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many aniconic sects that opposed idol worship branding it as worship of the lifeless. Temples and images are part of our cultural heritage where the history of our past, archaeology, art, and culture are preserved. What would have been our history in their absence? Those people who do not have such heritage are culturally destitute.
IMPORTANCE OF THE CONSECRATION OF TEMPLES AND IMAGES
Installation and consecration is the process through which the importance and influence of the object of worship (person or image) is recognized. It can be further elaborated as the ritual process of
endowing or investing the virtues of the deity in an iconic or aniconic image is called pratiṣṭhā. It is the investing of the virtues of the Jina in the image. As he is the source of religion, it is proper to invest his virtues in an image. In such process either the virtuous is prominent and the virtues become secondary or the virtues are prominent and the virtuous is secondary. When the Jinadeva or his virtues are ritually installed in the image, the aspirant beholds them with his human eyes. While looking at the image of Bhagavana that draws his complete sentience (or absolute and unwavering attention and devotion) with its serene posture, the devotee does not see the stone image but the transcendental personage and virtues. In fact, the images of deities made and installed according to the prescribed procedure and ritual cannot be called stones. An image is made for consecration as the object of worship, it is ritually installed with chanting of mantras and other formalities in a temple strictly made according to the prescribed procedures, and it is invested with virtues of god-hood. When an idol is invested with piety and virtues it becomes endowed with godhood. That is why there is a difference between an image installed in a temple and that being sold in the market.
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The importance of how a simple piece of stone, on being installed in a temple, becomes an object of worship for masses can not be conceived unless the process involved is not known. It is necessary to know briefly as to how the feelings of piety of numerous people showered on a simple piece of stone, coming from a quarry or a mountain, made it unusual and how many mantras were used to invest it with godhood.
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