origin of idols, and idol worship
one example, peace
peace is a potential quality , a law of nature, of the unmanifest absolute, which is the reservoir of all gunas, ie all the laws of nature cognizable by a rishi in the deepest samadhi
so he says shanthi
and he repeats shanthi shanthi shanthihi, to emphasize the profundity
and he may say shaanthaakaram , an embodiment of peace, though there is not any body as such
this is the origin of idol conception.
now to communicate this abstract law of nature, he chooses a concrete . visible media
he chooses his own body , human body as the media / icon
he depicts a word picture of a person with a face, eyes half closed , expressing the calm , restful, posture, shayanam,
this is how the law of nature, takes the visible identity
now this hint is taken by an artist, and he creates a beautiful picture / colorful painting / graceful sculpture / a small or big murthi , idol
this is how the idol gets created
seeing its value, charm, utility, truth, beauty goodness one starts adoring it , calls a form of god, a devatha murthi ,
this is how a devatha murthi comes into existence
and one would like to decorate it, offer food to it , like to bathe it , makes a shade over it , gives vasthra aabharana, mala, sindhoora ,
thus the origin of temples and idolatry starts
and now the common man forgets that it is a law of nature
blind worship continues
and truth of idol is totally covered up and lost to vision, man misses the track , ignorance abounds , rebounds,
that is how idol becomes a obstruction to see the truth, though all happening with the best of intentions,
this continues till the man wakes up , by the call of a realized soul
