[Archamurthi- a doubt]

[Guest guest]

Dear Shree Lakshminarayan Krishnaswamy,

 

1. The Lord Shreeman Narayanan exhibits himself in five forms which are

Para, Vyuha, Vibhava, Antaryaami-Haarda-Roopa and Archa. In all the

forms, the Lord is the same with all his divine qualities. The instance

that you have mentioned regarding Lord Oppiliappan is not contradicting

this because, the Lord's Archa-Avatara is dated before Lord Venkata

Shrinivasa.

 

2. You have said that in certain temples, the archa-moorthis are in

very bad shape with flakes, cockroaches abound in sanctum sanctorum

etc. Such "Anaachaarams/apacharams" are not allowed and such are

result of lack of dedication on the part of the priets/temple authorities.

If such a situation questions hygenic conditions, then it is better not

to eat the prasadam. This is not in any way to show disrespect towards

the Lord but only to make the priets/temple authority to realise their

mistake. Of course, the financial position of the temple also has a

hand on these issues. We can help such temples to restructure it.

 

3. Though we think that the archamurthy is made of some material, one

should not inquire into it. After the archamurthy is concercated in

the Kumbhaabhishekam etc., the archamurthy is considered as made of

Sudha-Satva - the trancendental material and not the trigunya material.

The Lord's archa-form is divine like that of Para-Vasudeva and it is

always Subhaasraya.

 

4. The periodic restoration of archamurthy is prescribed in the agamas

with lot of rules and regulations. The reason for these restorations

not being done in certain damaged temples is due to lack of interest in

people and lack of funds (finance). Once the restoration is done

as per the prescribed rules in the agamas-saastras, the moorthy becomes

the manifiestaion of the Lord in archa form and is all-powerful as

Para-Vasudeva. The Lord is present inside and outside everything.

Therefore, he is very much in archa-form.

 

5. You said {"In the case of some DDs the Srivaishnava archamurhty is

found inside the saivite temple. Why is this? Is this not a pointer to the

Siva - Vishnu unity?".} Could you please name such a divya desam? I

request you to kindly understand one point that Siva is different and

Vishnu is different. Both are not the same. But everything is the body

of Vishnu and Vishnu is soul of everything. In some divya desams like

"Tiru Kandiyur", you can find the Siva temple inside Vishnu temple.

In such places, Siva's temple is present because Siva has come to

pray at the Lotus feet of Vishnu to get his sins removed by the divine

mercy of Vishnu. Please note that Vishnu is Lakshmi Pati who is different

form all sentients (Jeevas-Chit) and insentients(Achit). Vishnu is

called ParaBrahman, Paramaatman and Purushothaman. Vishnu is alone

declared in the Veda as the only cause of the universe, identified by

ubhaya-lingam(two identifications) namely "Akila heya pratyaneekatvam"

and "Ananta Kalyaana Gunaakaratvam" - Vishnu is untouched by all

impurities of the universe though He is present as soul inside and

outside all universe And Vishnu infinite with infinite number of divine

qualities. On the other hand, Siva (Paarvathy Pati) is a Jeevaatman like

us but having certain powers granted to him by Vishnu.

 

Thanks & Regards

M.S.HARI Ramanuja Dasan.

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