Sudarshan 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

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.

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.

 


Shivalinga

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.