Shree Shaligrama

April 28, 2006

- The Agni Purana mentions several types of shalagrama-shilas whose

worship brings unhappiness and never happiness. These include a shila

with a mouth like that of a snake, a broken shila, one with cakras

facing each other, with a circled cakra, a shila with a producting

navel, a tawny-coloured shila known as Narasimha, a shila with many

lines inside the circle, and a shila unidentifiable due to its

confusing markings.

- As for the shalagrama-shilas that bring misfortune and sadness, as

mentioned above, one should understand that this is only for

worshipers impelled by material desires. But for one free from

material desires there is no harm to worship these shilas. Thus in

the Brahma Purana the Supreme Lord Vishnu states that any shila from

the place of shalagramas can never be inauspicious though cracked,

chipped, split in two though still in one piece, or even broken

asunder. Lord Shiva also confirms in the Skanda Purana that even if a

shila is cracked, split, or broken it will have no harmful effect if

it is worshiped with attention and love by a devotee. It further

states there that the Supreme Lord Hari, along with His divine

consort, Lakshmi, live in the shalagrama-shila that has either only

the mark of a cakra, a cakra along with the mark of a footprint, or

only a mark resembling a flower garland.

It is written in the Gautamiya Tantra that merely by touching a

shalagrama-shila one becomes freed from the sins of millions of

births, so what to speak of worshiping Him! By shalagrama-puja one

gains the association of Lord Hari.

- Worshiping shalagrama-shila is more satisfying to Lord Narayana

than the worship of His Deity form along with Lakshmiji in the

temple. By adoring Lord Hari in the cakra of a shalagrama-shila one

receives the same benefit as performing the agnihotra sacrifice and

giving the whole world with all its oceans in charity. The lowest of

men covered by lust, anger, and greed will attain the highest abode

of the Supreme Lord Hari by worshiping shalagrama-shila. One who

adores the shalagrama-shila as Govinda will never fall from the

heavenly planets up to the end of the universe - even without

serving holy places, giving in charity, doing sacrifices, or studying

the scriptures, persons who simply worship a shalagrama-shila will

still achieve mukti.

A shraddha ceremony done in front of shalagrama-shila

will satisfy many generations of forefathers and grant them residence

in deva-loka for hundreds of days of Brahma (kalpas).

- Even if a person lusty or angry by nature worships shalagrama-shila

with devotion, or even carelessly, he will get liberation. Those who

speak Hari-katha in front of shalagrama-shila need not fear Yamaraja

or repeated birth and death. In Kali-yuga one who devotedly worships

shalagrama-shila with prayers, kirtana, and musical instruments, will

live eternally in Hari-dhama.

- Lord Shiva further declares that, "My devotees who offer obeisances

to the shalagrama-shila even negligently become fearless. Those who

adore me while making a distinction between myself (Shiva) and Lord

Hari will become free from this offence by offering obeisances to

shalagrama-shila. Those who think themselves as my devotees, but who

are proud and do not offer obeisances to my Lord Vasudeva, are

actually sinful and not my devotees. O my son, I always reside in the

shalagrama-shila. Being pleased with my devotion the Lord has given

me a residence in His personal abode.

- The area within a radius of twenty-four miles from where a

shalagrama-shila is worshiped is counted as a holy place (tirtha).

The fruits of japa, charity, sacrifices, or any other religious

activities done in that area will be multiplied millions of times.

- The Padma Purana says giving a shalagrama-shila, is the best form

of charity, being equal to the result of donating the entire earth

together with its forests, mountains, and all. The Garuda Purana

describes the glories of keeping a shalagrama-shila with the

auspicious mark of a cakra in one's house.

Sale and Purchase of Shalagrama-shilas Prohibited

The Skanda Purana warns that no one should buy or sell shalagrama-

shilas. One who puts a price on a shalagrama-shila, sells a

shalagrama-shila, gives his opinion on its value, or examines one

with a view to estimate its sale value, all such people will live in

hell until the time of universal destruction.

The Skanda Purana also says that shalagrama-shilas do not require

installation. When one begins the worship of shalagrama-shila,

however he should start with elaborate puja using all articles. The

worship of shalagrama-shila is the best form of worship, better than

the worship of the sun.

The Padma Purana warns that one who eats before worshiping shalagrama-

shila becomes a worm in the stool of a dog-eater for one millennium

(a complete cycle of four yugas). The Skanda Purana says that one who

has no faith in the adoration of shalagrama-shila will have his body

smashed to bits by being thrown from the top of high mountains.

The Gautamiya Tantra says devotees should take the caranamrita mixed

with Tulasi leaves from the shalagrama-shila in their hand and sip

it, sprinkling the balance on their heads. If somebody refuses this

caranamrita it is as if he has killed a brahmana. The Padma Purana

explains that all those holy rivers awarding moksha, such as the

Ganga, Godavari, and others, reside in the caranamrita of shalagrama-

shila.

- In the Sammohana Tantra it is written that shalagrama-shila should

not be placed on the earth or ground and worshiped. The Shrimad

Bhagavatam mentions that in the worship of shalagrama-shila it is

unnecessary to call the Lord for worship or request Him to return His

abode upon completion.

- The Brihan-naradiya Purana warns that if one worships a shalagrama-

shila and doesn't offer Tulasi leaves, then his house is considered

equal to cremation ground. There Shri Narada Muni says it's

impossible to explain the importance of Tulasi leaves in the worship

of shalagrama-shila, as Tulasi is the most beloved consort of Hari in

the form of shalagrama-shila.

- In the Skanda Purana Lord Shiva tells Parvati that one who takes

the caranamrita of shalagrama-shila destroys all sinful reactions at

their roots, even the killing of a brahmana. Elsewhere the Skanda

Purana states that by taking the remnants of foodstuffs offered to

shalagrama-shila, one will get the result of performing many

sacrifices.

Hare Krsna,

Nilesh

, "Nilesh

<nilesh_chandode@i...>" <nilesh_chandode@i...> wrote:

> Hare Krsna,

>

> In the Padma Purana Lord Siva declares the greatness of salagrama

> sila as follows;

>

> mallinga kotibhi drsthi yad phalam pujiti |

> salagrama sila yamtu ekasyam iva tad bhaved ||

>

> "The merit obtained by seeing and worshipping hundreds of

> thousands of My Lingams, is equivalent to that obtained by

> worshipping one single salagrama sila."

>

> ato'dhisthana vargesu suryadisviva murtisu |

> salagrama silaiva syad adhisthanottamam hareh ||

>

> The Lord resides in many places in which he may be

> worshipped, but of all places Salagrama is the best.(Skanda

Purana )

>

> salagrama sila rupi yatra tisthati kesavah |

> tatra devasurayaksa bhuvanani catur dasa ||

>

> With Keshava in the form of Salagrama sila reside all the

> devatas, asuaras, yaksas and the fourteen worlds.( Padma Purana )

>

> However having said all that, there are verses encouraging the

> worship and service of Lord Siva for Vaishnavas as mentioned and

> collected in Hari Bhakti Vilas:

> such as in the Shivaratri information and observances herein:

>

> DRSTVA PRANAMITA YENA SNAPITA PUJITA TATHA

> YAJNA KOTI SAMAM PUNYAM GAVAM KOTI PHALAM BHAVET

>

> (HARI BHAKTI VILASA 5/384 from SKANDA PURANA)

>

> Lord Siva spoke to Skanda, his son, saying that any person who has

> seen Salagram Sila, paid obeisances to Him, bathed and worshipped

> Him, has achieved the results of performing ten million sacrifices

> and giving ten million cows in charity.

>

> PUJITO'HAM NA TAIR MARTYAIR NAMITO'HAM NA TAIR NARAH

> NAKRTAM MARTYA LOKE YAIH SALAGRAM SILARCANAM

>

> (HARI BHAKTI VILASA 5/396 from SKANDA PURANA)

>

> (Lord Siva speaks to his son, Skanda) In this mortal world, if

anyone

> does not worship Salagram Sila, I do not at all accept any of their

> worship and obeisances.

>

> Regards,

> Nilesh

>

> , "ShiningLotus"

> <shininglotus@c...> wrote:

> > Dear Janakiji

> >

> > Namaskar and Thank You for your message

> >

> > Yes this message from Nileshji was from a couple of weeks ago

when

> I had been so excited to see Shree Shaligrama on our website that I

> had not mentioned Rudra Centre is giveing one of these as a gift

with

> each clinets purchase when the client requests

> >

> > For those who are unfamiliar with Shree Shaligrama references

state

> Believers in the Hindu Religion and God worship the Shree

Shaligrama

> with full faith because it is regarded as the symbol of Lord

Vishnu.

> Shree Shaligrama is found in the Gandaki River in Nepal. It is said

> in the Hindu Mythology that only the drinking of the charnamrit

> obtained from bathing the Shree Shaligrama with the mixture of the

> Ganga water, curd, ghee and honey with the Tulsi leaves vanishes

the

> sinful and maligned mentality of the person. Without takeing this

> charanamrit the worship of Shaligrama the Lrod Vishnu is

meaningless.

> >

> > The Sign of Vishnu Chakra is found on Shaligram. The Chakra is

seen

> clearly on the Shaligram which opens by itself. In Shaligrams which

> are closed there are small holes which make us realize that there

is

> cahkra in it.

> >

> > By worshipping Shaligram there is gained pleasure, comfort,

> prosperity, and salvation

> >

> > Shaligram is never put at instantly the place of worship after

> purchasing. Worshipping of Shaligram becomes more important if

> somebody else presents it to the worshipper. If a newly wedded

couple

> worships the Shaligram presented by someone else their marital life

> would be happy and prosperous.

> >

> > Special Note

> >

> > The worshipper of Shaaligram must keep the leaves of Tulsi beside

a

> Shaaligram or it must be put in the pot in which grows the Tulsi

> Plant because Shaaligram without Tulsi is regarded incomplete as

> described in Scriptures

> >

> > Dhanyavaad aur Pranams Mitra

> >

> > DharmaDev

> >

> > coolj_50 <coolj_50> <coolj_50>

> >

> <>

> > Sunday, February 16, 2003 12:24 AM

> > Re: Shree Shaligrama

> >

> > I am glad Nileshji highlighted this.....that ShreeShaligramas are

> not

> > tobe sold commercially. May I also add that there are strict

norms

> > to be followed if one keeps a Shaligrama in ones home? Absolute

> > physical purity for one, and DAILY worship with at least the 5

> basic

> > pooja offerings (Gandham, Pushpam, Dhoopam, Deepam, Naivedyam) is

a

> > MUST. Keeping it at home and intentional or unintentional

neglect

> > may bring harm.

> >

> > Regards, Janaki

> >

> > Sponsor

> >

> > Terms of

> Service.

> >

April 28, 2006

What sort of objects are there for Kali and Ganesha?

-

kantikakini <thunderheals

Monday, February 17, 2003 8:07 PM

Re: Shree Shaligrama

Dear Nileshji:

Thank you for all of your efforts in sharing this with us !

Namaste,

Kanti Kakini Devi

Rudra Center Heartland