Similarities Between Darshan And Confession

The act of Darshan in Hindu worship is described as “the beholding of a deity, revered person, or sacred object,” according to the Encyclopedia Britannica. As the worshiper views the deity, they receive blessings. Catholic Confession is defined as being a sacrament in which the sinner confessions their wrongdoings to a priest, receiving absolution in turn. Darshan focuses on seeing the deity, while Confession utilizes a priest as the intermediary between the worshiper and the deity. Both Darshan and Confession are ways to receive blessings, however sight (or lack of sight) distinguish each religious act. Since both practices are a a way to receive blessings, is one more affective than the other? More specifically, does the act of seeking to see a deity in Darshan cause worshipers to feel a stronger connection to the deity compared to if they could not see the deity as in Catholic Confession? …show more content…
I base this hypothesis on the fact that in any religion, being able to see the deity, or not ,is engrained in the minds of the worshipers as they practice their religion. In the case of Darshan, worshipers are taught that they can physically take in the deity with their senses. In Confession, it is taught that God is omnipresent but invisible, thus the priest is set apart by God as a intermediary. Though I want to look at secondary sources to get a better sense of both practices, I think it is necessary that I also find primary sources documenting people’s worship experiences. With a combination of these, I hope to better understand the contrasts and comparisons of sight in both Darshan and