Deity worship is worshipping the deity of Krishna in His personal form which has been recommended by Krishna Himself in chapter 12 of Bhagavad-Gita. Idol worship is worshipping the impersonal conception of the Absolute Truth like stones, oil paint etc which has not been recommended by Him.
Krishna's deity is non-different from Him as Krishna has an authorized representation in the Deity form, which is called arca-vigraha. This arca-vigraha is an incarnation of Krishna. Krishna will accept service through that form.
I hope this clears your doubt about the difference between deity worship and idol worship; and why Krishna is non-different from the deity.
In Bhagavad-Gita Chapter 12, text 5, Purport Srila Prabhupada has explained all these concepts very well which is as follows-
The individual soul is embodied since time immemorial. It is very difficult for him to simply theoretically understand that he is not the body. Therefore, the bhakti-yogi accepts the Deity of Krsna as worshipable because there is some bodily conception fixed in the mind, which can thus be applied. Of course, worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His form within the temple is not idol worship. There is evidence in the Vedic literature that worship may be saguna and nirguna--of the Supreme possessing or not possessing attributes. Worship of the Deity in the temple is saguna worship, for the Lord is represented by material qualities. But the form of the Lord, though represented by material qualities such as stone, wood or oil paint, is not actually material. That is the absolute nature of the Supreme Lord. A crude example may be given here. We may find some mailboxes on the street, and if we post our letters in those boxes, they will naturally go to their destination without difficulty. But any old box, or an imitation, which we may find somewhere, which is not authorized by the post office, will not do the work. Similarly, God has an authorized representation in the Deity form, which is called arca-vigraha. This arca-vigraha is an incarnation of the Supreme Lord. God will accept service through that form. The Lord is omnipotent and all-powerful; therefore, by His incarnation as arca-vigraha, He can accept the services of the devotee, just to make it convenient for the man in conditioned life. So, for a devotee, there is no difficulty in approaching the Supreme immediately and directly, but for those who are following the impersonal way to spiritual realization, the path is difficult.
And if I take a stone and I paint it black and put tilak on it and do abhishek and pray that Lord Krishna resides in this small stone, will He do this for me?
I am a mere devotee of His, but He will do this for me right? I do love Him and follow His principles. So if I put a stone infront of his Jagannath Deity in Picture image with tilak made of Nail Polish in red, He will take this form? Or is this unacceptable? I know many people who are doing this and feeling that the Lord is present in front of them, so I feel that the Lord is also present in front of me. Is this sinful?
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Hare krishna prabhuji, humble obeisances.
Deity worship is worshipping the deity of Krishna in His personal form which has been recommended by Krishna Himself in chapter 12 of Bhagavad-Gita. Idol worship is worshipping the impersonal conception of the Absolute Truth like stones, oil paint etc which has not been recommended by Him.
Krishna's deity is non-different from Him as Krishna has an authorized representation in the Deity form, which is called arca-vigraha. This arca-vigraha is an incarnation of Krishna. Krishna will accept service through that form.
I hope this clears your doubt about the difference between deity worship and idol worship; and why Krishna is non-different from the deity.
In Bhagavad-Gita Chapter 12, text 5, Purport Srila Prabhupada has explained all these concepts very well which is as follows-
The individual soul is embodied since time immemorial. It is very difficult for him to simply theoretically understand that he is not the body. Therefore, the bhakti-yogi accepts the Deity of Krsna as worshipable because there is some bodily conception fixed in the mind, which can thus be applied. Of course, worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His form within the temple is not idol worship. There is evidence in the Vedic literature that worship may be saguna and nirguna--of the Supreme possessing or not possessing attributes. Worship of the Deity in the temple is saguna worship, for the Lord is represented by material qualities. But the form of the Lord, though represented by material qualities such as stone, wood or oil paint, is not actually material. That is the absolute nature of the Supreme Lord. A crude example may be given here. We may find some mailboxes on the street, and if we post our letters in those boxes, they will naturally go to their destination without difficulty. But any old box, or an imitation, which we may find somewhere, which is not authorized by the post office, will not do the work. Similarly, God has an authorized representation in the Deity form, which is called arca-vigraha. This arca-vigraha is an incarnation of the Supreme Lord. God will accept service through that form. The Lord is omnipotent and all-powerful; therefore, by His incarnation as arca-vigraha, He can accept the services of the devotee, just to make it convenient for the man in conditioned life. So, for a devotee, there is no difficulty in approaching the Supreme immediately and directly, but for those who are following the impersonal way to spiritual realization, the path is difficult.
If you wish you can read more on deity worship furthur explained by HH Radhanath Swami. Pls follow the link http://www.radhanath-swami.net/from-idol-worship-to-deity-worship/i...
Hope this helps.
Your servant
Hare Krishna
And if I take a stone and I paint it black and put tilak on it and do abhishek and pray that Lord Krishna resides in this small stone, will He do this for me?
I am a mere devotee of His, but He will do this for me right? I do love Him and follow His principles. So if I put a stone infront of his Jagannath Deity in Picture image with tilak made of Nail Polish in red, He will take this form? Or is this unacceptable? I know many people who are doing this and feeling that the Lord is present in front of them, so I feel that the Lord is also present in front of me. Is this sinful?
Your servant
Bhakta David
When you say Oil Paint, what do you mean?
Sri Krishna and Jesus Christ is depicted in Oil Paint also.
Your servant,
Bhakta David