Ramakrishna Charitam IV Vol III Book X Chp 5 Shlokas 1 - 7
श्रीसद्गुरुरुवाच
हरिर्हि निर्गुणः साक्षान्नामरूपविवर्जितः |
यच्च किञ्चिज्जगत्सर्वं व्याप्य सर्वत्र तिष्ठति ||
तं पश्यन्ति महात्मानः सिद्धा योगसमाधिना |
जितेन्द्रिया जितक्रोधा दुर्लभञ्च कुयोगिनाम् ||
स्त्रियो बालाक्ष्च मूढाक्ष्च गोविन्दे योगिदुर्लभे |
प्रेम कर्तुं शक्नुवन्ति विग्रहाराधनेन हि ||
भक्ताः प्रेम्णा विशुद्धेन विक्ष्वासेन दृढेन च |
विग्रहाराधनं कृत्वा सक्षात्तं ददृशः पुरा ||
प्रेमवश्यो जगन्नाथः सर्वशक्तः सतामिह |
अर्चावताररूपेण रमते बहुधा कलौ ||
कलावर्चावतारस्य मुख्यत्वं वीक्ष्य वैष्णवाः |
विग्रहाराधानं प्रेम्णा कुर्वन्ति हि दिने दिने ||
विग्रहाराधानं पुण्यं सर्वमानसरञ्चकम् |
अविज्ञाय विनिन्दन्ति केचित्पण्डितमानिनः ||
Shri Sadguru said
Lord Shri Hari stands beyond all forms, names and attributes. He pervades all the worlds that are visible. He,, who is not accessible to the spiritually immature is attained by those great siddhas who have won anger and have controlled all senses and who with the help of yoga practice, reach the samadhi state. Through idol worship the women, children, and even ordinary men are able to develop loving devotion to Lord Govinda, who is inaccessible to great yogis too. Earlier, many devotees could get the darshan of the Lord with the help of idol worship induced by pious love and staunch faith. Lord Jagannatha, the omnipresent, bound by the loving devotion of the simple devotees, assumes Archavataras, and carries on His divine pastimes in this Kaliyuga. The vaishnavas have well understood that the Archavatara alone is very significant in the Kaliyuga. Hence they perform aradhana of the moorti every day. Those who take pride in considering themselves to be intellectuals make fun of idol-worship that captures the minds of all very easily.
