it not better conserving the environment, rain forests etc than erecting massive temples, would you not get the punya karma of looking after Mother Earth?