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Significance of Clay Sri Vinayaka Idol
Idol Worship
Idol is a support for the neophyte. It is a prop of his spiritual childhood. A form or image is necessary for worship in the beginning. It is an external symbol of God for worship. It is a reminder of God. The material image calls up the mental idea. Steadiness of mind is obtained by image worship. The worshipper will have to associate the ideas of infinity, omnipotence, omniscience, purity, perfection, freedom, holiness, truth, omnipresence. It is not possible for all to fix the mind on the Absolute or the Infinite. A concrete form is necessary for the vast majority for practising concentration. To behold God everywhere and to practise the presence of God is not possible for the ordinary man. Idol worship is the easiest form of worship for the modern man.
A symbol is absolutely indispensable for fixing the mind. The mind wants a prop to lean upon. It cannot have a conception of the Absolute in the initial stages. Without the help of some external aid, in the initial stages, the mind cannot be centralised. In the beginning, concentration or meditation is not possible without a symbol.
Everyone an Idol-Worshipper
There is no reference to worship of idols in the Vedas. The Puranas and the Agamas give descriptions of idol-worship both in the houses and in the temples. Idol-worship is not peculiar to Hinduism. Christians worship the Cross. They have the image of the Cross in their mind.
The Mohammedans keep the image of Kaaba stone when they kneel and do prayers. The people of the whole world, save a few Yogis and Vedantins, are all worshippers of idols. They keep some image or the other in the mind.
The mental image also is a form of idol. The difference is not one of kind, but only one of degree. All worshippers, however intellectual they may be, generate a form in the mind and make the mind dwell on that image.
A gross mind needs a concrete symbol as a prop or Alambana; a subtle mind requires an abstract symbol. Even a Vedantin has the symbol OM for fixing the wandering mind.
Hinduism leads the aspirants gradually from material images to mental images, from the diverse mental-images to the one Personal God, and from the Personal God to the Impersonal Absolute or the Transcendental Nirguna Brahman.
Each step marks a stage of progress. The human soul makes different kinds of attempts to grasp and realise the Infinite or the Absolute according to his strength or degree of evolution. He soars higher and higher, gathers more and more strength, and eventually merges himself in the Supreme and attains oneness or identity.
Why Sri Vinayaka Idol is made of Clay ?
There are references in the Purans (mythological texts) thatGanapati was created from grime. Hence it is appropriate to use a Ganesh idol made of mud for ritualistic worship. The pure spiritual particles (pavitraks) of Ganapati get attracted to a greater extent towards an idol made of mud than to that made of plaster of Paris.
The clay idol is symbolic of the human body composed of the five elements. It should spend time on the earth in a manner that it is worshipped! After its worshippable stay on the earth, it finally merges back with the elements. Though the idol is gone, Ganesha lives forever! And that story is the same for the true being, the soul, too. It is in this spirit and fervor that the immersion is celebrated all over India Reg various types of Idols, the present day youth may appreciate it, but Sri Gamesha is to be made only by clay as it is symbolic of human body.
Clay and water is mixed to give form to the formlessness. Each person brings Ganesha in clay idol form into the home. This is the Supreme Being arriving at home. After the celebrations, it is time to accept the eternal cosmic law that which took form has to become formless again. It is a never ending cycle (Chakra).
The formlessness giving way to form and then moving again towards formlessness. Each year Ganesha arrives to teach us that forms change but the Supreme Truth remains the same. Body perishes but Brahman residing in it remains constant. This body becomes energy for another but the source of energy is the same. Bliss is achieved when we realize this.
The act also symbolizes the concept of Moksha, or liberation, in Hinduism. Osho says – ‘Absolute unclinging. That is what is meant by Moksha – freedom – no clinging, not even to gods.’ Thus we create Ganesha out of clay, worship it and later it is submerged (Visarjan).
திரு.சுகி.சிவம்
இந்த உலகம் தண்ணீர் துப்பிய துண்டு. அதாவது கடலில் மூழ்கி இருந்த உலகம் கொஞ்சம்,கொஞ்சம்மாக நீர் வடிய,வடிய வெளியே வந்ததுதான் இந்த தரைப்பகுதி.இதுவும் பல்லாண்டுகளுக்கு ஒரு முறை கடலால் உட்கொள்ளப்பட்டு வேறு ஒரு தரைப்பகுதி மேலே வரும்.இந்த உலகம்மானது இந்த கடல் விட்டுவைத்த மிச்சம்.இது கடலில் மறையக்கூடியது.அழியக்கூடியது.இதை உணர்தவே விநாயகரை கடலில் கரைக்கும் பழக்கம் வந்தது.
உலகம் மண்.அதனால்தான் வேறு எந்த வழிபாட்டிலும் இல்லாதபடி களிமண்ணே விநாயகராக வழிபடப்படுகிறது.பூமிதான் சாமி,சாமிதான் பூமி.இது விநாயகர் வழிபாட்டின் நுட்பம்.கடலில் இருந்து வெளிபட்டு நாம் வாழ வழி வகுக்கும் மண்[பூமி]கட்லில் மீண்டும் மறையும் என்பதை உணர்தவே களிமண் கணேசரை கடலில் கரைக்கும் முயற்சி.
கடல் இல்லாத ஊர்களில் குளங்களில்,ஏரிகளில்,குட்டைகளில் கரைப்பது மரபு.அந்த விநாயகர் தலையில், வயிற்றில், நெற்றியில்,காசை வைத்து கரைப்பது ஒரு சமூக சிந்தனை.அதாவது ஏரி குளம் வற்றும் போது இந்த காசுகளை எடுக்க கூடை கூடையாக மண்ணை வெளியில் கொண்டு வந்து கொட்டுவார்கள்.இதனால் ஏரி,குளம் ஆழம்மாகும்.மழை காலத்தில் நீர் பிடிப்பு அதிகம்மாகும்.உழைத்தவனுக்கு காசு கிடைக்கும்.
Source:WORLD BRAHMINS
http://www.forumforhinduawakening.org/understanding/glory-of-hindu-dharma/ganesh-made-of-clay-only-scientific
http://www.dlshq.org/download/idolworship.htm#_VPID_6
http://sivanandaonline.org/public_html/?cmd=displaysection§ion_id=501
Sri Sathya Sai Baba Discourses
"திரு.சுகி.சிவம் தன்னுடைய நினைப்பதும் நடப்பதும் புத்தகத்தில்
http://www.dharmasamsthapana.org/Eco-ganapati.html
Idol Worship
Idol is a support for the neophyte. It is a prop of his spiritual childhood. A form or image is necessary for worship in the beginning. It is an external symbol of God for worship. It is a reminder of God. The material image calls up the mental idea. Steadiness of mind is obtained by image worship. The worshipper will have to associate the ideas of infinity, omnipotence, omniscience, purity, perfection, freedom, holiness, truth, omnipresence. It is not possible for all to fix the mind on the Absolute or the Infinite. A concrete form is necessary for the vast majority for practising concentration. To behold God everywhere and to practise the presence of God is not possible for the ordinary man. Idol worship is the easiest form of worship for the modern man.
A symbol is absolutely indispensable for fixing the mind. The mind wants a prop to lean upon. It cannot have a conception of the Absolute in the initial stages. Without the help of some external aid, in the initial stages, the mind cannot be centralised. In the beginning, concentration or meditation is not possible without a symbol.
Everyone an Idol-Worshipper
There is no reference to worship of idols in the Vedas. The Puranas and the Agamas give descriptions of idol-worship both in the houses and in the temples. Idol-worship is not peculiar to Hinduism. Christians worship the Cross. They have the image of the Cross in their mind.
The Mohammedans keep the image of Kaaba stone when they kneel and do prayers. The people of the whole world, save a few Yogis and Vedantins, are all worshippers of idols. They keep some image or the other in the mind.
The mental image also is a form of idol. The difference is not one of kind, but only one of degree. All worshippers, however intellectual they may be, generate a form in the mind and make the mind dwell on that image.
A gross mind needs a concrete symbol as a prop or Alambana; a subtle mind requires an abstract symbol. Even a Vedantin has the symbol OM for fixing the wandering mind.
Hinduism leads the aspirants gradually from material images to mental images, from the diverse mental-images to the one Personal God, and from the Personal God to the Impersonal Absolute or the Transcendental Nirguna Brahman.
Each step marks a stage of progress. The human soul makes different kinds of attempts to grasp and realise the Infinite or the Absolute according to his strength or degree of evolution. He soars higher and higher, gathers more and more strength, and eventually merges himself in the Supreme and attains oneness or identity.
Why Sri Vinayaka Idol is made of Clay ?
There are references in the Purans (mythological texts) thatGanapati was created from grime. Hence it is appropriate to use a Ganesh idol made of mud for ritualistic worship. The pure spiritual particles (pavitraks) of Ganapati get attracted to a greater extent towards an idol made of mud than to that made of plaster of Paris.
The clay idol is symbolic of the human body composed of the five elements. It should spend time on the earth in a manner that it is worshipped! After its worshippable stay on the earth, it finally merges back with the elements. Though the idol is gone, Ganesha lives forever! And that story is the same for the true being, the soul, too. It is in this spirit and fervor that the immersion is celebrated all over India Reg various types of Idols, the present day youth may appreciate it, but Sri Gamesha is to be made only by clay as it is symbolic of human body.
Clay and water is mixed to give form to the formlessness. Each person brings Ganesha in clay idol form into the home. This is the Supreme Being arriving at home. After the celebrations, it is time to accept the eternal cosmic law that which took form has to become formless again. It is a never ending cycle (Chakra).
The formlessness giving way to form and then moving again towards formlessness. Each year Ganesha arrives to teach us that forms change but the Supreme Truth remains the same. Body perishes but Brahman residing in it remains constant. This body becomes energy for another but the source of energy is the same. Bliss is achieved when we realize this.
The act also symbolizes the concept of Moksha, or liberation, in Hinduism. Osho says – ‘Absolute unclinging. That is what is meant by Moksha – freedom – no clinging, not even to gods.’ Thus we create Ganesha out of clay, worship it and later it is submerged (Visarjan).
திரு.சுகி.சிவம்
இந்த உலகம் தண்ணீர் துப்பிய துண்டு. அதாவது கடலில் மூழ்கி இருந்த உலகம் கொஞ்சம்,கொஞ்சம்மாக நீர் வடிய,வடிய வெளியே வந்ததுதான் இந்த தரைப்பகுதி.இதுவும் பல்லாண்டுகளுக்கு ஒரு முறை கடலால் உட்கொள்ளப்பட்டு வேறு ஒரு தரைப்பகுதி மேலே வரும்.இந்த உலகம்மானது இந்த கடல் விட்டுவைத்த மிச்சம்.இது கடலில் மறையக்கூடியது.அழியக்கூடியது.இதை உணர்தவே விநாயகரை கடலில் கரைக்கும் பழக்கம் வந்தது.
உலகம் மண்.அதனால்தான் வேறு எந்த வழிபாட்டிலும் இல்லாதபடி களிமண்ணே விநாயகராக வழிபடப்படுகிறது.பூமிதான் சாமி,சாமிதான் பூமி.இது விநாயகர் வழிபாட்டின் நுட்பம்.கடலில் இருந்து வெளிபட்டு நாம் வாழ வழி வகுக்கும் மண்[பூமி]கட்லில் மீண்டும் மறையும் என்பதை உணர்தவே களிமண் கணேசரை கடலில் கரைக்கும் முயற்சி.
கடல் இல்லாத ஊர்களில் குளங்களில்,ஏரிகளில்,குட்டைகளில் கரைப்பது மரபு.அந்த விநாயகர் தலையில், வயிற்றில், நெற்றியில்,காசை வைத்து கரைப்பது ஒரு சமூக சிந்தனை.அதாவது ஏரி குளம் வற்றும் போது இந்த காசுகளை எடுக்க கூடை கூடையாக மண்ணை வெளியில் கொண்டு வந்து கொட்டுவார்கள்.இதனால் ஏரி,குளம் ஆழம்மாகும்.மழை காலத்தில் நீர் பிடிப்பு அதிகம்மாகும்.உழைத்தவனுக்கு காசு கிடைக்கும்.
Source:WORLD BRAHMINS
http://www.dlshq.org/download/idolworship.htm#_VPID_6
http://sivanandaonline.org/public_html/?cmd=displaysection§ion_id=501
Sri Sathya Sai Baba Discourses
"திரு.சுகி.சிவம் தன்னுடைய நினைப்பதும் நடப்பதும் புத்தகத்தில்
http://www.dharmasamsthapana.org/Eco-ganapati.html
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