7/27/2019 Worship of Stone, Metal or Paper Gods – Story with Meaning.doc

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Worship of Stone, Metal or Paper Gods – Story with Meaning

"Some time later Major Ramchandraji, the Dewan to the Maharaja of Alwar, chanced to hear of theSwami's (Swami Vivekananda) presence in the city, and invited him to his house. On better acquaintance he came to feel that the Swami would be a good influence on the Maharaja, MangalSinghji, who had become much angliÂcized in thought and manners. He wrote to the Maharaja, whowas at that time living in a palace two or three miles away, saying, "A great sadhu with a stupendousknowledge of English is here." The very next day the Maharaja came to the Dewan's house, where hemet the Swami and bowed down before him, at the same time urging him to be seated. This wasaccording to the Hindu tradition, which requires even princes to show respect to the sannyasi.

The Maharaja opened the conversation by saying, "Well, Swamiji Maharaj, I hear that you are a greatscholar. You can easily earn a handsome sum of money every month. Why then do you go aboutbegging?" The Swami replied with a home thrust: "Maharaja, tell me why you spend your timeconstantly in the company of Westerners, go on shooting excursions, and neglect your duties to theState?" Those present were taken aback. "What a bold sadhu! He will repent of this; they thought. Butthe Maharaja took it calmly; and after a little thought replied, "I cannot say why, but no doubt because Ilike to." "Well, for the same reason I wander about as a beggar", rejoined the Swami.

The next question the Maharaja asked was, "Well, Swamiji Maharaj, I have no faith in idol-worship.

What is going to be my fate?" He smiled as he spoke. The Swami seemed slightly annoyed andexclaimed, "Surely you are joking." "No, Swamiji, not at all. You see, I really cannot worship wood,earth, stone or metal, like other people. Does this mean that I shall fare worse in the life hereafter?"The Swami answered, "Well, I suppose every man should follow the religious ideal according to hisown faith." The devotees of the Swami were perplexed at this reply, for they knew that the Swamisanctioned image-worship. But the Swami had not finished; his eyes lighted on a picture of theMaharaja which was hanging on the wall. At his desire it was passed to him. Holding it in his hand heasked, "Whose picture is this?" The Dewan answered, "It is the likeness of our Maharaja." A momentlater they trembled with fear when they heard the Swami commanding the Dewan: "Spit on it." Hecontinued: "Any one of you may spit on it. What is it but a piece of paper? What objection can youhave against doing so?"

The Dewan was thunderstruck, and alt eyes glanced in fear and. awe from Prince to monk, from monkto Prince. But the Swami continued to insist, "Spit on it, I say. Spit on it." The Dewan cried out, "What,Swamiji! What are you asking me to do? This is the likeness of our Maharaja! How can I do such athing?" "Be it so," said the Swami; "but the Maharaja is not bodily present in this photograph. This isonly a piece of paper. It does not contain his bones and flesh and blood. It does not speak or behaveor move in any way as the Maharaja does; yet all of you refuse to spit on it, because you see in thisphoto the shadow of the Maharaja. Indeed, in spitting on the photo, you feel that you insult your master, the Prince himself." Turning to the Maharaja he continued, "See, Your Highness; though this isnot you in one sense, in another sense it is you. That was why your devoted servants were soperplexed when I asked them to spit on it. It is a shadow of you; it brings you into their minds. Oneglance at it makes them see you in it; therefore they look at it with as much respect as they wouldhave in looking at your own person. Thus it also is with the devotees who worship stone and metalimages of gods and goddesses. It is because an image brings to their minds their Ishta, or somespecial form and attributes of the Divinity, and helps them to concentrate, that the devotees worshipGod in an image. They do not worship the stone or the metal as such. I have travelled in many places,but nowhere have I found a single Hindu worshipping an image, saying, 'O Stone, I worship Thee. OMetal, be merciful to me.' Everyone, Maharaja, is worshipping the same one God who is the SupremeSpirit, the Soul of Pure Knowledge. And God appears to all according to their understanding and their representation of Him. Prince, I speak For myself. Of course, I cannot speak for you."

Mangal Singh, who had been listening attentively all this time, said, with folded hands, "Swamiji, I must

admit that looking at image-worship in the light you have thrown on it, I have never yet met anyonewho worshipped stone, or wood, or metal. Before this I did not understand its meaning. You haveopened my eyes. But what will be my fate? Have mercy on me." The Swami answered, "O Prince,none but God can be merciful to anyone; and He is ever-merciful! Pray to Him. He will show His mercyto you."