Ishta-deva

Within Hinduism, an Ishta-deva (or Ishta devata) (Sanskrit işţadevatā ) is a term denoting a worshipper's "preferred (or beloved) divinity".

It is especially significant to both the Smarta and Bhakti schools wherein practitioners choose to worship the form of God which inspires them the most. Within Smartism, one of five chief deities are selected. Even in denominations that focus on a singular concept of God, such as Vaishnavism, the istha deva concept exists. For example, in Vaishnavism special focus is given to a particular form of Vishnu or one of his avatars (i.e Krishna or Rama), and similarly within Shaktism, focus is given to a particular form of the Goddess such as Parvati or Lakshmi. The Swaminarayan sect of Vaishnavism has a similar concept, but in consideration of Vishnu and Shiva being worshipped as different aspects of the same God.

Etymology

The Sanskrit word işţadevatā or işţadevaḥ is a compound of işţa (desired, liked, reverenced) + devatā (a deity or divine being). It is defined by V. S. Apte as "a favorite god, one's tutelary deity."

The Sanskrit word işţadevatā or işţadevaḥ is a compound of işţa (desired, liked, reverenced) + devatā (a deity or divine being). It is defined by V. S. Apte as "a favorite god, one's tutelary deity." The Tibetan term yi-dam is said to be a contraction of Tib. yid-kyi-dam-tshig, meaning "samaya of mind"- in other words, the state of being indestructibly bonded with the inherently pure and liberated nature of mind.

Variations in practices

There is no universally accepted perspective of God throughout the branches of Hinduism, and thus the specific nature of belief and worship regarding a practitioner's Ishta-deva depends largely on which tradition they are following. Adherents of the monistic schools (such as Advaita Vedanta) worship multiple forms of God as emanations from the ultimately formless Brahman, whereas followers of the bhakti traditions may worship a particular form or avatar of Vishnu, Shiva or Ganesha as the Supreme God (Ishvara) in the dualistic sense.

A famous example to quote from the Indian epics would be that of Hanuman whose Ishta-deva was Lord Ramachandra. Other notable examples would be that of Tulsidas who was another devotee of Rama and Mirabai a devotee of Krishna.

Formal Smarta worship

The "worship of the five forms" (pañcāyatana pūjā) system, which was popularized by the ninth-century philosopher Śaṅkarācārya among orthodox Brahmins of the Smārta tradition, invokes the five deities Ganesha, Vishnu, Shiva, Devī, and Sūrya. This system was instituted by Śaṅkarācārya primarily to unite the principal deities of the five major sects (Gāṇapatya, Śaiva, Vaiṣṇava, Shakta and Sūrya) on an equal status. The monistic philosophy preached by Śaṅkarācārya made it possible to choose one of these as a preferred principal deity and at the same time worship the other four deities as different forms of the same all-pervading Brahman.

Forms of worship

Typically a practitioner worships their Ishta-deva through the form of a murti. This worship may involve offering items to their chosen divinity, such as incense or flowers, or reciting mantras, singing their names and offering prayers.

Remembering the deity and internally building a relationship with (or through) them is considered essential to the practice. Within the Advaita schools it is believed that the human mind needs a concrete form to understand the divine that ultimately can never be defined. Just as one can understand the abstract concept of a color only after one has seen a concrete form, one can only realize the deity through a form of murti. In contrast, the Dvaita associated schools believe the Supreme Being to possess a divine form, and offer worship to their Ishta-deva as either a representation or direct expansion of the Supreme Person. For example Vaishnava schools offer worship exclusively to murthis of Vishnu, or his associated avatars such as Krishna or Rama.

Shaivites worship Shiva, either figuratively, or through his Lingam murthi. As Shaivism contains both monistic and dualistic traditions either (or both) of the above approaches may be applicable.

Human Ishta-devas?

Within a number of Hindu traditions, both presently and in the past, living people have claimed (or are claimed by followers) to be avatars of a divine or Supreme being. In these cases followers have then in some instances worshipped these individuals as Ishta-devas. Although these tend to be minority groups within Hindism, it has been a growing tendency in modern times (the followers of Sai Baba being one such example). This often attracts criticism from other Hindu traditions who do not share the same belief.

Swami Tapasyananda of Ramakrishna Mission, in his book, Bhakti Schools of Vedanta, pg. 50, on commentating about this phenomenon, said:

The avatar doctrine has been excessively abused by many Hindus today and we have the strange phenomenon of every disciple of a sectarian Guru claiming him to be an avatar. Christianity has therefore limited the Divine Incarnation as a one-time phenomenon. The theory has strong points and equally strong defects but it surmounts the gross abuse of the doctrine indulged in by many Hindus.

Thus, if followers respect and revere the guru, it is only proper if they are using him as a conduit to God, and respect him as a teacher.

However, Swami Sivananda has said that a guru can be likened to God if he himself has attained realization and is a link between the individual and the Absolute. Such a guru, according to his definition and interpretation, should have actually attained union with God, inspire devotion in others, and have a presence that purifies all. Such a case is limited in contemporary times.

Buddhist Views

In Vajrayana Buddhism, an Ishta-deva or Ishta-devata (Sanskrit) (Yidam in Tibetan) is a fully enlightened being who is the focus of personal meditation, during a retreat or for life. The term is often translated into English as meditational deity. The Ishta-deva appears in the 'Inner' refuge formula of the Three Roots and is also the key element of Deity Yoga since the 'deity' in the yoga is the Ishta-deva.

The Ishta-deva appears as one of the Three Roots in the Tibetan Buddhist 'Inner' refuge formulation. The iconography of the Ishta-deva may be 'peaceful', 'wrathful' (Tibetan tro wa) or 'neither peaceful or wrathful'(Tibetan: shi ma tro), depending on the practitioner's own nature. The Ishta-deva represents awakening and so its appearance reflects whatever is required by the practioner in order to awaken. The guru will guide the student as to which Ishta-deva is appropriate for them and then initiation into the mandala of the Ishta-deva is given by the guru, so that Deity Yoga practices can be undertaken. In essence, the mind of the guru and the yidam are one. The yidam is considered to be the root of success in the practice.

An Ishta-deva is an enlightened being with whom one identifies during meditation: one perceives his or her own Buddha nature through such identification. Some common Ishta-devas include Hayagriva, Vajrakilaya (Dorje Phurba), Samputa, Guhyasamaja, Yamantaka, Hevajra, Kurukulle, Cakrasamvara, Vajrayogini, and Kalachakra. Also, other enlightened beings such as the regular forms of the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Padmasambhava, certain Dharmapalas, Dakinis, Wealth Deities, and yab-yum representations, among others, can also be practiced as an ishta-deva.

Ishta-devas are both a specific Buddha-form and the student's basic nature or potential to become a Buddha. The student visualizes the outstanding characteristics of the ishta-deva until he achieves complete union with it. The Ishta-deva, which can be masculine or feminine, may refer to the personal deity, the nature of which corresponds to the individual psychological temper of each adept. Judith Simmer-Brown summarises:

"... a yidam, a personal meditational deity, a potent ritual symbol simultaneously representing the mind of the guru and lineage of enlightened teachers, and the enlightened mind of the tantric practitioner]]. Recognizing the inseparability of these two is the ground of tantric practice."

External links

• The Significance of the Hindu Doctrine of Ishtadeva by Anantand Rambachan
• A View on Buddhism - Tantric practice
• Songs and Meditations of the Tibetan Dhyani Buddhas
• Lojong Mind Training: Yidam

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