DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9550#0136
Puranas* and Tantras, &c. respecting the worship
of the several gods and goddesses, are false, or
whether Puranas and Tantras are not included in
the Shastra, the answer is this:—The Purana and
Tantra,f &c. are of course to be considered as Shastra,
for they repeatedly declare God to be one and above
the apprehension of external and internal senses; they
indeed expressly declare the divinity of many gods
and goddesses, and the modes of their worship; but
they reconcile those contradictory assertions by affirming'
frequently, that the directions to worship any figured
beings are only applicable to those who are incapable
of elevating their minds to the idea of an invisible
Supreme Being, in order that such persons, by fixing
their attention on those invented figures, may be able
to restrain themselves from vicious temptations, and
that those that are competent for the worship of
the invisible God, should disregard the worship of
Idols. I repeat a few of these decla rations as follows.
The authority of Jamadagni is thus quoted by the
great Raghunandan : " For the benefit of those who are
" inclined to worship, figures are invented to serve as
" representations of God, who is merely understanding,
" and has no second, no parts nor fi gure ; consequently,
" to these representatives, either male or female forms
"and other circumstances are fictitiously assigned."
" In the second Chapter of the first part of the Vishnu
" Purana it is said; " God is without figure, epithet,
*' definition or description. He is without defect, not
" liable to annihilation, change, pain or birth; we can
* Said to have been written by Vyas.
t Supposed to have been composed by Shiva.
of the several gods and goddesses, are false, or
whether Puranas and Tantras are not included in
the Shastra, the answer is this:—The Purana and
Tantra,f &c. are of course to be considered as Shastra,
for they repeatedly declare God to be one and above
the apprehension of external and internal senses; they
indeed expressly declare the divinity of many gods
and goddesses, and the modes of their worship; but
they reconcile those contradictory assertions by affirming'
frequently, that the directions to worship any figured
beings are only applicable to those who are incapable
of elevating their minds to the idea of an invisible
Supreme Being, in order that such persons, by fixing
their attention on those invented figures, may be able
to restrain themselves from vicious temptations, and
that those that are competent for the worship of
the invisible God, should disregard the worship of
Idols. I repeat a few of these decla rations as follows.
The authority of Jamadagni is thus quoted by the
great Raghunandan : " For the benefit of those who are
" inclined to worship, figures are invented to serve as
" representations of God, who is merely understanding,
" and has no second, no parts nor fi gure ; consequently,
" to these representatives, either male or female forms
"and other circumstances are fictitiously assigned."
" In the second Chapter of the first part of the Vishnu
" Purana it is said; " God is without figure, epithet,
*' definition or description. He is without defect, not
" liable to annihilation, change, pain or birth; we can
* Said to have been written by Vyas.
t Supposed to have been composed by Shiva.