06/09/2020
The Importance & Power of Shaligram Shilas
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ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya
Shaligram(शालिग्राम) – Shaligram Shilas -
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Shaligram is a divine, auspicious, sacred stones found in Kali Gandaki River, Muktinath, Damodarkunda (Himalayas Nepal). The oldest name of Kali Gandaki is said to be Krishna Gandaki river. Shaligram is a direct symbol of Lord Vishnu, the protector of the universe.
शिवलिंग और शालिग्राम को भगवान का विग्रह रूप माना जाता है और स्कंदपुराण (Skanda Purana) के अनुसार भगवान के इस विग्रह रूप (Shivling and Shaligram) की ही पूजा की जानी चाहिए। जहां शिवलिंग भगवान शंकर का प्रतीक है तो शालिग्राम भगवान विष्णु का। स्कन्द पुराण के अनुसार शालिग्राम/ सालिग्राम/ शालाग्राम/ सालाग्राम और तुलसी की पूजा करने से विशेष फल की प्राप्ति होती है। प्रतिवर्ष कार्तिक मास की द्वादशी को तुलशी और शालिग्राम की पूजा की जाती है.
In the Brahma Purana Lord Narayana says, O Brahma, I eternally reside in the form of Shaligrama-Shila.
Like the worship of Siva in the form of a lingam, the worship of Vishnu in the shape of a Shaligram is an iconic in character.
We should establish Shaligram, Tulsi plants(holy basil), and Shankha(Conch shell) in the house if we really want to please God Vishnu (Lord Narayana). There is the great importance of worshipping Shaligram by offering tulsi leaves in scripture. It is said that by offering a single tulsi leaf to Lord Shaligram Lord Vishnu is pleased.
The largest and heaviest Shaligrama can be seen at the Jagannath Temple dedicated to Vishnu, at Puri in Orissa. The main ISKCON temple in Scotland, called 'Karuna Bhavan' is famous for housing the largest number of Shaligram Shilas outside of India.
Shaligram Configurations -
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A Shaligrama – which has the marks of a shankha, Chakra, gada and padma arranged in a particular order – is worshiped as Keshava. With the change in the order of the four symbols, the name of the Shaligrama stone is also different and the images of such deities also have similar setting of the four symbols. The various orders and names are given for the twenty four permutations. These are well known names, which are the different names by which Lord Vishnu is known in the Hindu pantheon. The various versions of the Saligrama Shilas or stones vis-a-vis the order of the four symbols are -
1. Shankha, chakra, gada and padma – Keshava
2. Padma, gada, chakra, shankha – Narayana
3. Chakra, shankha, padma and gada – Madhava
4. Gada, padma, shankha and chakra – Govinda
5. Padma, shankha, chakra and gada – Vishnu
6. Shankha, padma, gada, chakra – Madusudhana
7. Gada, chakra, shankha and padma – Trivikrama
8. Chakra, gada, padma, shankha – Vamana
9. Chakra, gada, shankha, padma – Shridhara
10. Gada, chakra, padma, shankha – Upendra
11. Chakra, padma, shankha, gada – Hrishikesh
12. Gada, shankha, padma, charka – Aniruddha
13. Padma, chakra, gada, shankha – Padmanabha
14. Shankha, gada, chakra, padma – Damodara
15. Shankha, padma, chakra, gada – Sankarshana
16. Padma, shankha, gada, chakra – Purushottama
17. Shankha, chakra, padma, gada – Vasudeva
18. Padma, gada, shankha, chakra – Narasimha
19. Shankha, gada, padma, chakra – Pradyumna
20. Padma, chakra, shankha, gada – Achyuta
21. Gada, shankha, chakra, padma – Adhokshaja
22. Chakra, padma, gada and shankha – Hari
23. Chakra, shankha, gada, padma – Janardana
24. Gada, padma, chakra and shankha – Krishna
Shaligram: Power & Benefits -
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• Worship of Shaligram pleases Lord Vishnu (Narayan). The house where Shaligram is worshipped, there is residence of Maa Laxmi (wife of lord Vishnu or goddess of wealth). It is said that where there is lord Vishnu there is always the presence of goddess Laxmi.
• The worshipper of Shaligram will be free from all types of sin.
• Shaligram provide prosperity, long life, salvation(moksha). He will attain the home of Lord Vishnu (Vaikuntha Dhaam).
• No ghost, evil, black magic can harm the houses where Shaligram Shila is worship.
• Keeping Tulsi leaves (holy basil), Belpatra leaves, Chandan (holy paste), Shankha (conch shell) and Gomati chakra with Shaligram together fulfill all kinds of wish.
• Doing daily Ganga Snan (holy bath) to Shaligram attains the merits of Vishnu Yagya (Vishnu fire sacrifice/worship). Shaligram bath can be done with Ganga Jal (sacred water of holy Ganges) or with pure water.
• Offering 108 Tulsi leaves to Lord Vishnu Shaligram in Ekadashi day (11th lunar day/favourite day of lord Vishnu) attains the merits of giving 1000 cow charity.
• Drinking even one drop of Saligram bathwater is more than drinking and going to a great pilgrimage and sacred river. Devotees are served with Shaligram bathwater (Saligramrit) even in a great temple-like Jagannath Puri, Odisha, and many temples. So we should drink some drops of Shaligram bathwater in house and temple. If possible, also served to others.
• Lord Vishnu directly resides in Shaligram so there is no need to do Pran pratistha energize) to worship Salagrama Moorthy/idol (Shaligram). We can worship directly.
• Offering daily different types of Parsad (food items) to Shaligram destroys all diseases.
• Bathing Shaligram daily with Panchamrit attains the merits of listening Srimad Bhagavad. Panchamrit is a mixture of five things. They are milk, ghee, sugar, curd, and honey. We can also bath Shaligram with pure water it pleases lord Vishnu.
• The place where Shaligram is found is known as “Saligram/Gandaki river”, “Muktinath” and Damodarkunda Nepal. In scripture like Yog Vasistha, it is stated that God Ram also visited this sacred place. God Ram also visited 64 Shivalinga yatras of Nepal.
• Offering daily Lotus flower to Shaligram gets lots of Laxmi(money).
• Worship of Shaligram provides Dharma, Artha, K**a, moksha (religious value, economic value, Love pleasure happiness, and Salvation).
• Offering Single leaves of Tulsi to God Shaligram pleases and makes happy lord Vishnu easily.
Hence, Shaligram is an idol or visible statue of Lord Vishnu. We should worship Shaligram to please lord Vishnu and all Vedic God. For God Sun / God Surya, we consider him as lord Vishnu and worship as a visible god. So, Surya Dev (God Sun) is known as Surya Narayan. Narayan is one of the names of Lord Vishnu. Similarly, Shaligram is also a visible god or form of lord Vishnu because we can find a chakra emblem in it (mark of a wheel). We can also find chakra in lord Vishnu hand.
Shaligram is very good to keep in puja(worship) at home and temples. Lord Vishnu rare idol ‘Shaligram’ is only found in Nepal. Shaligram is Not only worshipped by Vaishnav but worshipped by all Hindu and all can worship Sri Shaligram (God Vishnu). In Kaliyug (present time) Lord Vishnu is directly present in Shaligram. So, if we wish to please lord Vishnu easily, we have to establish Shaligram in home. Worshipping Shaligram daily destroys all kinds of sins and worshippers please All Vedic God especially God Vishnu and Goddess Laxmi.
