How Can We Help?

Table of Contents

Question: Scriptures say that Deities or Arca Vigraha are eternal form, but Deities get hurt or some miscreants’ vandalize. So Gurudev, how do we comprehend Deities are eternal?

You are here:
< All Topics

Jayapataka Swami:   There are eight kinds of incarnations mentioned. And one of those is the Arca Avatar, the worshipable Deity Form of the Lord. Just like a mailbox is authorized by the post office, if you put your letter there, it will get to its destination. But if someone else just puts a box on the road and that is not recognized by the post office, then even if you put your letter there it won’t go anywhere. So we have the Arca Avatar, the Deities which are installed according to the Vedic ceremonies, and any worship offered to them or any prayers offered to them, the Lord receives that. If the Deity is vandalized or damaged in some way, then the Deity can be reinstalled and worship goes on. So that way, since the Lord is eternal, the Deity is also eternal. Sometimes since the Deity is externally made of some material elements, it may require some remaking or reinstallation, so that it doesn’t inhibit the transcendental nature of the Deity.
31-JULY-2019 CHENNAI, INDIA