śailī dāru-mayī lauhī lepyā lekhyā ca saikatī
śailī dāru-mayī lauhī lepyā lekhyā ca saikatī |
mano-mayī maṇi-mayī pratimāṣṭa-vidhā smṛtā ||
calācaleti dvi-vidhā pratiṣṭhā jīva-mandiram |
udvāsāvāhane na staḥ sthirāyām uddhavārcane ||
asthirāyāṁ vikalpaḥ syāt sthaṇḍile tu bhaved dvayam |
snapanaṁ tv avilepyāyām anyatra parimārjanam ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.27.12–14; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 5.257–259; Bhakti Sandarbha: 286)
“[Śrī Kṛṣṇa to Uddhava:] An image (pratimā) [i.e., deity] is known to be of eight types: stonen, wooden, metallic, moulded [i.e., made of earthen or wooden paste, etc.], drawn [alt., painted], arenaceous [i.e., made of sand], mental, or jewelled. An establishment [i.e., a deity] (pratiṣṭhā), that is, a dwelling place of Life (Jīva) [i.e., Bhagavān, alt., the dwelling place of jīvas], is of two types: permanent and impermanent. O Uddhava, in worship of a fixed [i.e., permanent] one, there is no calling and sending away [of the deity]. In worship of an unfixed [i.e., impermanent] one, there will be an option [to call and then send away the deity or not]. When [a deity is made] on the ground, however, both [i.e., calling and sending away] should be done. Bathing is only for the non-moulded [deity forms, i.e., those not made of earthen materials, e.g., clay, wood, or paint]. [Instead of bathing,] Thorough cleansing should be done elsewhere [i.e., in the case of deities made of earthen materials which cannot be bathed because they will be disfigured by liquids].”