Vaikhanasa Agama is one of the two main divisions of
Vaishnava Agamas, the other being Pancharatra. Vaikhanasa Agama is the cream of
all the four Vedas, where the pathway to the Highest objective of human life i.e.,
moksha, is prescribed through iconic worship of Vishnu.
Lord Vishnu taught the Vedas to Brahma, who, in turn, taught
them to mythical sage Vaikhanasa or Vikhanas.
Sage Vaikhanasa taught the religious cult through his
Vaikhanasa Sutra and other vast writing on the subject, said to be in millions
of Shlokas to four of his disciples Marichi, Atri, Bhrigu and Kashyapa, who
propagated the tradition through their 28 available works, of which 8 are
printed.
Vimanarchana Kalpa (VK) of Marichi is one of the
representative texts of this Agama.
Vaikhanasa Agama depicts god in five iconic forms.
These are:
Dhruva, mulabera, without parts (nishkala), corresponding to
garhapatya fire of the Vedic rituals.
Ugra the dynamic aspect symbolizing the cosmic form of the
God
Utsava murti or yatra murti taken in a procession during
festivals
Kautuka, corresponding in the Vedic ritual to ahavaniya, the
deity to whom daily offerings are made, and who never leaves the temple
precincts
Bhoga murti, who puts the devotees to sleep and allows them
to experience bliss.