People always get it wrong. This is frustrating already, but it’s even more so when knowing it’s only this way because of English prejudice and derision against Hinduism.
An icon is a religious iconography (statue/painting/symbol)
through which a deity is worshipped.
An idol is an item that’s made which
is then worshipped itself as a deity.
An example of Christian icons are
crucifix and statues. Indian icons are called murti, including statues of gods
but also ‘aniconic’ images (such as lingam and the Ganges).
In the west, Indian icons are
incorrectly labelled ‘idols’. There’s no difference in meaning or function
between Christian and Indian icons so both should, and in academic circles are,
identified under the same term: icon. Yet due to historical prejudice, the
general public stick to the incorrect term of ‘idol’.
Indians learnt English. ‘Idol’ was the
word they heard used to describe their murti so, unsurprisingly, ‘idol’ was the
word they also used in English for murti.
There was no way they could know the
word was incorrect! So this is why Indians today still say ‘idol’ instead of
‘icon’.
English speakers will say, “Well the
Indians call them idols so that’s the correct term.” But this disregards that
they only say idol because of English prejudice and derision of Indian
religion!
Murti are fascinating. They contain
divine power. They are also known as the house of the deva (god).
Murti aren’t worshipped as devas
themselves because the deva is not confined by the image. Murti aren’t a symbol
of a deva because the deva is present within it. Devas are both within and
without their murti.
If
murti aren’t worshipped themselves as a god, they clearly aren’t idols!
Darshana,
meaning ‘to see’, is when the worshipper and the divine see each other. It
makes worship a much more intimate affair.
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