Aptavani-2
47
Religion of idols : Religion of the formless
Questioner : Do we need idols to know the Soul?
Dadashri : Idols are very necessary. The Lord has
explicitly said that true God, true religion and a true guru are all
necessary, but as long as one does not attain the right
understanding (samkit), as long as one has not attained a true
guru, a true God and a true religion, a relative God is needed.
Once you attain the realization of the Self, then you will need the
real God. If someone were to say, “There is no need for God,”
that is not acceptable. God in the form of an idol is for the
relative perspective and for the real perspective, there is the
formless God.
Questioner : Can an idol make one realize the Self?
Dadashri : Until you attain the realization of the Self, you
need to worship the idol because that idol will take you towards
the Self. Do not shun the idols, because they represent the
vitarag Lords. They are the representation of vitarag Lords and
behind the vitarag Lords there are celestial beings who are
protectors of the path of vitarag Lords.
‘We’ once met a maharaj of one religious sect. ‘We’
asked him, “Maharaj would you mind if ‘We’ ask you a
question? You would not be offended if ‘We’ did, would you?
Can ‘We’ ask you something you may not like? You have
renounced everything so have you attained the energy and the
power to listen to talks which you do not like?”
“Talk to me, there is no harm in talking” he said.
‘We’ told him, “Why do you still cover your mouth with