Radhanath Swamy – Deity Worship in World Traditions

When we go to the church, there is generally always a crucifix with Lord Jesus Christ. Everyone kneels down in front of him and cry and pray. He is a deity. They are focusing their attention on him. One of the greatest of the Catholic saints, St. Francis of the Assisi, his spiritual life really began when he went to a church in a helpless destitute position and prayed to the deity of Christ. He saw the deity cry and then he heard the deity speak and give him an instruction to surrender.

In Islam, they have big mosques and there is nothing in the mosques. But they are all bowing down in the direction of Mecca. That is their deity. Mecca is a place; it is not just an imaginary concept. They are concentrating their minds on something physical, offering their respects and their worships to something physical. They also worship Quran.

In the Jewish faith also they have some sort of deity worship. One time I was in Jerusalem for one of their biggest festivals. It is festival where they take out Torah, their holy books, and they were offering crown to it.

The Sikhs, too, worship their holy book Guru Granth Sahib. Their book is their deity.

By Radhanath Swamy

By RNS Articles

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62 comments

  1. This is indeed amazing realisation on deity worship across all religions of this world. Faith in the worship and respect of deity is indeed the essence of all religions. Thank you for sharing this article.

  2. In Vaishnava tradition, having a personal form of God as Deity is most beautiful and spiritually uplifting.

  3. Such a wonderful explanation connecting together other religions with the concept of the universality of deity worship.

  4. Radhanath swami has shared his realization about deity worship here. The Lord personally accepts the deity form to accept the offerings of his devotees.

  5. Although deity worship is disregarded in many faiths but as Radhanath Swami states, in every religion they have some kind of deity which they worship. The word worship will be incomplete if there is no object/deity receiving it.

  6. Radhanath Swami is giving us the essence of all religions which starts from Diety Worship

  7. Many people criticise us for idol worship in reality all religions follow similar principles if its thorughly analyzed one may be able to understand. We are fortunate Radhanath Swami is givingus the clear understanding

  8. Maharajah is explaining that Deity worship is performed in all the religion of the world. In India we are fortunate to perform elaborate Deity worship according to the Vedic rules and regulation.

  9. Radhanath Swami Maharaj has studied all the major religions of the world, hence his words are enriched with experience.

  10. Yes Deity worships is establishing process of love in our heart.

    Thank you Radhanath Maharaj for giving such nectar drops.

  11. So it is clear that deity worship is not a mental concoction /speculation , rather it has been authorized by all religions in some or other form. Thank you Radhanath Swami maharaj such a nice sharing.

  12. Maharaj understands that all religions point to the one God.So he regards them all knowing very well that Krishna is the summum bonum.His views being non-sectarian would also make his followers respect others.Thank you Maharaj for this understanding.

  13. Maharaj can extract the essence from all religions. Thank you Maharaj – that removes the need for everyone to go through all the different religions!

  14. Maharaj has nicely explained how other religions in some form or fashion also do diety worship.

  15. Every religion has some kind of worshipable deity. Radhanath Swami explains this perfectly through beautiful examples.

  16. Radhanath Swami has given a deep message by showing examples from almost all the major religions. He has such deep understanding of other religions and sees them on the same platform.

  17. Radhanath Swami has a magnanimous heart that can accomodate and see the good in all religions – in fact his travels at a very young age and exposure to various religions has given him a deep sense of understanding and appreciation of all the major religious orders of the world

  18. The vedic tradition of Deity worship is there in all religions of the world in some form or the other.

  19. Here Radhanath Maharaj is clearly explaining that in every form of religion, there is a deity form & the citizens offer their respects to the deity.

  20. Yes The God is present everywhere in diety form in temples,churches etc.He is also present in holy books wherin He give us instructions how to live in this human form of life and perfect our lives.Thanks you Radhanath Swami for giving this knowledge to us.

  21. Radhanth swami maharaj is a real monk who dont creticize any religion rather he sees the similarity in it.

  22. Amazing..Radhanath Swami is telling us here how Deity worship is a common practise in all religions and it is not mental imagination, as some people say about it…
    Thank you Radhanath swami for giving us Faith in Deity worship.

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