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Symbolism—or Idolatry?- Swami Kriyananda |
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Part II |
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define God in vague terms holds little appeal for the Hindu, despite
the abundance of abstractions in the Hindu teachings. What is the point
of worship, he asks, if it awakens no enthusiasm in the heart? And how
much enthusiasm can a person muster over a “cosmic ground of being”?
To the Hindu, worship means love. It means childlike trust. Even Gyana
yoga (the path of wisdom and discrimination), which focuses almost wholly
on abstractions, offers soul-freeing concepts such as expansive consciousness.
Its saying, “Thou art that” (Tat tuam asi), is very different from stating,
“That which he is, thou art not.” It is a dull Hindu indeed who satisfies
himself merely with definitions, and who scoffs at spiritual enthusiasm
as, perhaps, childish and unnecessary. |
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Jesus Christ, a Jew among Jews, broke with austere tradition in calling Yahweh (the Lord), “Father.” This paternal concept enabled his followers to develop heartfelt devotion instead of pondering intellectually the aridities of divine law. The average person, Jesus knew, is not capable of conceptualizing an Infinite Spirit. In effect what he told people was, “God wants your love, not your intellectual subtlety.” Carefully chiseled prayers are like pleas uttered before an emperor’s throne, anxiously and with fear of being rejected. God doesn’t want our diplomacy. He is our nearest and dearest. He is our very own. |
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Indian devotional songs often express such sentiments as, “I will make Thee a prisoner of my heart’s love!” Lest the devotion descend to a level of ego-familiarity, there are allegories also that teach us to seek a divine, not a human, relationship with the Lord. For the familiarity we feel must be of the soul. |
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© The Hindu Way of Awakening its Revision, its Symbole by Swani Kriyananda, publichsed by - Jaico Publishing House, '121, MG Road, Mumbai 400 023. Reprinted with permission. Part I of this aricle appeared in Splendour April 2008 Issue. |
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