Vivekananda Mailing List-10/8/03

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CHAPTER VIII

 

WORSHIP OF SUBSTITUTES AND IMAGES

 

The next points to be considered are the worship of Pratikas or of

things more or less satisfactory as substitutes for God, and the

worship of Pratimâs or images. What is the worship of God through a

Pratika? It is

 

 

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— Joining the mind with devotion to that which is not Brahman, taking

it to be Brahman " — says Bhagavân Râmânuja. " Worship the mind as

Brahman this is internal; and the Âkâsha as Brahman, this is with

regard to the Devas " , says Shankara. The mind is an internal Pratika,

the Akasha is an external one, and both have to be worshipped as

substitutes of God. He continues, " Similarly — 'the Sun is Brahman,

this is the command', 'He who worships Name as Brahman' — in all such

passages the doubt arises as to the worship of Pratikas. " The word

Pratika means going towards; and worshipping a Pratika is worshipping

something as a substitute which is, in some one or more respects, like

Brahman more and more, but is not Brahman. Along with the Pratikas

mentioned in the Shrutis there are various others to be found in the

Purânas and the Tantras. In this kind of Pratika-worship may be

included all the various forms of Pitri-worship and Deva-worship.

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Today we continue Swami Vivekananda's book Bhakti-Yoga found in Volume

3 of the Complete works.

 

This is a part of a daily study of the lectures and writings of Swami

Vivekananda. All lectures are sent out in sequenced form, as he spoke

them.

 

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