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