In Hinduism, Archa Avatara is the consecrated image that is worshipped in a Hindu temple, especially dedicated to Bhagavan Vishnu. It is one of the five forms of Vishnu. The others are – para (the highest), vyuha (emanation), vibhav avatara (manifestation), and antaryamin (the inner controller).
It is to the archa form that all prayers, acts of devotion
and whole-hearted surrender are directed. All the theistic schools of Vedanta
attach great importance to the arch aspect of Bhagavan, which is God living in
this mundane world so as to redeem the suffering humanity.
Vaikhanasa and Pancharatra Agamas extol the greatness of the
archa form of Bhagavan Vishnu and his entourage. All the temple liturgies are
centered around the images of the deities. The Agama texts give elaborate
details about the preparation of the murtis by a qualified artisan. Great
importance is attached to the ‘pleasant, benevolent, and beautiful’ sculpting
of the images. The artisans commissioned for this purpose are required to be
pure in thought, word, and deed, right from the stage of selecting the material
fore preparing the images up to the stage of finishing the images fit for
handling them over to the chief priest for installation.
The Srivaishnavas of South India stress image worship almost
to the exclusion of other aspects of the deity. Srivacanabhushana of Sri Pillai
Lokacharya highlights the supremacy and easy accessibility of the archa form
through a beautiful simile. The para form is like the waters surrounding the
cosmic egg; the vibhava form is like a flash flood; the antaryamin is like the
subsoil water; and the archavatara is like a pool of water that can be scooped
up by anybody on the river bank.
The Srivaishnavas in South India make it a point to live, as
much as possible, near a temple of Bhagavan Vishnu wherein his consecrated
image is installed. The ardent belief of the Srivaishnavas is that the stuff out
of which the image was made, whether it be clay, wood, metal, or picture, is
metamorphosed into spiritual material. Agamas declare that not only the images but
also the temple and every part of it, including the brick and mortar, become
spiritualized due to the power of installation backed by divine grace.
Thereafter, one is obliged to refer to Bhagavan Vishnu in the temple, but not
to the image made of such and such material.