Chapter Eighteen

Lord Hari continued...

"As for Me, by your curse, I will become a stone and remain close to the bank of the Gandaki River. Millions of Vajrakita worms, with their sharp teeth, will make convolutions or rings in the stones there (Chakras), representing Me. These will be known as Saligrams or sacred stones.

"Those stones which have one entrance hole, four rings (Chakras), are marked with a garland of wild flowers, and look like a fresh rain cloud, will be known as Laksmi-Narayana murtis or forms.

"Those stones that have one entrance hole, four rings (Chakras), look like fresh rain clouds but have no garland mark will be called Laksmi-Janardana chakras.

"Those that have two entrance holes, four rings (Chakras), are impressed with the marks of cow-hooves but have no garland mark, will be called Raghunatha chakras.

"Those that are very small, have two rings (Chakras), look like fresh rain clouds but have no garland mark will be called Vamana chakras. They shall be auspicious to householders.

"Those stones that are very small, have two rings and a garland mark will be called Sridhara chakras. They will bring prosperity to householders.

"Those stones that are large, circular, have two rings but no garland mark will be known as Damodara chakras.

"Those that are medium-large, have two rings, have the marks of arrows and quivers will be known as Rana-rama chakras.

"Those that are medium-sized, have seven rings, and have the marks of an umbrella and ornaments will be called Rajarajesvaras (king of kings) chakra, and give royal prosperity to the people.

"Those that are large, have fourteen wheels (Chakras), look like fresh rain clouds will be called Ananta chakras. They will bestow the fourfold fruits--artha, kama, dharma and moksa (wealth, pleasure, righteousness and liberation).

"Those that are spherical, beautiful, medium-large, have two rings, look like rain clouds, and are marked with cow hooves will be called Madhusudana chakras.

"Those that have one ring (Chakra) will be called Sudarsana chakras.

"Those that have their rings (Chakras) hidden will be called Gadadhara chakras.

"Those that have two rings (Chakras) and the face of a horse will be called Hayagrivas.

"Those that have two rings (Chakras), their mouths very wide and extended, and look very terrifying will be called Narasimhas. They will bestow detachment on their worshipers.

"Those that have two rings, extended mouths and garland marks (elliptical) will be called Laksmi Nrisimhas. They will bestow blessings on the householders who worship them.

"Those that have, near their doors, two rings that are of equal size and beautiful, with manifested marks, will be known as Vasudevas. They will fulfil all desires.

"Those that have a thin ring, look like fresh rain clouds, and have many fine holes within their wide gaping facets will be called Pradyumnas. They will give happiness to all householders.

"Those whose rings are united and whose backs are capacious will be called Sankarsanas. They will always bestow happiness to householders.

"Those that look yellow, round and very beautiful will be known as Aniruddhas. They also will give happiness to householders.

"Wherever there are Shaligrama stones, Lord Hari Himself exists. And wherever Lord Hari is, Goddess Laksmi and all the holy places also exist.

"By worshiping the Shaligrama shila (stone), one destroys the sin of having killed a brahmana and any other type of sin.

"By worshiping Shaligrama stones of the following shapes, the following effects take place:

"If the stone looks like an umbrella, one may obtain a kingdom.

"If the stone looks round, great prosperity.

"If it is cart-shaped, miseries.

"If its ends are spear-shaped, death.

"If its facets are distorted, poverty.

"If it is yellow, evils and afflictions.

"If its rings (Chakras) look broken, diseases.

"If its rings (Chakras) are split into fragments, certain death.

"If one observes vows, offers gifts, consecrates a temple, performs shraddha or funeral ceremonies, or worships the demigods before the Shaligrama shila--all these acts become highly exalted.

"If one worships the Shaligrama shila, one acquires the merits of bathing in all the tirthas (holy rivers) and being initiated into all the Vedic sacrifices.

"Furthermore, one acquires all the merits acquired by performing all the Vedic sacrifices by visiting all the holy places, by fulfilling vows, by practicing all austerities and by reading all the Vedas.

"Whoever performs His Abhisheka (bathing) ceremony always with Shalagrama water--being sprinkled with this water at the initiation and installation ceremonies--acquires the spiritual merits gained by offering all sorts of gifts and walking around the entire earth.

"Without a doubt, the demigods are pleased with the person who daily worships the Shalagrama shila. He becomes so holy that even all the holy places desire his touch. He becomes a jivanmukta (liberated while in his physical body) and very godly. Ultimately he goes to Vaikuntha and serves Lord Hari there eternally. Any sin, such as the killing of a brahmana, flies away from him just as snakes flee at the sight of Garuda (Lord Visnu's eagle carrier). The earth is consecrated by the dust of his feet. By his birth, he redeems one hundred thousand of his ancestors.

"Anyone who, while dying, drinks the Shalagrama shila water, will be freed from all his sins and go to Vaikuntha. He becomes completely freed from the effects of karma (material action and reaction) and, without a doubt, becomes forever absorbed in the vision of Lord Visnu's feet.

"Anyone who lies while holding the Shaligrama in his hands goes to Kumbhipaka hell for as long as Lord Brahma is alive (311 trillion and 40 billion earth years).

"If one breaks his promise while holding the Shaligram in his hand, he goes to the Asipatra hell for one hundred thousand manvantaras.

"He who worships the Shaligram shila without offering Tulasi leaves on it, or who separates the leaves from the stone, will have to suffer separation from his wife in his next birth.

"And if one does not offer the Tulasi leaves in a conch, he remains without his wife for seven births and becomes diseased.

"He who maintains the Shaligrama shila, the Tulasi, and the conch in one place, becomes very dear to Lord Narayana.

"It is painful for a person to separate from his beloved, whose company he once enjoyed. You were the dearmost of Sankhacuda for one manvantara, so it is now very difficult for you to separate from him.