Hi,
I had been wondering about the concept of Krishna as "Personality of God-head" as espoused by ISKCON' s founder Swami Prabhupad - and how Hindus explain worshipping of various images . C-da's comments made me write this stuff now.
As Hindus believe that God incarnates to an Earthly form (animal or human) to redeem the land from evil - we worship those forms . Buddhists and Jains also believe in reincarnation of their prophets as Bodhisattvas and Tirthankars. Muslims, Jews and Christians beilieve in Prophets. Also forms - of "demi-Gods" and "demi-Godesses" or Saints are there in temples or churches - to whom people worship them. The images are made pleasing to the eye - becos we humans worship them.
Even if it of an old Guru Nanak - he is shown with straight regular features and well built body. Christ in European images is shown as a white man - though was born in the Middle East. Some Africans worship a Black Christ. Similarly Krishna is shown as a ladies man with gracious features - rather than as a warrior - becos of hs loving image. Shiva is shown as a Spartan Yogi with a muscled body atop a mountain peak. Mahatma Gandhi is shown as an old man in loin cloth. A scuplture at Sackler Gallery in DC shows nine incarnations of Vishnu with that of cross legged sitting Buddha among them.
All these are images made by man for his own satisfaction and prayer and inspiration. Jesus or Krishna or Buddha images are seen as a form of God's personality - which humans can relate to and easily pray to. If the image be that of a woman I do not why it cannot be that of a woman who looks good .
When woman can pray to male images without comment I do not see why some males (like the Bengali poet) needs to highlight his baser feelings and denigrate the female images of God.
Any comments?
Umesh
PS: Prabhupad mentions in his translation of the Bhagwat Geeta that as per him Manu was born 2 million years ago and was told by God (Krishna as God's image) about the absolute truth - but along the way the message got lost about 200,000 years ago - and now 5,000 years ago - Krishna is now telling it again. Someone needs to rationalize this with history and evolution. I think man became hom-sapien only 190,000 years ago - as per science.
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