Shree Shaligram

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SHALIGRAMS

[Golden Laxmi Narsimha Saligram]

Golden Laxmi Narsimha Saligram

 

Shree Shaligram

Believers in the Hindu Religion and God, worship Shree Shaligram with

full faith because it is regarded as the symbol of Lord Vishnu.

Shaligram (fossil) is found in Gandak River at MultiMate in Nepal. It is

said in the Hindu Mythology that only the drinking of the charanamrit,

obtained from bathing the Shree Shaligram with the mixture of the Ganga

water, curd, milk ghee and honey with the Tulsi leaves removes the

sinful and maligned mentality of the person. Without taking this

charanamrit, the worship of Lord Vishnu is incomplete. 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.

 

 

Excerpts from Puranas

[Laxmi Shankh Shaligram]

Laxmi Shankh

 

 

 

Quote from Skanda Purana: The Lord resides in many places in which he

may be worshipped, but of all places Salagrama is the best.

 

In this mortal world, if anyone does not worship Salagram Sila, I do

not at all accept any of their worship and obeisances.

 

Quote from Padma Purana: With Keshava in the form of Salagrama sila

reside all the devatas, asuaras, yaksas and the fourteen worlds.

[Narsimha Shaligram]

Narsimha

 

 

 

 

Origin of Shaligram

 

 

According to the Puranas, once a fierce battle broke out between Lord

Shiva and the demon Jallundhara. They both appeared equally matched with

no one ready to lose, and hence the battle continued for a long time. In

fact it was not like an ordinary battle between the gods and the demons,

but it was a match between the chastities of two chaste women Parvati

and Vrinda.

 

Jallundhara, so thus thinking, that spoiling the chastity of Parvati, he

could defeat Lord Shiva, Jallundhara reached Parvati in the guise of

Lord Shiva. But Parvati, who is herself the supreme ruler of illusion

(MAYA) knew by her virtues the craftiness of Jallundhara. She at once

ended his guise and signalled Lord Krishna (Vishnu) that it was now just

to spoil the chastity of Jallundhara's wife, Vrinda, and it will not be

a sin.

 

So, Lord Krishna approached Vrinda in the guise of Jallundhana. Vrinda

could not understand the craftiness, and because of intimate presence

her chastity got spoiled. Later on when Vrinda came to know the reality,

she got infuriated and cursed Lord Krishna - O Lord, despite being a

learned God you have behaved like stupids. So go and turn into shapeless

black stone.

 

Thus by the curse of a chaste woman Lord Krishna turned into a

blackstone. But later on Vrinda felt guilty that at the surge of

excitement she had cursed none other than her own tutelary deity. Thus

begging pardon of God, she sought a boon that from that moment onward,

God will be worshipped in the same stone form. Saying Tathastu, God

accepted her curse and turned into a black stone, and came to be known

as Shaligrama.

 

 

[Laxmi Narayana Saligram]

Laxmi Narayana

 

 

Importance of Shaligram

 

[Golden Varaha Shaligram]

Golden Varaha

 

 

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).

 

Drstva Pranamita Yena Snapita Pujita Tatha |

Yajna Koti Samam Punyam Gavam Koti Phalam Bhavet ||

 

Lord Siva spoke to Skanda, 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. (SKANDA PURANA)

 

 

 

 

 

Puja of Shri Shaligram Shilas

 

The Skanda Purana 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 Gautamiya Tantra says devotees should take the charanamrita from the

shalagrama-shila in their hand and sip it, sprinkling the balance on

their heads. The Padma Purana explains that all those holy rivers

awarding moksha, such as the Ganga, Godavari, and others, reside in the

charanamrita of shalagrama-shila.

 

In The Brihan-naradiya Purana 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.

[Hayagriva Saligram]

Hayagriva Saligram

 

 

 

 

Darshan of Shaligram Shilas

 

[Laxmi Varaha Salagram] [Varaha Narsimha Saligram]

[Mahalaxmi Kurma Shaligram] [Aniruddha Kurma Saligram] [sudershan

Shalagram] [sesh Naag Salagram] Laxmi Varaha Varaha

Narsimha Mahalaxmi Kurma Aniruddha Kurma Sudershan Sesh Naag

Recommended Links

 

 

 

For Darshan of Rare Saligram Shilas: http://www.shaligram.com

<http://www.shaligram.com/>

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