As per the Ish Upanishad: ~ Those who worship Gods and Goddesses go into deeper darkness because they seek rewards for their worship.+

Isa Upanishads says: ~ By worshipping Gods and Goddesses and going to the world of Gods after death is of no use. The time one spends in ritualistic practices is wasted; one can spend the same time moving forward toward Self-knowledge, which is the main goal. One cannot reach the non-dual destination by glorifying gods and goddesses, and by doing that, one goes deeper and deeper into darkness. It surely indicates the fact that the seeker of truth has to drop worshiping god and goddess in order to get Self-knowledge.

Ish Upanishads: ~

MANTRA 10

Vidya and Avidya both are hindrances to Self-knowledge, but Vidya is even worse than Avidya. The word Vidya is used here in a special sense; here it means worshipping Gods and Goddesses. By worshipping Gods and Goddesses you will go after death to the world of Gods and Goddesses. But will that help you? The time you spent there is wasted because if you were not there you could have spent that time moving forward towards Self-knowledge, which is your goal. In the world of Gods and Goddesses, you cannot do that, and thus you go deeper and deeper into darkness.

Avidya is Karma and therefore a hindrance. You perform Avidya - i.e., you perform Agnihotra and other sacrifices. This is a roundabout way of purifying the mind, and it is also groping in the dark. But it may not have as heavy a toll on your time and energy as the other.

Ishopanishad: ~ “They are steeped in ignorance and sunk into the greatest depth of misery who worships the matter, instead of the All-Pervading God (Athma) and those who worship things born of matter like trees, animals, man, etc. are sunk deeper in misery."

When Upanishads themselves say they are steeped in ignorance and sunk into the greatest depth of misery who worships the matter, instead of the all-pervading God (Atman) and those who worship things born of matter (illusion) are sunk deeper in misery then why worship God in place of the real God, which is Ataman.

The dualistic worship of personal “Gods” is only for the ignorant populace. The God in truth is only Atman, the Self. In reality, there is no duality, no differentiation. Only Atman exists.

As per the Ish Upanishad: ~ Those who worship Gods and Goddesses go into deeper darkness because they seek rewards for their worship.

That is why Sage Goudpada says that:~ The merciful Veda teaches karma and Upasana to people of lower and middling intellect, while Jnana is taught to those of higher intellect.

This clearly indicates that religion, which is based on individual conduct, prescribes karma and Upasana to people of lower and middling intellect, therefore religion is for the lower intellect. And wisdom is for those who are capable of inquiring into their own existence.

The Vedas do not talk about idol worship. In fact, till about 2000 years ago followers of Vedism never worshipped idols. Idol worship was started by the followers of Buddhism and Jains. There is logic to idol worship. Vedas speak of one God that is the supreme self i.e. Atman or Soul but Hinduism indulges in worshiping 60 million Gods.

Prohibition of idol worship in Yajurveda: ~

Yajur Veda – chapter- 32:~ God is Supreme Spirit has no ‘Pratima’ (idol) or material shape. He cannot be seen directly by anyone. He pervades all beings and all directions.

Yajurveda: ~ There is no image of God in truth. God in truth is unborn and eternal. (Chapter 32, Verse 3)

Yajurveda: ~ God in truth is nondual and pure" (Chapter 40, Verse)

Yajurveda: ~ "They are entering darkness, those who worship the natural things (like air, water, fire, etc.), they are sinking more in darkness who worship created things." (Chapter 40, Verse 9)

Thus, Idolatry does not find any support from the Vedas.

Yajurveda: ~ "They are entering darkness, those who worship the natural things (like air, water, fire, etc.), they are sinking more in darkness who worship created things." (Chapter 40, Verse 9)

Remember:~

Rig Veda: ~ 'Prajnanam Brahma'- Consciousness is the ultimate reality or Brahman or God in truth.

Rig Veda: ~ The Atman is the cause; Atman is the support of all that exists in this universe. May ye never turn away from the Atman, the Self. May ye never accept another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman?" (10:48, 5)

Rig-Veda 1-164-46 and Y.V 32-1 clearly mention that God is “One”.

Rig Veda declares God is ‘ONE’ and God is Atman, then why believe and worship in place of real God.

Rig Veda: ~"Say this, all one God in many names" (Rigveda, book 1, Hymn 164, Verse 46)

Rig Veda: ~ Do not worship anyone besides God in truth alone, praise God in truth alone" (Book 8, Hymn 1, Verse 1)

Rig Veda: ~ Praise God in truth would matchless and alone" (Book 6, Hymn 45, Verse 16)

Do not accept any other God other than the Soul. The Soul is God in truth, Nothing is real but the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. Nothing matters but realizing God in truth. God in truth is everywhere and in everything. Let these words be inscribed in your subconscious.

God in truth is hidden by the illusory universe. God in truth alone is real and eternal and all else is an illusion.:

Brahman is merely a word to indicate the ultimate truth of God in truth. The ultimate truth itself is God in truth.

Those whose intelligence has been stolen by ignorance worship demigod

Prayers imply duality. Prayers and sacrifices belong to a premature stage of development.

By praying to the Spirit, the Self is not realized.

A perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ is needed to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

You are the birth entity. Your existence is limited to form, time and space.

Your religion, your religious Gods your beliefs, your religious rituals and prayers, your race, and your nationality are nothing to do with the Soul, the ‘Self’ because the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness itself is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

It is not you have to establish in consciousness but by realizing you, and your experience of the world is nothing but an illusion created out of consciousness Self-awareness raise in the midst of the dualistic illusion.

Mentally reduce the world in which you exist into consciousness by realizing the world in which you exist is nothing but consciousness. If everything is consciousness then how can anything exist which is not consciousness?

When the conviction about consciousness becomes firm, everything falls into the right position.

Self-realization is very much necessary to realize the world is an illusion.

Until and unless you realize the Self is not you but the Self is the Soul Self-realization is impossible.

God is not in any mosque, temple, or church. The religious Gods are not God in truth.

The dualistic worship of "God” only for the ignorant populace and Advaitic wisdom, unfolds the mystery of the real God.

Lord Krishna himself says Ch~ V:~ “Those who know the Self in truth.". The last two words (tattvataha) are usually ignored by pundits, but they make all the difference between the ordinary concept of God and the truth about God.

Bhagavad Gita: ~ Brahmano hi pratisthaham ~ Brahman (God) is considered the all-pervading consciousness, which is the basis of all the animate and inanimate entities and material. (14.27)

It proves that the all-pervading Atman, which is present in the form of consciousness, is God. Thus, worshipping the form-based Gods is meant for the ignorant populace who are incapable of realizing the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space. :~Santthosh Kumaar