All About Bharatiya Sanatana Dharmam otherwise known as Hinduism : Ch.7- 6.2. - Swami Sivananda
========================================== ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 10/04/2020. 6.The Philosophy And Significance Of Idol-Worship -2. 2.An Integral Part Of Virat ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. For a beginner, Pratima is an absolute necessity. By worshipping an idol, Isvara is pleased. The Pratima is made up of five elements. Five elements constitute the body of the Lord. The idol remains an idol, but the worship goes to the Lord. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. If you shake hands with a man, he is highly pleased. You have touched only a small part of his body and yet he is happy. He smiles and welcomes you. Even so, the Lord is highly pleased when a small portion of His Virat (cosmic) body is worshipped. An idol is a part of the body of the Lord. The whole world is His body, Virat form. The devotion goes to the Lord. The worshipper superimposes