Anonymous: Pranam Guruji.. Guruji Please bless me to do more purushaarth..I feel guilty I’m not able to do more svadhyay… please bless me that I listen to your pravachan more…when I listen I feel very much satisfied & happy..
Guruji I have certain doubts.. 1.why the construction of temples started..
2. What is the significance of temple construction..
3.why many temples were constructed by Indian kings..
4. Why temples have become sacred places of worship…which is actually not true…
Finally we feel so blessed that we our in your great fatherly shadow guiding us in all possible ways (doing Agnihotr.. yoga bhaye etc.) which makes our life so protected, comfortable & happy…
Feels blessed to be at your lotus feet guruji..
Dhanyavad Guruji
Aap ki beti
Swami Ram Swarup: My blessings to you, beti to do more and more hard work in Vedic study.
1. In this regard, I paste my article as under-
Idol worship is not mentioned in Vedas
If an aspirant will concentrate over mouth of idol then for sometime he will concentrate on chin, nose, head etc., but concentration on one point will not be achieved. Secondly, Vedas do not preach to concentrate outside the body. Yog shastra sutra 3/1 also states, “DESHBANDHASYA CHITTASYA DHARNA” i.e., concentrate on a point of body like agyachakra, tip of the nose or heart. So we cannot go against the ved-shastras. Yes, idol worship has been started within two thousand and five hundred years. That is why, Vedas do not tell for idol worship but if people desire, they can go ahead.
Pictures, drawings etc., may not be considered idols but it is an art and not worship of God. We must know that knowledge of Vedas emanates direct from God and idol worship has been made by human beings. So now we have to decide whether we obey God or human beings. If we still follow the path made by humans then no problem, one must go ahead. On the other hand, follower of Vedas must continue his own path.
In four Vedas, the media to realize the God has been stated as –
Study of Vedas under guidance of acharya which is a real media and as mentioned in the Vedas, one has to follow the preach mentioned therein viz., performance of Yajyen, name jaap of God , regular contact with learned acharya of Vedas, Ashtang Yoga Practice under his guidance etc. The said media is stated by God Himself in Vedas. Man, an artist, clay and every matter right from straw to sun, moon, air, space etc., is the creation of God. It thus concludes that we have to worship and realize the creator and we must not be attracted towards creation. Attraction is the task of senses, perceptions and mind which is destroyed but the creator is immortal. No other media is stated in Vedas except the human body through which the said worship is done by a Yogi, Rishi-muni or aspirant.
Vedas-shastras state that God is omnipresent and according to Yajurved mantra 40/6 it is true but other mantras state that God is “Ninnaya” that is hidden in the universe and we have to locate the hidden God and not the visible, non-alive matters of the world.
T.V., radios etc., all articles are man-made and controlled by some mechanism. And examples of man-made mechanism are actually not applied on Almighty, omnipresent God. Any mechanism, for example- rocket launching , launching of satellites etc., involves the mind of a man and mind has limited power otherwise mind could have searched the hidden Almighty God also but Vedas state that mind, intellect , senses etc., have limited power and God is beyond imagination , beyond description, beyond calculation. That is why, our ancient Rishis, Rajrishis practised Vedic path that is did practice of Ashtang Yoga Philosophy, Yajyen etc.
As such they exercised control over mind, intellect, senses etc. A Yogi when makes the mind dead etc., and forgets even himself (soul) then he realizes the God. This eternal Vedic path of Yoga philosophy has been very well preached by Rishi Patanjali in his Yog Shastra.
God is not a matter to be seen with eyes. So how can He be seen alone in everything with the destructive eye?
Ego is not one-sided matter. If there is ego, neither a formless God is realized nor difference between idol or formless God is established. It is ego that most of the people respect the idol worship as well as formless God’s worship mentioned in Vedas but when an aspirant follows the Vedas, his mind becomes stable, then he only accepts worship of formless God and not others. Whereas, the worshipper who worships idol, he accepts formless God also i.e., he cannot ignore Vedas and can not accept one path alone. We must deeply think over it that why is it so?
God being formless has not preached regarding any of His substitute or symbol, so the aspirant who knows Vedic philosophy accepts the God’s preach accordingly. When God in four Vedas, has not stated about His mark or representative then how the follower would accept the same? Vedas have been preaching the formless worship as quoted above eternally whereas the worship of idol has been made for the last about two thousand five hundred years ago by the human-beings. So there is difference of worship of formless God and idol.
Idol worship is the worship where the sentiments and emotions of heart are involved and all the said involvements are man-made as well as destructible. How a mind/intellect having limited power can dig out the Almighty, formless, hidden God from the creation? God is Almighty i.e., He has unlimited powers whereas soul who is being assisted by mind, intellect and senses etc., has limited power.
Yajurved mantra 1/5 and Rigved mantra 3/56/1 states that even God cannot transgress His rules. So how can God be transformed according to our emotions and be forced to accept our sentiments which are not according to His laws of nature.
All Vedas state that His laws of creation remain unchangeable. So there is no value of our sentiments etc., contrary to His rules and regulations. In the said Rigved mantra, God strictly states “that all mountains, seas, rivers and even the Yogis who have realized Him (God) are incapable to change His rules and regulations and the way of worship etc.” So our self-made worship, emotions and sentiments etc., are of no use until these are according to Vedas.
As regards flag, yes it is invaluable not only for soldiers but for countrymen as well. However, the flag of each country is different. Will any other countryman sacrifice his life for our Tiranga? We, the Indians are enough to sacrifice our lives to maintain the dignity of our adorable Tiranga. So flags are different, the countries being different but God is one and only one for entire universe. So worldly example in the matter of formless, Almighty God is not applicable, please.
Also the matter of image being very clear to the devotee when it speaks to him in his own language of devotion, forces a learned man to say that the said speech between his mind and soul is worldly speech and even destructible whereas when a Yogi realizes God, he is completely unable to speak, hear, see, smell, eat, think etc. In this connection, the description of Yog shastra sutra 4/30,31, 32 pertaining to Dharmamegh Samadhi refers.
Yes, only currency notes are valuable. Similarly the Yogis –like Yogeshwar Sri Krishna Maharaj, Sri Ram, Vyas muniji, Guru Vasishth, Atri Rishi, Patanjali Rishi and the present Yogis-Rishis –Munis who have realized God, following the Vedic path are valuable. The stamp of beloved God is everywhere that is in sky, water, vegetation, in each living being etc. But as far as worship is concerned then the follower of Vedas only worships formless God who creates, nurses and destroys the universe, alone being Almighty. He is Almighty, therefore, He doesnot need any assistance from anyone.
This is never forgotten that the image has been brought from Jaipur etc., so if one can worship an image then why can’t one worship all pervading, omnipotent, omniscient, merciful God, who is the source of everything, who is eternal, unchangeable, life of life and soul of soul etc. Why do we change Him from being unchangeable to changeable idol?
Practice makes man perfect. So the beginner will get the sanskar (effect) on his chitta of idol worship and the same will never be omitted again. Secondly, according to the Vedas idol worship is not authentic. You see, there is no shape of soul. Atharvaved mantra 10/8/25 states that size of soul is less than the tip of hair i.e., soul is the minutest matter which remains unseen. But when an aspirant tries to know about the soul, he knows based on qualities. We know about a person according to the description of his qualities- good or bad. Accordingly, we know Ravanna, King Harishchandra etc., based on their bad and good qualities respectively. So is the case of formless God. God has given His description/His divine qualities in Vedas only. After studying the Vedas, we first know the God based on Shabda Brahma i.e., ved mantras. Thereafter, when we worship Him according to Vedas, we attain Samadhi and realize Him. This fact has also been mentioned in Shantiparv of Mahabharat wherein Bheeshma tells Yudhishthir that Oh! Yudhishthir, he who gets perfection in ved mantras first, then he realises God.
When Formless, Almighty God has not stated in any ved about the idol worship then how will He be pleased by idol worship? Yajurved mantra 32/3 states “NA TASYA PRATIMA ASTI” i.e., God cannot be measured. So there cannot be any idol of God because He is immeasurable. However, if people get peace in following idol worship, they may continue. Here I am only discussing the fact of Vedas.
Touching of hand and body etc., is materialistic matter which can only please mind, intellect through skin but it can’t be quoted in respect of Formless, Almighty God.
Whole world can be considered as the body of God but in reality God does not have body because God is alive whereas world is non-alive matter. So God is separate and world is separate. God remains immortal whereas world is destructible.
The image will be destroyed one day but not God. When there is no body of God then how will we be able to offer flowers, sandal wood paste, food etc., to Him.
Yajurved mantra 40/8 states God to be the purest and He needs not to be purified by bathing, changing clothes and applying sandal wood paste etc. It is an idol or body of human-being which requires purification again and again.
External form of worship will strengthen the idol only because we will be singing, describing the attributes of idol/creation and not to Formless God. If we in the beginning are not able to judge the true, divine qualities of formless God then our love and faith will remain unstable.
Such aspirant will only feel nearness to the idol and not formless God who is already within him and who already resides the nearest to the soul i.e., within the soul.
We will have to study the Vedas which state that idol worship is not permitted by God. Yet, if an aspirant wants to worship an idol then I am telling again and again that he can go ahead at his own. On receipt of your e-mail, I am giving answer based on Vedic philosophy only that what Vedas say about idol worship. Vedas do not speak about idol worship and avtarwad. However, people are free to go ahead on their own and do whatever they like.
2.) Idol worship does not exist in Vedas, so automatically there is no significance.
3.) In the absence of Vedic knowledge, construction of temples is being carried out.
4.) This matter has very well been explained in my above quoted article. My heartiest blessings to you, my daughter.
Yudhishthir: आदरणीय गुरूजी🙏 आपके चरणों में मेरा कोटि कोटि नमन। मेरा प्रश्न यह है कि एकादशी पूर्णिमा ,अमावस्या इन दिनो मे उपवास,निर्जला उपवास करने से क्या ईश्वर प्रसन्न होते हे?
Swami Ram Swarup: मेरा आपको और आपके परिवार को बहुत-बहुत आशीर्वाद, बेटा। नहीं बेटा, क्योंकि उपवास रखने का विधान वेदों में नहीं है, इसलिए उपवास सेहत ठीक करने के लिए तो रख सकते हैं परन्तु इसका ईश्वर प्राप्ति से कोई concern नहीं है।
Richa: प्रभु के चरणों में कोटि कोटि नमन। हे प्रभु! दिव्यलोक और दिवीलोक क्या होता है? हवन के मंत्र में अनेक बार यह अर्थ आया है और आपने भी अनेक बार ज्ञान दिया है कि ईश्वर ने पृथ्वी, अंतरिक्ष और दिव्यलोक को धारण किया हुआ है। कृपा करके अपनी दृष्टी डालें प्रभु। मेरी गलतियों को माफ करें प्रभुजी।
Swami Ram Swarup: मेरा आपको हार्दिक आशीर्वाद, बेटी। बेटी दिव्यलोक नहीं, द्यु अर्थात सूरज, चांद, सितारे, यह द्युलोक में आते हैं और दिवीलोक का अर्थ है कि इस दुनिया ब्रह्मांड से अलग एक ऐसा स्थान है जो सदा रहता है, इस संसार की तरह बनता बिगड़ता नहीं है। और मुझे प्रभु कभी ना कहें बेटी। मैं वेद के अनुसार अपने शिष्य-शिष्यों का पितामह हूँ।
Lisa: Thanks a lot! Pranam guruji🙏🏻. I had this question which is thrown at me again and again. Can god’s existence be proved? Also, am I bad if I ask this question?
Swami Ram Swarup: My blessings to you, my daughter. You are welcome, my daughter to ask any question. In Vedas, it is clearly mentioned that it is a duty of a spiritual master to answer the question of aspirants. According to spiritual book/Vedas, existence of God can be proved, based on the following four matters-
1.) To see- God cannot be seen with eyes but is realized by Yogi in samadhi.
2.) Anumaan- by guess- For example- when we see huge smoke, from far distance then we guess 100% correctly that there is burning fire.
3.) If a Rishi-Muni, Tapasvi, Yogi says about God or any other matter then it is considered true, it is called Aagam pramaan.
4.) Vedas are also considered self- proof i.e., whatever is mentioned in Vedas, all those matters are considered true. Similarly, if we pay our attention towards proof based on guess then we conclude that every matter of the world is not made by any human-being/scientist etc. Even a leaf of a plant cannot be made by human-beings. Then we guess that each matter of universe is created by Almighty God and our guess is 100% true.
Anonymous: Namaste swami j ved ka rishi banane ki journey kahan se start hote hai
Swami Ram Swarup: Namasteji. Yeh journey ved aur yog vidya ke gyata guru ke updesh se shuru hotee hai. Phir samjho ki yeh journey jub tak koi ved aur yog vidya ka gyata guru nahi milta, to yeh journey shuru nahi hotee.
Trupti: Please send me: 1 Brahamcharya Dukh Nivarak Divya Mani, 2 Divine Preach of Vedas 2 and 3. Sandhya Mantra
Swami Ram Swarup: The books are being sent to you, please,my daughter.
Adinath: Please send me 1 Divine Preach of Vedas and 2 Shrimad Bhagwadgeeta – Ek Vedic Rahasya – Pratham Bhag (First 6 Adhyaye).
Swami Ram Swarup: The books are being sent to you, please.
M V: Swamiji namaskar, people says Bhagavad Geetha is a word of God (as it’s mentioned Bhavanu uvacha) and is a kind of summary (Saramsham) of Vedas and Upanishads, Geetha is solution for everything in life, it tells the DOS and don’ts. Is it true?
Swami Ram Swarup: Namasteji. Infact, mostly people donot study vedas, so are not aware of Vedic knowledge. Vedas state that God is Formless. So naturally He cannot speak. Mostly Bhagwad Geeta has been commented by those who have never studied Vedas. So, to say that Bhagwad Geeta is summary of Vedas and Upnishads, is not fair, actually, four Vedas which always emanate directly from God are the solution for everything in life.
