Pravin: Namaste Swamiji, Am a layman with not much exposure to the Vedas or Sanskrit verses/slokas. whatever am referring here are from books i read. Am having few Questions but i will post few here..

1. I have read it in the book as below ..In Ramayan after killing of the Lankan King Ravan, bhagavan Sri Ram returned to Bharath near Ramesvaram . To get rid of bramagathi dosha he installed a Sivalinga and the story goes on.. if this is true isn’t it prescribing Idol worship through a symbol??

2. I read your article on Idol Worship. Please clarify me on the below .. if its not the way Vedas recommend i read that goddess prityankira mantra was mentioned in Atharvana Veda hence she is called as Atharvana Bhadra Kali. Forgive me i don’t know the exact verse details and is it true? Also could you share your insight about Tantra’s and the books that talk about it.

3. If there is no mentioning of Ganesh and other deities then how can someone do Ganesh Homam, Navagraha Homam. also Sudharsana Homam. is Yajna is different one from Homam. My understanding is both these words provide same meaning . please clarify on the above Swamiji.
With humble Pranams, Pravin Kumar
Swami Ram Swarup: Namasteji. When an aspirant desires to get knowledge of any subject, he first remains ignorant and after getting the knowledge, he becomes a learned. So, you are welcome –

(1) Whatever story you have written about installation of shiv lings etc., it does not exist in Valmiki Ramayan which is an authentic, true epic and is accepted by all learned of vedas, Rishi-munis and yogis.

(2) In all four vedas, idol worship is not preached. Vedas tell only to worship a formless, omnipresent, Almighty God Who creates, nurses and destroys the universe. In vedas, innumerable divine qualities of God are mentioned, which do not tally with qualities of idol worship. So, vedas never promote idol worship. Even there is no mention about it. Yajurved mantra 40/8 states that God is “Pari-agaat” i.e., omnipresent

Meaning:- (Saha) He is God, Who is (Shukram)Almighty (Akaayam) formless- bodiless (Avrannam) in whom no hole can be made – unbreakable (Asnaaviram) without the binding of nervous system (Shuddham) the purest i.e., always away from illusion (Apaapviddham) is never entangled in sins (Paryyagaat) omnipresent (Kavihi) omniscient i.e., knows everything (Maneeshee) knower of every movement – emotion of mind of every living being (Paribhuhu) condemns and punishes the sinners (Swayambhuhu) self- existent, eternal and everlasting, He is not made from any matter and nothing can be made from Him, away from death and birth (Shaashvateebhyaha Samaabhyaha) for the eternal /immortal public , He (Arthan) through the Vedas (Yaathatathyataha) truly (Vyadadhaat) preaches all the subject matters.

Meaning- He is God, Who is Almighty, formless; bodiless, in whom no hole can be made – unbreakable, without the binding of nervous system, the purest i.e., always away from illusion, is never entangled in sins, omnipresent, omniscient i.e., knows everything, knower of every movement – emotion of mind of every living being, condemns and punishes the sinners ,self- existent, eternal and everlasting, He is not made from any matter and nothing can be made from Him, away from death and birth and for the eternal /immortal public, He, through the Vedas, truly preaches all the subject matters.

Idea:- It is a basic principle that knowledge is gained when it is given. That is, one learned gives the knowledge and other aspirant gains. So, the question arises that in the beginning of the earth, when all the human-beings basically were ignorant and there was no acharya/learned guru etc., to give them knowledge of matters of universe, spiritualism, deeds etc., then who gave them knowledge, the knowledge which traditionally is being followed uptil now, whether it pertains to science, spiritualism or deeds etc.

Actually, here He is the learned to give knowledge to the ignorant people who does not come in the cycle of death and birth, like all other living beings.

There is no goddess prityankira mantra. May it be self-made. And Atharvana ved also does not exist. Atharvaved exists and the name of any ved cannot be altered being unchangeable, unchallengeable, immortal, eternal and everlasting.

As regards tantras, ghosts, teva, mangal dosh, navgrah Pooja, kaal sarp dosh and the books that talk about it, present palmistry, vaastu Shastra etc., do not exist in vedas so are unauthentic. Therefore no learned of vedas right from beginning of earth till now accepts the above matter, being against the vedas.

(3) Whatever you are saying about ganesh homam, navgrah homam etc., the matter also do not exist in vedas.

So, the learned do not accept. Here, I may tell you that all Rishis like Patanjali Rishi states in his Yog Shastra sutra 1/7.that the truth is established on the basis of evidence of ved mantras. For example – a person states that ghost worship is true. Then the learned would ask him to produce any ved mantra in his quote. If ved mantra is produced by him as an evidence then ghost worship is true otherwise false. Yet anybody if wants to worship then he may continue at his own accord. My blessings to you.

Kamal: Kya raat ko mandir meh rakha phool ko saaf kar dena cahaiya?
Swami Ram Swarup: Jo bhi us phool ko saf karna chahe apnee ichchha se kar sakta hai parantu aisa mandir mein phool chadhane aur pratah kaal usko saaf karne ka vidhan vedon mein nahi hai.