A Note on the Importance of the arcāvatāra for the Medieval Śrīvaiṣṇava Acharyas: Journal of Vaishnava Studies

Abstract

The Tamil saint-poets, the Āḻvārs (6th–10th c.), have sung about Nārāyaṇa in His many forms: He is the One who lies on the serpent-bed that is located on the milk ocean; He charms them as Rāma and Kṛṣṇa; He enters their hearts and minds, taking up abode there; and most of all, He lives close to them, in a physical location on this earth, where He abides permanently: in the Temple, as an image. The Śrīvaiṣṇava acharyas, following the Pāñcarātra school, referred to these avatāras (‘emanations’) as vyūha, vibhava, antaryāmi and arcā, respectively.