All the stars and all the planets are within us and not on the outside — this is the first thing to remember -always.
The ancient Upanishads mention “ AHAM BRAMHASMI” meaning “ I AM THE UNIVERSE”. So it is obvious that whatsoever is in the outside Universe is also within me.
We — human beings are a whole “ universe” moving on two legs!
Reminds me of a small incident. A old woman was a devotee of a great spiritual master. Once a dog bite her legs. She told the incident to the master — she said “ I have been bitten by an animal”. The master asked “ By which animal — two leg animal or four leg animal?”
The question was symbolic. As long as we are NOT turning inwards as long as we remain focused on the outside — always comparing, always jealous, always focused on others — we remain just “ Two Leg Animal”.
You have dared to ask a very deep question. Only an intelligent person can dare to question that which nobody dares to.
Planets and Stars are within us. Now what does that mean?
Planet is Tatva. ( Essence).
Star is ( Nature of the Tatva)
Sign is the quality of the Tatva.
When somebody says “ Seema is a great dancer. And also a great singer.” – here the planet active is Venus. Venus is all about singing, dancing, love making.
Seema’s Venus must be good so it is natural that her Venus to be in the Nakshatra of Shattatarka. These are Rahu’s Nakshatra and very positive for Venus to attain fame. Also the nature of this Nakshatra is “pleasure seeking” — Bhogi. So you see and then comes the Quality — in her case the sign is Aquarius — it shows intellectual outlook — forward thinking. Friendly and a highly networking sign so you see this is how the whole galaxy is within us in the form of TATVA, SVABHAV AND GUNA!
The ancient seers simply mapped these attributes within human beings with the planets, stars and such external bodies outside in the Universe.
So you see — nothing precisely is on the outside. Everything is within us. That’s what Jesus says to his people. That’s what Buddha says. That’s what Mahavira says. That nothing is on the outside — what you seek is within you. God is NOT in the idols but within us.
Idol worship is simply to help you turn inwards. But people try to find God in idols when God dwells within.
When Jesus was asked “When will the Kingdom Of God will come?” – Jesus answers “Kingdom of God is WITHIN you.”
The idols is just a form for the mind to turn inwards! Since common man needs some kind of form to motivate him to turn inwards, to make him prayerful — the idols were promoted by the Sanatan Dharma.
It is necessary to remember that all our experiences belong to form, to the manifest. We have not known anything that is not manifest, that does not have form. If we have loved, we have loved a form; if we have hated we have hated a form. All our attractions are related to form, and all our repulsions are related to form. Our friends and enemies are all in form; whatsoever we do is done with form. And so even to experience the formless (the divine) we have to give the formless some form. Of course, that form will be according to our own liking. Some will experience the formless in the form of Krishna Idol – some may experience it in the Buddha idol and some may experience it in Shiva or Ganesha idol! Pure formlessness cannot be seen directly by anyone. We don’t have the capacity to see it directly. The formless has to come to us bound in some form. The ídol became the form – experiencing the state of worship becomes possible through the idol – but instead of experiencing the state of worship we made the Idol as God – the Idol is NOT God – it is just a symbolic representation of the formless – the God Consciousness!
The formless is God Consciousness – some call it Krishna Consciousness, some call it Christ Consciousness, some call it Buddha Consciousness – what remains the same is CONSCIOUSNESS – whereas people give it a form by naming it based on their liking and faith.
The ‘chanting of God’s Name’ is also giving a FORM to your state of worshipping. The divine master Gondavalekar Maharaj used to say that chanting is the greatest MIRACLE and KEY to your spiritual success – and chanting the name of Rama, Krishna is giving form to the formless. Chanting can be done in form of any name that you love – Jesus, Muhammed, Mahavira, Buddha, Krishna, Rama – as long as you are chanting – you are actually working on the PLANETS (Tatva – essence) and STARS (nature) and SIGNS (Qualities – Guna) within you! Chanting therefore is the greatest spiritual practice and I love all those men and women who take to chanting – meditate through chanting.
Sitting before an Idol – you can chant – that will expedite your progress in chanting the name of the Lord – however it is NOT a must that you should have an idol before you. The greatest master – BODHIDHARMA used to sit facing a BLANK WALL – and yet his spiritual height was equal to Gautama Buddha! And so it is good to have an IDOL but it is NOT a must to have an idol. But unfortunately people made the IDOLS as GOD when God is not in the idols but within you. The idol is just to help you become more prayerful, more meditative so that one day you experience the first glimpse of God within you — within your ❤️ heart.
Because people became too obsessed with idols and idol worship — God had to send His Messengers — Jesus, Buddha, Mahavira, Prophet Muhammed.
Muhammed wanted his followers to go beyond the idols and so he opposed idol worship. His intentions were good but look what his followers have done! The Muslims just went on destroying idols wheresoever they found — instead of overcoming idol worship they became too obsessed with idols — so much so that in the whole history of mankind nobody must have destroyed so many beautiful idols of Gods and Goddesses as the Muslims have!
This is how the mad world is. Prophet Muhammad was saying exactly that what the Upanishads were saying — that God dwells not in idols but within human beings — but look what his followers have done? They just remained where they are — obsessed with destroying the idols — when their master wanted them to go beyond the idols! Islam is a very spiritual religion to its core. That was the whole purpose of Prophet Muhammed. But very few Muslims could actually understand the essence of Islam and most of them were Sufis.
The very example of GANESH VISARJAN is a beautiful way that conveys the fact that the IDOL is just an IDOL and that is why we immerse it in the sea or river — that too after worshipping the same IDOL with so much love and devotion for 10 days! The whole concept of immersing the Ganesha idol that was worshipped for 10 days is a beautiful symbolic representation that the idol is left behind while the state of worship remains in your heart!
When people worship the Idol of Saturn — it is actually enhancing the qualities of Saturn within YOU. Whatsoever Planet or God you worship in the form of idol — the same TATVA, NATURE ad QUALITIES of the planet or God you worship is enhanced and empowered within your being!
Saturn brings trouble to a certain woman or man — so then why so? Because the Qualities, Tatva and nature of Saturn within her or him is disturbed — it needs a tonic and that tonic comes when he or she starts worshipping Lord Saturn. By worshipping Lord Saturn — they are enhancing the Saturn qualities within them because the real Saturn energy or any planet energy is within.
You always have a choice to make – worship the IDOLS of PLANETS or worship the IDOLS of GODS and GODDESSES. But when you worship – always remember that IDOL should not become a blockage in your spiritual progress – the IDOL is simply to bring you to the state of worship. When you reach the state of worship – then IDOL should be left behind – just the way Hindus do GANESHA VISARJAN – the GANESHA IDOL is left behind by immersing it in flowing water – while the GANESHA Worshipper remains in the state of worship – devotion – love!
All that you do on the outside is impacting your growth within. You see- it is all interconnected – when you worship Ganesha – you enhance the qualities of Lord Ganesha within you – when you worship the planet Jupiter – you enhance the qualities of Jupiter within you!
Some days ago – a man messaged me saying “Should I worship Rahu?”
I wondered that from all the planets and Gods and Goddesses – he found only RAHU to be worth of worshipping! It simply means that the quality of RAHU within him is pulling him towards worshipping RAHU! Whatsoever you are – you are pulled towards similar kind of energy!
I said to him “If that is what you feel than be it so!”
After all we should not stop anybody from worshipping anyone – as long as they are worshipping someone – it is good – at least they can reach the state of worship – of devotion!
All the answers are within you – all the universe is within you – you will ask exactly those questions that signify your state of being – your current state of spiritual growth – your level of understanding. That is why it is said that – the question matters more than the answer – because the question signify the questioner’s state of being!
Meditate every day – when you meditate – there is absolutely no need of any idol – if you have one – it is fine but if you don’t have then also it is good – because as mentioned – GOD is not in the idol – GOD is within you – and to experience the GOD within you – the IDOL works as a BRIDGE – a very effective bridge that help you reach the state of worship – the state of unconditional love – devotion – BHAKTI!
All the planets and stars and the good qualities within you will start enhancing within you when you start walking on the path of DEVOTION (BHAKTI MARG)!
But who wants to listen?
People are just rushing to do rituals and what not – but those few – those chosen ones will start feeling thirsty for the LOVE of the LORD – and it is this THIRST that will eventually lead you to the higher realms of consciousness – and then there is no looking back – the road is clear and you are ‘ready’ to walk.
Love. Devotion. Forgiveness. And living your life with ACCEPTANCE – these are the real keys to a progressive life – but to reach to this stage – to receive these beautiful keys – first you have to start turning inwards – first you have to start chanting the name of the lord – first you have to start being truthful to yourself!
Meditate.
Love to all my readers. Stay blessed.
Jai Shri Ganesha. Jai Guru.
