SalagrAma Worship.

[Guest guest]

Dear SrImAn Sadagopan:

SrImAn Ravisankar MAyavaram:

 

First of all, I am glad that the topic of SalagrAmam has at last found its

way in the bhakti list. I hope we will have some useful discussion. In my

introductory note to the bhakti group when I joined, this was one of the

topics I had identified as an area where I needed advice, guidance,

knowledge, etc. from the bhakti members. I have been aware of the book by

Kalpataru Research Academy, one by a person by name Sri M.S.

Krishnamachariar whom I know personally but who passed away before I could

discuss this subject with him, and a Ph.D. thesis by an American who did his

thesis on sAlagrAma, etc. It is my humble opinion that by reading the

books, it is not possible to understand a) what mUrti a given sAlagrAmam is;

b) How can we determine if a given sAlagrAmam is fit for worship or not; c)

how do we obtain aAlagrAma for worship if we are not from a family where a

sAlagrAma mUrti is already handed down to us by virtue of our birth in the

family; d)who are some of the people who can determine whether a sAlagrAmam

is fit for worship (I am told there are only a few who have the ability to

do this) - do they do this just by their experience, or are there tests

(such as immersing in milk, immersing in rice, etc.) that I have heard of

but have not been able to confirm?

 

These and several other questions arise relating to sAlagrAma which I think

will be very useful information for a novice like me. So I would request

the bhAgavatottama-s in the bhakti group to consider sharing their knowledge

in this area.

 

I don't have first-hand exprience in talking to elders about these, and

would very much appreciate some solid advice on the experience of the

members in our group.

 

-dAsan kr*shNamAcAryan

 

 

"Ravisankar S. Mayavaram" <msr wrote:

> :>Aside: I got a good book on shAlagrAma koSha by Prof. S.K. Ramachandra

> :>Rao from UT library. The volume 1 (which we have) cleared many of my

> :>doubts/anxieties about the shAlagrAma worship. This book describes in a

> :>great detail with saMskRItam verses and English text on the details of

> :>shAlagrama, classification, its source, purANa references anad also

about

> :>the chaturviMshati mUrtis and their details. It is published by

> :>Kalpatharu Research Academy, Bangalore. Their Volume 2, gives the pUja

> :>vidhiH its seems. I will try to get that one also somehow.