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From last few days I am reading Shri Sai Satcharitra. and in Chapter 41 there is something

"Baba Abdul Rahiman is against murti puja or image-worship".

Refrence Shri Sai Satcharitra Chapter 41

As to do a spiritual practice there are many ways out of which one is accepting Murti Puja and other is not accepting Murti puja.

I found many article on murti puja but can't find any on Not accepting Murti puja.

My question are:

  • What exactly is Not accepting Murti puja?

  • What is difference between Murti Puja and other is Not accepting Murti puja?

  • What are the steps to be followed in Not accepting Murti puja?

I hope I have explained my question properly. If not please let me know.

Praveen Gaikwad
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    this is like asking 'how to not think about an elephant?'.. not thinking about something is not an task or action. it is a state of mind. when you constantly do murti puja, it can lead you to state of nirguna anubhava. Nirguna upanasa is like saying how to worship something that we cannot hear or touch or see or taste or smell, or think. – ram Jul 05 '17 at 03:18
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    Are you trying to use the phrase "Not accepting Murti puja" as a translation or synonym for Nirguna Upasana? Instead of this translation, do you think it would be useful and clearer to say "Worshipping Attributeless Brahman" as translation for Nirguna Upasana? If so, i can edit the question for you. – DirghaChintayanti Jul 05 '17 at 06:00
  • @ram And@Lakshmi Narayanan From last few days I am reading Shri Sai Satcharitra. and in Chapter 41 there is something

    "Baba Abdul Rahiman is against murti puja or image-worship". I want to know what kind of sadhana it is.

     – Praveen Gaikwad Jul 05 '17 at 07:20
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    Murthi puja translates as idol worship or imag eworship. It is not nirguna upasana. It is not necessary to reject idol worship to do Nirguna Upsana. Nirguna Upsana and rejecting image worship are different. – Sarvabhouma Jul 05 '17 at 10:30
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    Who is this Baba Abdul Rehman and what does happen if he doesn't accept Murti Puja? Vedas don't oppose it, So. what happens if an individual doesn't follow it. Moreover, Nirguna Upasana is not related to Murti Puja and Hindu haters link it to idol worship. – The Destroyer Jul 05 '17 at 10:42
  • @TheDestroyer I just want to know what kind of sadhana it is. and word nirgun upasana is mention as "against image worshiping" in Sai Satcharitra. This is the reason I used it in the question. I did't knew that both are different – Praveen Gaikwad Jul 05 '17 at 11:02
  • @PraveenGaikwad ParaBrahman exists in both Nirguna (without attributes) and Saguna (with attributes) forms. Saguna Brahman is worshipped through murtis (but we invoke Lord into idols first and worship Lord inside idols [through idols]). Nirguna Upasana is nowhere related to idols. Both are allowed. – The Destroyer Jul 05 '17 at 11:05
  • @TheDestroyer can u please tell me how to do it – Praveen Gaikwad Jul 05 '17 at 11:08
  • @PraveenGaikwad See Do Yajurveda 40.9, Yajurveda 32.3 and Bhagavadgita 7.20 reject idol worship?. Some people spreading venom by misinterpreting these verses. I think this question is what you want Can we worship the Brahman as "Tadvana? – The Destroyer Jul 05 '17 at 11:13

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Nirguna upasana is not about "not accepting" murti puja. You are thinking about it in negative way. Nirguna means without qualities, without form. It is worship of formless aspect of God. It is not about rejecting various forms of God. It is just different path for people whose personality is not attracted to any of the forms of Lord. It is done by meditating on immutable, indefinable, changeless, all pervading, unmanifest aspect of God, by practicing control over one's sense organs, by being equanimous and unmoved by ups and downs of life and by doing selfless service of others.

12.3 Those, however, who meditate in every way on the Immutable, the Indefinable, the Unmanifest, which is all-pervading, incomprehensible, change-less, immovable and constant.-

12.4 By fully controlling all the organs and always being even-minded, they, engaged in the welfare of all beings, attain Me alone.

https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/srimad?language=dv&field_chapter_value=12&field_nsutra_value=3&etgb=1&choose=1

Edit: Control of sense organs practically would mean practice of yama-niyamas given in patanjali yoga sutras. http://www.swamij.com/yoga-sutras-23034.htm

Meditation on nirguna would involve meditating on Om by mental or verbal japa of Om. Or japa of aham brahmasmi. http://www.swamij.com/om-mantra.htm

To understand difference in attitude of saguna vs nirguna upasaka may be this article will help. http://www.sivanandaonline.org/public_html/?cmd=displaysection&section_id=1442

To understand more about philosophy of nirguna brahman, though not strictly necessary for practice of nirguna upasana, see this video. https://www.reddit.com/r/hinduism/comments/6kevj6/definition_of_god_based_on_taittiriya_upanishad/

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