The Four Divine Emanations
Vyūha ('arrangement,' 'formation,' 'emanation') refers to the Pañcarātra doctrine of the Lord's four primary cosmic manifestations: (1) Vāsudeva — the supreme, transcendent form from which all else emanates; (2) Saṅkarṣaṇa — associated with the jīva and its consciousness; (3) Pradyumna — associated with the mind (manas) and its operations; (4) Aniruddha — associated with the ego (ahaṅkāra) and the material world.
Vyūha in the Pañca-Rūpa System
Pañcarātra theology identifies five primary forms (pañca-rūpa) of the Lord: Para (the transcendent supreme form at the highest level), the four Vyūhas, the Vibhava (avatāras), the Archa (consecrated temple deities), and the Antaryāmin (inner controller in each being). The Vyūha level mediates between the utterly transcendent Para form and the more accessible Vibhava and Archa forms.
Cosmological Role
Each Vyūha is associated with specific divine functions in the cosmic order: Vāsudeva with jñāna (knowledge) and aiśvarya (sovereignty); Saṅkarṣaṇa with jñāna and bala (strength); Pradyumna with aiśvarya and śakti (creative power); Aniruddha with śakti and tejas (radiance). Through these four, the Lord manages the cycle of creation, maintenance, and dissolution.
In Sri Vaishnava Worship
The Vyūhas are worshipped in specific temple contexts and invoked in certain Pañcarātra rituals. The Saṅkarṣaṇa form is particularly associated with knowledge of the ātman; Aniruddha with the management of karma and worldly affairs.