“Worshipping the formless reality by unthought thought is the best kind of worship. But when one is not fit for such formless worship of God, worship of form alone is suitable. Formless worship is possible only for people who are devoid of the ego-form. Know that all the worship done by people who possess the ego-form is only worship of form.”
-Sri Ramana Maharshi
Murti: (Sanskrit) “Form; manifestation, embodiment, personification.” An image or icon of God used during worship.
Bhagwan says (chapter 12 shloka 5),
“kleso 'dhikataras tesam
avyaktasakta-cetasam
avyakta hi gatir duhkham
dehavadbhir avapyate”
Advancement (or self realization) is difficult for those who fix their mind on the impersonal, unmanifest, eternal being; because, comprehension of the unmanifest by embodied being is attained by difficulty.
Since most of us cannot concentrate the mind on the abstract form of God, we need a ‘murti’ to focus our mind and offer our worship to the Supreme Being.
Prana Pratistha
Murtis installed in a temple are not just dead material. They are made according to instructions of silpasastra and then installed by a Brahmin. During the installation, a ceremony called ‘prana pratisthaa’ is performed. Prana Pratishta is the ceremony of installation of life force in the mruthi. The murti remains a dead material and unfit object of worship until it is infused with ‘life’ using the ceremony.
After the prana pratishtha has been performed, the murti becomes alive with spiritual energy and fit for giving out ‘vardana’ (boons) and granting material wishes of the worshipper.
To such a living form of a Deity is the worship offered, in which not only the mind and heart but the whole body of the worshipper participates. Traditionally this worship has sixteen stages:
1. Asana (seating of the image)
2. Svaagat (welcome of the Deity)
3. Paadya - water to cleanse the feet
4. Arghya -offerings
5. Aachman - water for sipping and cleaning the lips
6. Aachman offered again
7. Madhuparka - honey, ghee, milk and curds
8. Snaan - water to bathe the Deity
9. Vastra - garments
10. Aabharana ( ornaments)
11. Gandha - sandal paste or perfume
12. Pushpa - flowers
13. Dhupa - incense
14. Dipa – light
Some people will say that since God is everywhere I can show my disrespect by extending my feet towards the murti or by gossiping in the puja room. This is sheer nonsense and such people should be thrown out of the puja room.
A murti installed in a temple is the embodiment of the supreme and is ‘alive’ for those who want to connect to the spiritual energy of the supreme. Those who choose to show disrespect and those who silently accept the behaviour or worse yet make alibi to support the disrespecting behaviour, are only collecting negative karma.
sources: Wikipedia and other sites
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