IDOLS & SYMBOLISM | RAMA राम
| | homeA SESSION WITH MUSLIM REPRESENTATIVES | IWGR VI | RAMA राम
|| < : IDOLS & SYMBOLISM : > ||
Once Sri Keshab Chandra , head of Brahmo Samaj , went to see Param Hans Rama Krishna ji .
Ramakrishna was found all absorbed in concentration in front of the idol of Kali , the ideal . The eyes were closed , tears were rolling down and Ramakrishna was repeating Parent , Parent , Parent .
After some time when the eyes opened , Sri Keshab Chandra said ,
" Param Hans Ji , I respect and honour your intense devotion . But I am unable to appreciate your sitting in front of an idol , made of cowdung and clay , and weeping like a child , saying , Parent , Parent .
It does not behove a great saint like you " .
Param Hansji said ,
" You know that one sees what is saturating the mind . If the mind is filled with the ideas of GOD , one would see and visualise only GOD all around oneself . But if the mind is saturated with cowdung and clay , one would see only that in the Real Parent . "
On hearing this , Sri Keshab Chandra was very much ashamed and apologised . Param Hansji was quite right . They , who are stone-minded , only see the stone in the idol and not the virtuous and good points in the character of the erudite hero who is symbolized in the idol .
A true Sanatani , therefore , never worships an idol , taking it to be a mere stone . One meditates upon the pervasiveness and the Omnipresence of GOD , taking the idol to be a mere symbol .
SOURCE | SATYAVEDISM.ORG