Visishtadvaita stresses the importance of Lord Narayana’s auspicious form — His divyamangala vigraha. Focus on His divyamangala vigraha helps us to control our indriyas. From this it follows that if we feast our eyes on His archa (idol) form, then we will achieve control over our indriyas and acquire atma jnana. His divyamangala vigraha has both Asrayatva (comprehended by us and therefore registering in our minds) and shubhatva (capacity to destroy sins). This is the uniqueness of His form. Even those who are unable to completely comprehend the Lord’s infinite auspicious qualities are drawn to His divine form. This divine form consecrated in archa (idol) form in temples, with proper mantras recited at the time of installation, is to be worshipped. His archa form shows both His Supremacy and His approachability, said V.S. Karunakarachariar in a discourse.
It is because of the significance of the Lord’s form that Ramanujacharya spoke first of His divine and auspicious form before he spoke of His auspicious qualities. The Lord takes many forms of His own will. In the Vishnu Purana, Akrura says that Krishna’s face, with lotus eyes, gets rid of sins. Akrura is anxious to see this liberating face of the Lord. Valmiki says that Rama, with His form and with His many good qualities like generosity, captures the eyes and hearts of everyone. So, from the works of sages Parasara and Valmiki, we see that it is His form that has the qualities of Asrayatva and shubhatva.
The Lord’s divyAtma swarUpa has shubhatva, but not Asrayatva. Through Sastras we learn about those who have been liberated and are in Sri Vaikuntha. But such knowledge will not liberate us. It is a special quality of the Lord’s divine form that it is both easily grasped and also liberates.