What Hindu scripture says about worship
The Bhagavad GitaThe Bhagavad Gita is one of the most revered and important Hindu texts. The Gita tells the story of Krishna’s incarnation as a chariot driver to Prince Arjuna and forms part of the Mahabharata. gives Hindus a lot of advice about how to worship and meditationThinking quietly as a spiritual or religious exercise. Connection of the mind and soul with the Divine using breathing and other techniques. In Buddhism, using one of a set of techniques or exercises for calming the mind, developing positive emotions and understanding the way things are.. Following are some examples.
| Source of wisdom and authority | What does it mean? |
| “If one offers to me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or even water, I delightfully partake of that article offered with love by my devotee in pure consciousness. (Bhagavad Gita 9.26)” | When a Hindu worships, it is not the cost of the offering but the love of the devotee that pleases the gods and goddesses. |
| “Therefore, giving up attachment, perform actions as a matter of duty, for by working without being attached to the fruits, one attains the Supreme. (Bhagavad Gita 3.19)” | When a person worships, they should not think of getting a reward. Coming close to ‘the divine’ or ‘the Supreme’ happens when a Hindu is unselfish in their worship and gives up their attachments. |
| “In this world, there is nothing as purifying as divine knowledge. One who has attained purity of mind through prolonged practice of Yoga, receives such knowledge within the heart, in due course of time. (Bhagavad Gita 4.38)” | Knowledge of Ultimate Reality (Brahman) comes when a person purifies their mind through disciplined yoga or spiritual practice. After a time, they will receive pure divine knowledge in their heart. |
| “To practise Yoga, one should make a seat in a sanctified place, by placing grass, deer skin, and a cloth, one over the other. The seat should be neither too high nor too low. Seated firmly on it, the yogi [yoga practitioner] should strive to purify the mind by focusing it in meditation with one pointed concentration, controlling all thoughts and activities. (Bhagavad Gita 6.11–12)” | These instructions for meditation will help the worshipper to still the body and concentrate the mind. In this kind of spiritual practice, a person can control their thinking and body so that they can receive divine knowledge in their heart. |
| Source of wisdom and authority | “If one offers to me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or even water, I delightfully partake of that article offered with love by my devotee in pure consciousness. (Bhagavad Gita 9.26)” |
|---|---|
| What does it mean? | When a Hindu worships, it is not the cost of the offering but the love of the devotee that pleases the gods and goddesses. |
| Source of wisdom and authority | “Therefore, giving up attachment, perform actions as a matter of duty, for by working without being attached to the fruits, one attains the Supreme. (Bhagavad Gita 3.19)” |
|---|---|
| What does it mean? | When a person worships, they should not think of getting a reward. Coming close to ‘the divine’ or ‘the Supreme’ happens when a Hindu is unselfish in their worship and gives up their attachments. |
| Source of wisdom and authority | “In this world, there is nothing as purifying as divine knowledge. One who has attained purity of mind through prolonged practice of Yoga, receives such knowledge within the heart, in due course of time. (Bhagavad Gita 4.38)” |
|---|---|
| What does it mean? | Knowledge of Ultimate Reality (Brahman) comes when a person purifies their mind through disciplined yoga or spiritual practice. After a time, they will receive pure divine knowledge in their heart. |
| Source of wisdom and authority | “To practise Yoga, one should make a seat in a sanctified place, by placing grass, deer skin, and a cloth, one over the other. The seat should be neither too high nor too low. Seated firmly on it, the yogi [yoga practitioner] should strive to purify the mind by focusing it in meditation with one pointed concentration, controlling all thoughts and activities. (Bhagavad Gita 6.11–12)” |
|---|---|
| What does it mean? | These instructions for meditation will help the worshipper to still the body and concentrate the mind. In this kind of spiritual practice, a person can control their thinking and body so that they can receive divine knowledge in their heart. |
Question
What matters more to Hindus – the symbolic actions of worship or the devoted human heart?
The devoted human heart. The point of the symbolic actions is simply to make it easier for Hindus to devote their heart to the deity / deitiesIn Hinduism, deity is one god or goddess. Deities is the word for gods and goddesses many Hindus believe are different aspects of the one Supreme Spirit, (Brahman).. They are just steps along the way to a pure mind.
