Unveiling Non-Idolatry in Hinduism

Hinduism is the Third largest Religion in the world, after Islaam & Christianity. With over1.2 Billion adherents, there are bound to be many misconceptions about Hinduism. One of the biggest misconceptions is to do with the Concept of God, more specifically based on the practice of worship. Many people assume that Hinduism is an Idolatrous Religion because they base their views on the followers rather than the Scriptures.

The Veda which is the Most Sacred Hindu Scripture, says Several times that there is only One God.

It's mentioned in Yajurveda 32:3, "Na Tasya Pratima Asti."

"Of Him, there is no Image"

A similar message is repeated in Svetashvatara Upanishad 4:19, with verse No. 20 saying,

"na saṁdṛśe tiṣṭhati rūpamasya na cakṣuṣā paśyati kaścanainam | hṛdā hṛdisthaṁ manasā ya ena-mevaṁ viduramṛtāste bhavanti ||"

"The form of Him stands not within the vision and none beholdeth Him by the eye; but by the heart and the mind, for in the heart is His station; who thus know Him, they become immortal."

Yajurveda 40:4 says "anejadekaṃ", or "The Unmoving One".

Yajurveda 40:8 says, "avraṇamasnāvir," meaning Sinewless or Bodiless.

And Yajurveda 40:9 says, “Andhatamaḥ pravishanti ye’asambhutim upāsate, tato bhūya iva te tamo ya’u sambhūtyām ratāḥ.”

“They enter darkness, those who worship the uncreated things. They enter deeper into darkness, those who worship the created things”.

Even Bhagavad Gita says in 7:20,

“Those whose knowledge has been carried away by material desires surrender to the celestial gods. Following their own nature, they worship the devatās, practicing rituals meant to propitiate these celestial personalities.”

So by examining the Hindu Scriptures, we come to know that Idol-Worship is prohibited in Hinduism. These are just a few out of the many verses speaking about Non-Idolatry. So based on these Vedic verses, Hinduism is a Non-Idolatrous Religion.