Puja of Shaligram
To perform puja of the Shaligram which you have selected to install in your altar of worship, you will need the following 'samagri' or ingredients:
Ganga Jal, Panchgavya (a mixture of 5 auspicious articles that include: Cowdung, Cow's urine, Milk, Ghee and Curd), fresh Tulsi leaves, Kusha grass, Pipal leaves, Incense sticks, Camphor, Sandal paste, Lamp burner, and a conch shell. You may substitute any item that is not available with uncooked rice.
Offerings to the Shaligram can be of Milk, Fruits, Flowers, Sweet dishes or a Coconut.
Procedure To Be Followed For The Puja
- Sit in a position in which you can face the East or North-East direction.
- Wash the Shaligram with Ganga Jal poured from the conch shell. Then wash it again with punchgavya, and then wash it once more with Ganga Jal.
- Place some kusha grass in a copper /stainless steel glass filled with water to sprinkle over the Shaligram.
- Now, put the Shaligram on some pipal leaves placed on a plate. Light the camphor, incense sticks and the lamp filled with ghee.
- Apply some sandal paste on the Shaligram and place some fresh tulsi leaves in front of the Shila.
- Light the lamp and move it in a circular, clockwise movement of the hand in front of the Shaligram.
- Chant the mantra: "Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare" nine times.
- Offer milk, fruits or sweets to the Shaligram. Offer some money and then give that money to a poor person.
Note: If you are worshiping more than one Shaligram, make sure they are in even numbers. This means you should have either two, four or six Shaligrams. Place a tulsi mala around them or offer fresh tulsi leaves every where. It is important to remember that even the water that has touched the Shaligram becomes 'amrit' (holy water), while you are bathing it, has tremendous properties. If you drink this water, it can help bring relief from various physical ailments and poor health so you can lead a more healthy life.
Mantras Of Shaligrams
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According to the Bramha Naradiya Purana, if Lord Keshava is placed in the form of a Shaligram shila at any place, then neither demons, ghosts, nor evil spirits can create any obstacles nor harm that person or place. Wherever the Shaligram shila is installed for worship, that place turns into a pilgrimage spot for the performance of austerities. Because then the supreme personality of Godhead, Madhusudana (Killer of the Madhu demon) resides there personally.
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The Padama Purana says that even people who are the lowest rungs of humanity, who are ruled by anger, lust and greed – even such people if they worship the Shaligram shila can be elevated to the abode of Lord Vishnu.
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The Skanda Purana says that everyone – brahmans, sudras, kshatriyas and even women can worship the Shaligram shila. Everyone can hope to reside in the eternal abode of Lord Krishna.
Devshoppe is now offering its services to bring you Shaligrams, which are otherwise very hard to obtain, so that you may also have the opportunity and good fortune to worship them at your home. Over the years, we have gained specialized knowledge from the ancient scriptures about Shaligrams and have the experience to identify the various types of these 'Stones of Vishnu'.
In the Skanda Purana, it is said that there is not enough gold in the whole 'brahmand' or universe to equal the worth of even a single Shaligram. As such, there can never really be a price put upon the worth of a Shaligram. But since these 'shilas' or stones are so very difficult to obtain and bring from the treacherous mountainous terrains in the high Himalayas, we have to charge a price to cover the wages of people who go in search of these sacred stones, pay for their board and lodging, cover the high risk to life involved in bringing them from heights of over 12,000’ above MSL, and pay for travel, transportation and shipping costs to bring these Shaligrams to devotees around the world.
