The worship and prayer to external deity (God) are considered symbolic (1), making use of symbols (e.g. materialistic) etc. In the Vedas, several names (Agni and Indra etc.) are used for Brahman, which help in focusing and connecting with the deity during worship and prayer. In addition to different names etc. used for Brahman as external deity, devotees also make use of other physical objects and symbols to facilitate their worship and prayer, as indicated in the following.

In India, a village settlement exists near the base of a hill. At the top of the hill there is a small ancient temple which has no walls and has the Shiv-linga (deity) situated in its center. Since the temple basically is an open area, worship and prayer to the central deity (including chanting of mantras and hymns etc.) can be conducted from all sides, without preference to any direction.

The road to this village zigzags around the base of the hill. Thus, no matter where a person stands in the road near the village, he usually is able to see the top of the hill and has the feeling of facing the temple and deity directly. It is a common practice in that area among some people to come to a brief stop while walking on the road, turn towards the temple facing it directly and pay obeisances to the deity, even without climbing the hill or visiting the temple. Thus a person standing at point P on the curving road may look westward towards the temple and pay obeisance to the deity, whereas another one at point Q on the road (looking northward towards the temple) may do the same without any reservation.

Both persons in this case -- even standing far from the deity at separate locations (P and Q) and looking differently (towards west and north, respectively) -- are able to pay their obeisances to the deity and pray and worship while just keeping their sights on the temple. In addition, whenever the temple is not visible from a distance, such as during night time or rainy weather, people still are able to face westward or northward etc. in the direction of hill (temple) and offer their prayers.