murti

murti, in Hinduism, a sacred image or depiction of a deity. In Sanskrit the word murti means anything that has a definite shape or form, and in a ritual context the term means an embodiment or sacred image of a deity.

What is a murti?

In Hindu practice, murtis can be found in temples, in homes, on roadsides, and in a variety of other locations. They come in sizes varying from tiny to larger-than-life. The term usually refers to three-dimensional statues, although in many Hindu homes framed lithographs are treated as murtis. Murtis can be worshipped daily or only on certain special dates. In India these images of deities are nearly ubiquitous, placed not only in temples and homes but also in public areas such as street sides or under trees and even on car dashboards, where Ganesha, the remover of obstacles, is often found. While temple murtis are accorded special power, all images of deities are deemed worthy of devotion. Even a statue of a deity in a museum can be an object of reverence. There are many terms for these images, in addition to murti, such as vigraha (body) or pratima (likeness). Worship centering on the image has been a form of Hindu religious practice for at least 2,000 years, although it gained in prominence during the Gupta era (4th–6th century ce) and has been a significant element in Hindu practice ever since.

What do murtis look like?

Devotional images of Hindu deities come in many forms. Some are aniconic (not in the likeness of a divine being) and can be found in nature, such as a special type of ammonite fossil known to devotees as a shaligram that is seen as a manifestation of the god Vishnu, or the lingam that is regarded as a manifestation of Shiva. The shaligrama images are considered to be svarupa (having their own form), while some important Shiva lingams are deemed svayambhu (self-manifesting), as are many other venerated temple murtis throughout India. Many murtis are iconic depictions of Hindu gods. Some are theriomorphic (in animal form), many are anthropomorphic (in human form), and some are a combination of the two (such as the elephant-headed god Ganesha). Anthropomorphic murtis often depict their deity with multiple heads, arms, or eyes, and this multiplicity represents the deity’s many different aspects and powers. Such deities are also depicted with recognizable items on their person or in tableaus that narrate popular myths. A murti can be more than a mere object and can serve as encapsulation of an entire mythological story. Some murtis can also be of recent figures, such as Sai Baba or A.C. Bhaktivedanta, religious leaders of the 19th and 20th centuries who are highly revered.

How are murtis made?

Most Hindu murtis in the form of statues, excluding self-manifesting murtis, are constructed by special artisans, called shilpins, following strict guidelines. Temple murtis are often in white marble (predominant in northern India) or dark granite (predominant in southern India). Murtis can also be made from wood or metals, such as the famous Chola bronzes. Such images can be permanent and housed in temples or homes. Other murtis are temporary and used only for the duration of a festival, such as clay or papier-mâché Ganeshas immersed in water for Ganesh Chaturthi. The mass printing of color reproductions in lithograph poster form has extended the availability of images to greater numbers of devotees. In the 21st century, computer-generated graphics of the deities, and temple murtis mediated through cyberspace, have made global online worship possible.

How are murtis worshipped?

Theologically, there are two interpretations of the role of murtis in Hindu worship. According to some, the deity is embodied in the physical object, and devotees’ devotion toward the murti is a means of directly accessing in an immanent form the transcendent divine. The murti on this account is a living being and is often treated as such. One of the primary goals of this worship is darshan, or seeing and being seen by the deity. Another interpretation in Hindu thought, however, is that the murti is a symbolic representation of the deity, not an embodiment or living entity, and the object serves as a means for devotees to concentrate on or focus their devotion toward the divine. Due to the pejorative sense among Christians in the West of the English term idol, which is often used for these images, many Hindus today prefer this latter interpretation, which draws on a lengthy history within Hinduism of a more philosophical and meditative treatment of murtis. In either case, Hindus interact with murtis with a strong sense of devotion (bhakti) toward the deity.

Before being worshipped, murtis that are considered the embodiment of deities must first be enlivened through the consecration ritual of prana pratishtha (entering of the life breath). The murtis are then worshipped through adornment with clothing, flowers, ointments, and garlands. Devotees also perform puja (offering) services that can include gifts of incense, fruit, money, clothing, and a myriad of other objects. As part of the puja service, devotees show their humility through various bodily postures and movements, from a simple folded-hands “namaste” greeting to full prostration. Worship can also include arati (circular motion of an oil lamp in front of the murti), bell ringing, and singing of bhajans (devotional songs). Murtis may be circumambulated, or they may be taken out of the temple for a journey as part of an utsava (festival). There are other possibilities of interaction with a murti, such as worshippers whispering their wishes into the ears of a statue of Nandi, Shiva’s bull.

Do all Hindus worship murtis?

Murti worship is but one of many possible ways for Hindus to show their devotion to deities, and its practice has often been debated within the tradition. In Advaita Vedanta philosophy, founded by Shankara (8th or 9th century ce), all reality, or brahman, is singular and without qualities, and thus the worshipper and the worshipped object cannot be distinguished, rendering murti rituals meaningless. However, Shankara noted that image worship may be useful as a step along the way to greater realization of brahman. Some thinkers in the bhakti movement, such as Kabir (1440–1518), also strongly rejected image worship, though for many other bhakti writers, murtis were an essential part of their practice. During colonialism under the British Raj and in response to Christianity’s negative view of idolatry, murti worship was rejected by Hindu reformers such as Ram Mohan Roy, who founded the Brahmo Samaj movement, and Dayananda Sarasvati, who founded the Arya Samaj movement. Nonetheless, worship of murtis remains one of the predominant modes of Hindu ritual.

Are you a student?

Get a special academic rate on Britannica Premium.

Subscribe

Are murtis only in Hinduism?

Murtis are not limited to Hinduism. Evidence of Buddhist and Jain devotional image construction in South Asia begins quite early, from at least the 1st century ce. There is a robust practice of murti worship in Jainism toward the Tirthankaras, the 24 “ford-makers” who have transcended the cycle of rebirth and are revered as the epitome of Jain practice. Buddhists too have a long history of veneration of Buddha images, along with images of other significant beings in Buddhist thought. The earliest Buddha images from the 1st and 2nd centuries bce were aniconic, often depictions of the Buddha’s feet, although full Buddha images have since proliferated. Buddha statues come in various fashions, from the Greco-Roman style of Gandhara in the 1st century ce to the Thai-styled Emerald Buddha of the 15th century. Buddha statues found in ritual settings are consecrated, are deemed to be “alive,” and provide practitioners a sense of the Buddha’s presence even in his physical absence.