View source for The Krsna arca-murti, it is not imagination, as rascals think, that they have imaginated an idol. This is not idol worship

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{{terms|"The Kṛṣṇa arcā-mūrti, it is not imagination, as rascals think, that they have imaginated an idol. This is not idol worship"}}
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[[Category:Arca-murti]]
[[Category:It Is Not]]
[[Category:Imagination]]
[[Category:Rascal]]
[[Category:Think]]
[[Category:They Have]]
[[Category:This Is]]
[[Category:Is Not]]
[[Category:Idol Worship]]
[[Category:Pages Needing Audio - SHARMISTHA]]
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<h2>Lectures</h2>
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<h3>Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures</h3>
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This is described in the Vedic literature. He has two hands and He is playing on flute. He has got the peacock feather on His head. It is not imagination. The Kṛṣṇa arcā-mūrti, it is not imagination, as rascals think, that they have imaginated an idol. This is not idol worship.
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[[Vanisource:761107 - Lecture SB 05.05.19 - Vrndavana|761107 - Lecture SB 05.05.19 - Vrndavana]]
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God, whether impersonal or personal, that we cannot conclude by our speculation. It is not possible. Durvibhāvyam. Durvibhāvyam means beyond your conception, beyond your speculation. But He says that idaṁ śarīram. He has got His body; He is not impersonal. He comes sometimes as incarnation. We can see Kṛṣṇa with two hands, two legs, one head.

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:Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda dalāyatākṣaṁ
:barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam 
:(BS 5.30).
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This is described in the Vedic literature. He has two hands and He is playing on flute. He has got the peacock feather on His head. It is not imagination. The Kṛṣṇa arcā-mūrti, it is not imagination, as rascals think, that they have imaginated an idol. This is not idol worship. This is actually . . . I have several times explained that here is Kṛṣṇa, personally present. We should always think like that, not that it is idol worship. But durvibhāvyam means although He is present, the less intelligent class of men, they will think that "They are worshiping one statue." But that is not possible.

You do not know what is the form of the Lord because your present senses are imperfect. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam idriyaiḥ ([[Vanisource:CC Madhya 17.136|CC Madhya 17.136]])—the Lord's name, His form, His pastimes—na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ—our present senses are unable to conceive. Just like the soul is there within the body but nobody can see where is that soul. Similarly, God is also within this body, but nobody can see. It is specifically mentioned, īśvaraḥ sarva bhūtānām hṛd deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati ([[Vanisource:BG 18.61 (1972)|BG 18.61]]). The Lord is situated in everyone's heart, but find out the heart, where is God. There is, but you cannot see. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ ([[Vanisource:CC Madhya 17.136|CC Madhya 17.136]]). Present senses are unable to see. You have to prepare your eyes. Just like with cataract you cannot see anything. You have to undergo surgical operation. Then you will see. That surgical operation process is bhakti.

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:sarvopādhi vinirmuktaṁ
:tat-paratvena nirmalam
:hṛṣīkena hṛṣīkeśa sevanaṁ
:bhaktir ucyate 
:([[Vanisource:CC Madhya 19.170|CC Madhya 19.170]])
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Hṛṣīkena hṛṣīkeśa sevanam. If God has no form, how He is Hṛṣīkeśa, and how we can serve with our senses? Hṛṣīkena hṛṣīkeśa sevanam. That is bhakti.

So God has form, but it is inconceivable by us. But from the śāstra we can understand what kind of body God has. Just like in the Brahma-saṁhitā it is explained,

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:aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛtti-manti
:paśyanti pānti kalayanti ciraṁ jaganti
:ānanda-cinmaya-sad-ujjvala-vigrahasya
:ānanda-sat-ujjvala-vigraha . . .
:govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi 
:(BS 5.32)
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Now, it is inconceivable. Aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya vṛtti-manti. Now we have got this understanding that we can see with our eyes, but God can not only see with His eyes, He can eat with His eyes. This is inconceivable. We shall think, "How it is possible that one can eat with His eyes?" Therefore śāstra says, aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya vṛtti-manti (BS 5.32). Just like we offer foodstuff to the Deity. The atheist will say, "Oh, you have offered this, so many nice foodstuff, but He has not eaten. It is there, lying there." But he does not know that God has His indriyas, sakalendriya vṛtti-manti. As soon as sees the foodstuff is offered, He has eaten. That they do not know. This is inconceivable. Unless we accept the inconceivable energy of the Lord, there is no question of God. So He can eat by seeing. Aggāni yasya sakalendriya vṛtti-manti paśyanti pānti kalayanti ciraṁ jaganti (BS 5.32). He can offer you blessing, everything, by one aṅga. By one part of the body He can do everything. This is inconceivable. Adhokṣaja. Therefore another name of God is called Adhokṣaja. Akṣaja jñānam adhaḥ kṛta.

Our knowledge is sense perception. Sense perception, akṣaja jñānam. That will not act there. Acintya. Therefore we have to accept in that way. Idaṁ śarīram, but He has His body. He has His body, and because we cannot conceive, He, out of His causeless mercy, He presents Himself in a form which we can see. That is arcā-vigraha, arcā-mūrti. A vigraha. Arcā means the form which we can worship. If God is impersonal . . . Avyaktāsakta-cetasām. Kleśo adhikataras teṣām ([[Vanisource:BG 12.5 (1972)|BG 12.5]]). If we accept God as impersonal . . . He is not impersonal. He says idaṁ śarīram. He is personal. But our present senses cannot perceive. That is the difficulty. Therefore out of His causeless mercy He has appeared in a form which you can see, you can touch, you can dress, you can offer garland, you can offer food—to accept your service. That is God's mercy. Don't think that "Because God mercifully has come before Me in a form which we can perceive, which we can see, with which we can serve," not that "He is not God." That is rascaldom. God is there. Otherwise Caitanya Mahāprabhu, as soon as He entered the Jagannātha's temple, immediately He fainted. Does it mean He made a fun? No. He saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead present there.
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