The details to be examined are the shape and the colour of the stone, the number and location of chakra-marks, the type of filaments that are present in the crevices and fissures and the deity-identity.
Of the large number of deity-specific salagrama-silas, three are held especially sacred: Vishnu-salagrama (identified by the chakra in the shape of a garland, and by the marks of conch, mace and lotus), Lakshmi-narasimha-salagrama (having two chakras on the left side of the opening or vadana, and dots and specks all over the body), Matsya-murti-salagrama (fish shaped flat stone with a single opening and two chakras, one of them inside the opening and the other outside; having dots and specks on the body resembling a foot-print).
A salagrama with no openings but having two chakras on the surface is usually considered ferocious (ugra), and is either avoided or worshipped especially elaborately. The Matsya-murti-salagrama is particularly recommended when it has a chakra on the tail portion (viz. Rear).
Authorities like Vrddha-gautama indicate that brahmanas may worship five Salagramas, kshatriyas eight, vaishyas seven and shudras seven; for ascetics four Salagramas are suggested.
For Brahmanas: i) Lakshmi-narayana; ii) Ananta, iii) Hiranya garbha; iv) Purushottama; and v) Chaturbhuja.
For Kshatriyas: i) Lakshmi-narayana; ii) Ananta; iii) Krishna; iv) Aniruddha; v) Garuda-dhvaja; vi) Gopala; vii) Rama; and viii) Sridhara.
For Vaishyas: i) Lakshmi-narayana; ii) Vasudeva; iii) Pradhyumna; iv) Damodara; v) Pitambara; vi) Hari; and vii) Gadadhara.
For Shudras: i) Lakshmi-narayana; ii) Madhava; iii) Krishna; iv) Achyuta; v) Aniruddha; vi) Kesava; vii) Pitambara.
For Ascetics: i) Narsimha; ii) Hayagriva; iii) Mukunda; and iv) Maha-nila.
However, Puja-prakasa suggests that the Vasudeva-murti-salagrama is suitable for the brahmanas, Samkarshana-salagrama for the kshatriyas, the Pradyumna-salagrama for the vaishyas and the Aniruddha-salagrama for the Sudras. Vishnu-dharmottara has the same prescription, and adds that the brahmanas may worship four salagrama-stones, the kshatriyas three, the vaishyas two, and the shudras one.
Of the large number of deity-specific salagrama-silas, three are held especially sacred: Vishnu-salagrama (identified by the chakra in the shape of a garland, and by the marks of conch, mace and lotus), Lakshmi-narasimha-salagrama (having two chakras on the left side of the opening or vadana, and dots and specks all over the body), Matsya-murti-salagrama (fish shaped flat stone with a single opening and two chakras, one of them inside the opening and the other outside; having dots and specks on the body resembling a foot-print).
A salagrama with no openings but having two chakras on the surface is usually considered ferocious (ugra), and is either avoided or worshipped especially elaborately. The Matsya-murti-salagrama is particularly recommended when it has a chakra on the tail portion (viz. Rear).
Authorities like Vrddha-gautama indicate that brahmanas may worship five Salagramas, kshatriyas eight, vaishyas seven and shudras seven; for ascetics four Salagramas are suggested.
For Brahmanas: i) Lakshmi-narayana; ii) Ananta, iii) Hiranya garbha; iv) Purushottama; and v) Chaturbhuja.
For Kshatriyas: i) Lakshmi-narayana; ii) Ananta; iii) Krishna; iv) Aniruddha; v) Garuda-dhvaja; vi) Gopala; vii) Rama; and viii) Sridhara.
For Vaishyas: i) Lakshmi-narayana; ii) Vasudeva; iii) Pradhyumna; iv) Damodara; v) Pitambara; vi) Hari; and vii) Gadadhara.
For Shudras: i) Lakshmi-narayana; ii) Madhava; iii) Krishna; iv) Achyuta; v) Aniruddha; vi) Kesava; vii) Pitambara.
For Ascetics: i) Narsimha; ii) Hayagriva; iii) Mukunda; and iv) Maha-nila.
However, Puja-prakasa suggests that the Vasudeva-murti-salagrama is suitable for the brahmanas, Samkarshana-salagrama for the kshatriyas, the Pradyumna-salagrama for the vaishyas and the Aniruddha-salagrama for the Sudras. Vishnu-dharmottara has the same prescription, and adds that the brahmanas may worship four salagrama-stones, the kshatriyas three, the vaishyas two, and the shudras one.
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