GURUNATHAR’S MESSAGE—ASHWINI POOJA—30-06-2005
A person has asked about Vinayaka Chathurthi. We create an image of Vinayaka in clay and worship Him. After a few days we immerse the idol in water. Similarly during Dussera ,Durga Devi’s image is worshiped and later immersed in water; causing the devotees to shed tears on the occasion. The question is why is this practice followed and what could be its significance?
To explain this I will give you an example. When a child is born we understand or recognize the arrival of the soul by seeing the external form of the child. The child grows, goes through the various stages of education, marriage, having a family and finally passes away. With tears we perform ceremonies and through cremation or burial our physical bodies are returned to the elements. This provides the answer to your question. We do not worship the clay image. We worship the God represented by the idol. We worship for three days and immerse Him in water. The clay dissolves in the water representing the return of the five elements to their macro cosmic aspect.
However the divine presence is very much there and fills the atmosphere. This practice depicts the transience of life. The human body that consists of the five elements (earth, water, fire, air, ether) disintegrates and mixes with the atmosphere and earth. The divine power that controls the five elements and holds them together (like the divine presence of God in the idols) will exist forever. This is a kind of play enacted to impress on us the temporary quality of our earthly life and the eternal existence of the soul.