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.
Hare Krishna!!
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.