Chapter 47 - Mode of worshipping Śālagrāma

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

The Lord said:

1. I shall describe the mode of worshipping the śālagrāma marked with discs for (the sake of) accomplishment. The worship of Hari (in the śālagrāma) is of three kinds—

(i) kāmyā performed for gaining particular benefit

(ii) akāmyā performed with disinterestedness about the benefits

(iii) śubhayātmikā, that is of the nature of both of them.

2. (The worship) of the five (manifestations of Viṣṇu) (such as) the Fish^[1] etc., is, either kāmyā or ubhayātmikā (The worship of the manifestations) of the Boar Man-lion and Dwarf forms (of Viṣṇu is) for emancipation.

3-6. Listen to the three-fold worship of the śālagrāma endowed with discs. The excellent worship is that performed without desiring for the fruits. The worship with desire for the fruits is the last (in the rank). The worship of an image is mediocre. In a circular lotus placed on a rectaṅgular seat, having assigned the praṇava (the syllable Oṃ) to the heart and having assigned (the sacred syllables) to the parts of the body and having shown three mudrās (positions of fingers in the practice of worship), the preceptor should be worshipped outside the circle. The attendant gods (gaṇas) should be worshipped on the west. Dhātṛ on the north-west, Vidhātṛ on the south-west, the Kartā and Hartā on the south and north, Viṣvaksena (Viṣṇu)should be worshipped in the north-east, and Kṣetrapālaka (the guardian deity) on the south-east.

7. The Vedas, Ṛgveda etc. (should be worshipped) in the east etc. (The serpent) Ananta (which is) the support of the earth, the seat of worship, the lotus, the three orbs—sun, moon and fires (should be worshipped).

8. The seat (should consist) of twelve letters^[2] (forming the mystic formula of the God). Having placed (the God) there, the stone should be worshipped with the individual syllables and the whole of the sacred syllable in order.

9-10. Then one should worship with the vedic sacred syllables accomplished by the syllables such as the gāyatrī, etc. and praṇava on the east and other directions. Then the three mudrās of the Viṣvaksena (Viṣṇu), the disc and the Kṣetrapāla should be shown. This is the first variety of the worship of śālagrāma. Then I shall describe the one with no merits.

11. One should draw a circle as before with sixteen radii and with a lotus. One should then worship the preceptor and others with a conch, disc, mace and sword.

12. The bow and the arrows (should be placed) in the east and the north. The seat should be placed with the vedic (syllables). The stone should be placed with the (sacred) twelve syllables^[3] of the lord. Listen to the third variety of worship.

13. One should draw a lotus having eight radii and worship the preceptor and others as before. Having offered the seat with the eight sacred letters^[4] one should place the stone with the same (formula). One should worship ten times with that (formula). It is then accomplished by gāyatrī etc.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The text does not specify the names of other manifestations.

[2]:

Oṃ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.

[3]:

See the previous note.

[4]:

Oṃ namo vāsudevāya.