Hindus are idol worshipers of a large number of Gods and Goddesses, whereas in the Vedas, God has been described as the Atman.
The Vedas confirm God is Atman (Spirit), the Self.
Rig Veda: ~ The Atman is the cause; Atman is the support of all that exists in this universe. May ye never turn away from the Atman, the Self. May ye never accept another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman?" (10:48, 5)
Rig Veda declares God is ‘ONE’ and God is Atman, then why believe and worship sixty million Gods?
Thus, the Vedas refer to God as Atman, which is a formless and attributeless God. It indicates clearly that all the Gods with form and attributes are mere imaginations based on the false self.
Thus, Atman, the Self, is God in truth.
Prohibition of idol worship in Yajurveda: ~
Orthodox claims that idolatry in India does not mean anything horrible. Idolatry in no way helps undeveloped minds to grasp the spiritual truth.
It is the ignorant people who indulge in idolatry and rituals even though they are highly qualified with university degrees.
Yajurveda – chapter- 32: - God Supreme or Supreme Spirit has no ‘Pratima’ (idol) or material shape. He cannot be seen directly by anyone. He pervades all beings and all directions.
Thus, Idolatry does not find any support from the Vedas.
Yajurveda: ~ There is no image of God in truth. God in truth is unborn and eternal. (Chapter 32, Verse 3)
Yajurveda: ~ God in truth is nondual and pure" (Chapter 40, Verse)
Yajurveda: ~ "They are entering darkness, those who worship the natural things (like air, water, fire, etc.), they are sinking more in darkness who worship created things." (Chapter 40, Verse 9)
Yajurveda: ~ "They are entering darkness, those who worship the natural things (like air, water, fire, etc.), they are sinking more in darkness who worship created things." (Chapter 40, Verse 9)
Rig Veda: ~ The Atman (Soul or Spirit) is the cause; Atman is the support of all that exists in this universe. May ye never turn away from the Atman, the Self. May ye never accept another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman?" (10:48, 5)
Thus, it refers to the formless and attributeless God, which is the Atman (Soul), the Self within the false experience. Thus, it indicates clearly that all the Gods with form and attributes are mere imagination based on the false self. Thus, Atman or Soul, the Self, is God in truth.
The Vedas do not talk about idol worship. In fact, till about 2000 years ago, followers of Vedism never worshiped idols. Idol worship was started by the followers of Buddhism and Jainism. There is logic to idol worship. Vedas speak of one God that is the supreme self, i.e., Atman or Soul, but Hinduism indulges in worshiping 60 million Gods.
Even in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: ~ Brahman (God in truth) is the form of the Athma, and it is indeed Athma itself.
That is why Swami Vivekananda:~
The masses in India cry to sixty million Gods and still die like dogs. Where are these Gods?
Knowing this, stand up and fight! Not one step back, that is the idea. ... Fight it out, whatever comes. Let the stars move from the sphere! Let the whole world stand against us! Death means only a change of garments. What of it? Thus fight! You gain nothing by becoming cowards. ... Taking a step backward, you do not avoid any misfortune. You have cried to all the Gods in the world. Has misery ceased? The masses in India cry to sixty million Gods and still die like dogs. Where are these Gods? ... The Gods come to help you when you have succeeded. So what is the use? Die game. ... This bending the knee to superstitions, this selling yourself to your own mind does not befit you, my Soul. You are infinite, deathless, birthless. Because you are the infinite spirit, it does not befit you to be a slave. ... Arise! Awake! Stand up and fight! Die if you must. There is none to help you. You are the entire world. Who can help you? - Swami Vivekananda (Delivered In San Francisco, on May 28, 1900) -The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 1/Lectures And Discourses/The Gita II
As indicated in the ISH Upanishads: - By worshipping Gods and Goddesses, you will go after death to the world of Gods and Goddesses. But will that help you? The time you spent there was wasted because if you were not there, you could have spent that time moving forward towards Self-knowledge, which is your goal. In the world of Gods and Goddesses, you cannot do that, and thus you go deeper and deeper into darkness.
It clearly indicates that:~ If the human goal is to acquire Self-Knowledge, then why does one have to indulge in rituals and glorifying the conceptual Gods, Goddesses, and gurus to go into deeper darkness? Instead, spend that time moving forward towards Self-knowledge, which is one’s prime goal. :~ . :~ Santthosh Kumaar
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