Question: You have explained that the Supreme Lord Himself personally descends in the archa-murti at the request of the acharyas, and invests all His spiritual potencies within the Deity.
The use of the word “descends” creates the impression in my mind that the murti is like a residence, with the Lord being free to leave anytime if He is not well taken care of. I’ve also heard from a senior vaishnava that Srila Prabhupada had once stated that the deity form is Krishna.
I cannot reconcile the two: is the deity Krishna Himself, or does Krishna resides in the deity? Can you please clear my doubts.
Answer by Romapada Swami :
Bhaktivinode Thakur, on many occasions, discussed the limitations of language to decribe spiritual events. The particular doubt which you have seems to be one of those cases.
Srila Prabhupada did teach that the Deity is non-different from Krishna Himself. We also sometimes say that the Lord kindly agrees to come and ‘reside’ in the Deity form, but once He manifests Himself thus, He is non-different from the archa-vigraha. Indeed, there is a specific procedure during the Deity installation ceremony to destroy the material elements (or their influence) which are used to create the murti and in turn to invest in the Deity all of the Lord’s spiritual potency, thus manifesting His spiritual form. Unlike material bodies which are but residences for the embodied soul, the Deity form is no longer to be considered as made of material elements after being properly installed.
When the Deity is not properly worshiped, He can withdraw His mercy, and become inaccessible, as much as when one chants the Holy Name inattentively, Nama prabhu withholds His full mercy from the chanter. Yet the Holy Name is fully spiritual, and is not rendered into a material sound vibration because of improper chanting; the same can be said about the archa-murti. There are several instances in history where an ancient Deity, being neglected and forgotten over a period of many years or even centuries, revealed Himself again before an exalted devotee, requesting to be worshipped again. Sri Caitanya Caritamrita narrates one such instance. The history of Gopal appearing in the dream of Srila Madhavendra Puri in this way. (Cc. Madhya Ch 4).
