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Vaikhanasa Agama

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.