Hari should be worshipped with deep faith, seeing His presence everywhere

न काष्ठे विद्यते देवो न शिलायां न काञ्चने।

यत्र भावस्तत्र हरिस्तस्माद् भावं हि कारयेत्॥

गर्गसंहिता ६१-३८

na kāṣṭhe vidyate devo na śilāyāṁ na kāñcane|

yatra bhāvastatra haristasmād bhāvaṁ hi kārayet||

gargasaṁhitā 61-38

Garga Samhita is a great text on Vishnu worship and conduct of the devotees of Lord Vishnu in all matters of life

Regarding worship of Hari the Vishnu in an idol it is said

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The Lord is actually not present in the piece of wood, or in the piece of rock or in the piece of gold or metal with which his idol is made..

Hari is present where the mind of the devotee trusts with utter faith that Hari is present, be it on icon, or anywhere else,

Therefore, Hari should be worshipped with deep faith, seeing His presence everywhere..

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This is really an answer to peripheral students of Hinduism who accuse the Religion as based merely on icon or idol worship.. It is not the piece of wood or stone or metal that is god.. but the collective faith of the devotees who see the presence of the God in the idol or the sanctum sanctorum of the temple..

Analysis.

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देवः God

काष्ठे in a piece of timber

शिलायां in a stone

काञ्चने in a piece of gold

वा either also

न विद्यते l is not present

यत्र where

भावः dedication, imagination

तत्र there

हरिः वर्तते l Lord Hari Stays

तस्माद therefore

भावं कारयेत् हि l one should firmly and dedicatedly trust ( that Hari is present in an icon)