Hi friends! Today, I wanna briefly touch upon the topic of daily household idol worship that is most prevalent among Hindus. Particularly, we will explore the concept of Ṣōḍasōpacāra = Ṣōḍasa (16) + Upacāra (worship/service) = 16 modes of service to GOD as prescribed by the Āgamas. In quintessence, these 16 modes cover every aspect that you see in any worship associated with Hinduism, may be with few modifications. We will also go into the psychology of the modes and learn the core essence of its intention. 

Idol Worship??!

In this era of space and quantum explorations, where does an idol worship stand? As long as HUMAN exists as an individual, the sense of separation exists and hence however he probes into the microcosm or macrocosm, there still exists the unanswerable question of “What else” or “The Beyond”. It is unanswerable because, HE is the answer. This is the essence of esoteric teachings (please note that here HE or MAN implies human group as a whole). Those who discovered that the “I AM” in all, which we call by the pronouns in 1st, second or 3rd persons, is the content of ALL THAT IS, they wanted to convey the same to those who did not discover yet. The way they did this is via, a set of regulated living guidelines. Vēda, Tantra, Āgama, Freemasonries, Cults, Occult branches, Pythagorean, etc., are result of this urge to give an answer to those who earnestly search. One of those branches of guidelines suggests of IDOL worship (or photo worship in modern times).

What is idol worship?

What does a photograph tell us? It visually shows us  a memory associated with an experience gained from the moment of capture. Though the time has passed and so did the experience, a photograph helps us to re-play this and re-live this experience. The theory on which the ancient teachings stand suggest us that “We are all ONE.” But, due to the innate nature of NATURE (Maya), we forgot that. So, to kindle this sense of ONE in ALL and ALL in ONE, an idol worship is designed. An idol represents that photograph of our inner-self which permeates all Universe, which a worshiper calls GOD. Thus, by starting the worship as an individual and contemplating on the idol-GOD, the worshiper dissolves his own identity with that of the GOD’s. This dissolution brings in a stir of supra-psychological changes in the attitude and perception, which thereby brings out the hidden ONE in him.

But, there are grades in this evolution just as there are classes in our school. So, one starts with “Qualitative” measures of GOD and ends with “Non-Qualitative” measures. For example, consider idol of Rama. He as Rama has qualities like – Truth Speaker, Respects People, loves his Wife to the core, Never harms an innocent, etc. When a worshiper of Rama, truly worships as prescribed, installs in him, the same qualities by the law of contemplative resonance. But, after they are installed, will he stop worshiping? No. The worship transforms into worship of RAMA as the ONE (point or bindu) rather than Rama with the aforementioned qualities. This going beyond transforms him again into that ONE-entity, which is his real self. Thus, a link establishes between this inner core-ONE and the ONE in idol. After this, he goes beyond i.e., he starts to see/perceive the ONE in all rather than just the idol. This is GOD-Realization in its full form.

The Undercurrent:

What do you notice from the above descriptions? Say, a scientist or a Nobel laureate discovered a truly amazing discovery. But that does not guarantee his happy living. He may still have hurdles in family or health – physical or mental. Take a farmer who is working hard everyday. Fortunately, say, he is ultra healthy physically and mentally. Who is actually living their life? Farmer or The Scientist? Is it not for the state of ever-happiness, all the striving is for? Why does a scientist or farmer work? The end goal is sense of happiness and to continue that. But, without the element of continuity, happiness is no happiness, but sadness. To maintain this continuity is what is gained by idol worship (there may be other methods, but this is for sure one of them). Thus, in this era of quantum magic also, an idol worship helps us in calming the mind and seeing the true reality beyond the world of mathematics, as a world of ultra-experience. This is the core theme and undercurrent of why an idol-worship is to be done. 

16 Modes of Worship:

For sake of this idol worship, temples are installed at geographically selected locations by the ancients. These temples work as “group-catalysts” i.e., helps a group-development in the above said lines. But, visits to temples are less probable than the stay in our own home. So, a household worship was also designed. It is this part that we are going to explore. This household method has 16 modes in it which, like the 16 phases of the moon, lightens all the phases of our devotion into reflection of the inner self. Let us begin:

1.Invitation (Āvāhanaṃ):

Just because we have idol in home, we do not feel god is always present. If so, our behavior will be different! So, to inculcate the end result of him being ever present, we start by taking it for granted that he is not there in the idol at the time of worship or rather, he is not awake! So, we have to wake him and awaken the god-consciousness in us via this first step. This is called Āvāhanaṃ or Invitation. So, we humbly invite him with certain invocations or mantras. The very mantras will have set syllables which invoke the powers of the associated deity, who is being invoked. So, the first step shakes off the mundane diffused thoughts of mind and focuses it into the field of worship and hence into inner self via the external idol/mantras.  

2.Seat (Āsanaṃ):

If the god in idol has woke, where will he/she/it sit? i.e., if the GOD-consciousness in us is awaken, where will it exist? As Ramakrishna Paramahamsa once said, “…if you pour milk in a dirty vessel, milk is spoiled. We should clean the vessel before the milk is poured into it….”. So, the act of purifying the seat or GOD in us, the HEART center or Anāhata Chakra, is the goal of this step. Externally, we offer a beautiful (serene and clean) seat like a lotus leaf, a cotton cloth, etc., and internally, we fill our hearts with devotion or love. 

3.Water (Pādyaṃ)

4.Oblations (Arghyaṃ)

5.Liquids (Āchamanīyaṃ)

6. Bath (Snānaṃ):

Externally, if we are inviting a God and offering a seat for him to sit when he comes, we naturally have to offer water to wash the feet (pādyam), hands (arghyaṃ) and drink or wet his throat (āchamanīyaṃ). Spiritually, these three steps 3-4-5 cover a basic aspect of vitalizing the centers of our body. Hands and feet are to be washed regularly according to ayurveda, not only for cleanliness, but to soothe the energy points (called marma sthānās).

Water or Jalaṃ carries in it healing properties, according to these scriptures. So, to vitalize feet, hands and to drink or lubricate the throat or vocals is the goal of this step. The mantras associated with these invoke the deities in water (āpas) to enact their part in purifying and elevating us. Āchamanam does not mean just drinking water. It means to drink “Holy Water” i.e., enchanted water with the specific mantras. So, in the garb of offering these to God, it is told that we have to wash, drink or for that matter use water only by invoking mantras associated. It is true that even while bathing, such mantras exist. That is why, the next step – the 6th is Snānam, meaning, to offer water to god to freshen up. He might have travelled such long distances as in multi planes of existence!

If you notice, this trend still exists in offering things to guests, in un-urban areas. The culture of ancient India considers guests as GODs – “Atithi Dēvō Bhava” and that is why, a service to them is borrowed from the service to GOD-idol. So, though these elements are for idol-worship, you can see how magnificent the applicability and intention of the seers is actually!

7.Cloths (Vastraṃ):

After invoking God into our idol/home, and offering him waters to  drink and freshen up, next step is to offer clothes. Here, clothing is symbolic to a protective shield more than a decorative item. To protect the seat and the installed lord in us, we need a shield. This shield is the clothing that we mentally offer. The clothing generally is said to be of gold color or white color. Each color has a significance, astrologically speaking. This color-coding is used as shielding request from god. Also, a color (one of seven) represents a temperament of devotee, who falls under one of seven classes (rays – refer a treatise on seven rays by Alice A Bailey). But white or gold tends to neutralize this specified temperament and orients us into the light of god/deity in context. Each deity is again said to favor certain color which implies that such a worship kindles the associated character in us.  Thus, offering clothes is not just for a show!

8. Sacred Thread (Yajñōpavītaṃ):

More can be seen in my earlier article (27) The Three Debts). Basically, this is a strand thread of three strands or nine (if married) which reminds of the sacred duties of each individual. When a god is offered new clothes, we also offer him this sacred thread. Does he also have sacred duties? It means that the god in us needs to be reminded to remind us of these sacred duties. The debt to sages, the debt to angels and the debt to forefathers are quenched only by fulfilling these duties. So, just because we are worshiping an idol does not bestow us with everything. We have to get up, act selflessly, daily and again worship to remind us of this cycle. This is the point of fulcrum in the worship. That is why it is 8th, the central part of 16 modes.

9. Sweet Scent (Gandhaṃ)

10.Flowers (Puṣpaṃ)

11.Incense Sticks (Dhūpaṃ):

So, until now, we woke him up, gave him a bath and dressed him. What does he do? He will sit calmly and try to observe the surroundings. The same is the case with a guest. After the tiresome journey and a fresh bath, they will sit and relax. What is needed for this relaxation? A sweet aroma. To bring this sweet aroma, we put sandal paste or sweet smelled stuff onto the idol, we offer flowers and light the incense sticks.

Internally speaking, after the purifying of heart, awakening the god in us and vitalizing the centers in us with holy water, we need to purify our breath. A sweet smell is a symbol of clean breath. A clean breath is a symbol of a healthy mind. See how we breath rapidly in tension and slowly in sickness? A regulated breath is sweet in the sense of its periodicity. To suggest this, we use sweet scent. To suggest that the breath which is regulated evolves us (concept of prāṇāyāma of patanjali yōga, crudely speaking), we use flowers. Flower is a symbol of bloom and thus evolution from a bud stage to that of a flower. Its smell is the added bonus of sweet existence of an evolved soul. An incense stick, in this case would suggest the burning up of the mundane self into the sublime states of divine aroma which spreads faster than the smell of flower or sandal. Thus, these three steps of aroma indicate three stages of personal evolution and three modes of making god (in us) comfortable.

12.Lighting (Dīpaṃ):

After the above relaxation, we light a lamp. Because the worship is inside the house, we are offering the god an extra lighting for him to stay longer. If its dark, he will return back to sleep! (I am kidding). This lamp is a symbol of our own devotion lit up. Why do we light lamp in temples? This is the reason – To suggest the god in us, whom we see as the god in temple that we are ready to get nurtured by his LIGHT. This is in simple terms – LIGHT OF SOUL. So, in the 11th step, we had a sublimation into god-consciousness via the incense stick. Now, we have evolved further into the light of soul which is a step higher and a plane lighter!

13.Food Offering (Naivēdyaṃ):

Now we offer some food to eat. Does GOD need food? Is he not in and around the food? Such questions are meaningless to a devotee. Devotion is a sense of love externalized into worship. So, a worshiper sees his and his fellow beings’ needs as god’s needs and offers the necessary. This food offering is also in similar lines. A food offered to god is had by him and the ones surrounding him (plants and animals included). This is like sanctifying the food before we eat. A lesson here is that, at every mouthful that we eat, we need to apriori offer it to GOD (in all). This in a way inculcates to respect all and eat for necessity than for recreation!

Spiritually, the light of soul of previous step to sustain, needs its own food. That food is the fuel of LOVE. The food offered here, is the LOVE of universal self offered to god, which in turn sustains the light of our soul (with respect to us, the separated self – not that soul has a changeable effulgence).

14.Betel Leaf (Tāmbūlaṃ):

It is customary to offer betel leaf after a meal in Indian tradition. It is to help with digestion and also to freshen the mouth/breath. So, after offering the naivēdyaṃ, we offer god this betel leaf. A betel leaf (often mixed with caustic lime turns our tongue into red color. Red is the color of twilight and is symbolic to change of consciousness from human to God. Even in Lalita sahasra nama, the 1000 names of Lalita, it is said that the smell and color of her betel leafed tongue spreads and pervades in all directions and attracts all the planes of beings. So, a betel leaf is highly associated with soul’s final stages of twilight or change of modes of consciousness.

15.Fire Oblation (Nīrājanaṃ):

When we are done with all the above, we give Fire Oblation or Hārathi or Ārti. This is to rotate a fired camphor around the idol/person with some invocations. In spiritual sense, this is to suggest that the above pre-final transformation step of twilight is nothing but the FIRE (of soul) which is expanding (revolving hand) in all directions. In fact, this Ārti needs to be done in a complete circle. A circle means a completeness – or periodical. To suggest the transformation of soul as complete and to suggest the process of our worship as complete, this circular mode of fire oblation is performed.

16.Salutations (Namaskāraṃ):

What is the result of all the 15 steps above? Do you know what does NAMASTE mean in Hindi/Sanskrit? When we meet or greet people, we often say “Namashkar or Namaste“. Its actual meaning is “I bow to the one in you, who is also in me – Namaḥ+Tē“. So, the final step of this worship or the transformation of the soul through all the 15 steps is to recognize the fact that the one we were worshiping is the one in us/all. This step means the same – externally or internally!

Conclusion:

Thus we have seen the notion of idol-worship, its 16 modes and the spiritual aspects of these 16 steps of worship which form the course of soul’s eventual transformation from apparent separateness to the Universal oneness. Thank You!