Vigraha or Murti at temples and homes:

Vigraha or Murti at temples and homes:

Agama Sastras give certain rules and regulations for vigraha worship in temples. The Murtis are made of stone, wood or metal. The Murti made of stone like granite or with cement and mortar . The stone ones can have Abhishekam (bath) and not others .

The Utsava Vigraha in temples are mostly made of Pancha loha and their height is from 18 inches (1.5 feet) and above.

The installation rituals include: i) Prana-Pratishtha mantras typical of the Agamic procedures ii) An ‘eye-opening’ rite using a golden needle with Vedic mantras.

Nithya Anusanthanam (Daily Vedic Rituals) are detailed in Agniham part of Smiritis.

The Vigraha for doing pooja in houses is to be less then 10 inches and normally in Silver or Copper or Bronze or Panchaloha.

More the height more the rigorous Niyama, Achara, Rituals and devotion are required. For this reason elders advice to have only less than 2 inches vigrahas for Vedic Pooja Rituals.

Salagrama can be worshiped in houses in a relaxed atmosphere. These Salagramas can be placed in paddy or rice without any pooja for few days in our absence.

But Vigrahas in our houses require our constant attention and daily poojas