sAlagrama-s - Number that can be worshipped.

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sAlagrama-s - Number that can be worshipped.

 

Recently I saw a question posed on the above, either in this list or

in one of the sister-lists. This is the information I have been able

to gather on the topic.

 

sAlagrAma can be worshipped either as a single mUrti, or or as even

numbers starting with 4. Two is not recommended. However, SrI M. S.

Krishnamachari, in his boom titled "sAlagrAma SilOtpatti

vimarSanam", comments that because it is difficult to

get "authentic" sAlagrAma mUrti-s, elders permit the worship of any

number without hesitation.

 

In SrI ra'nganAtha pAdukA Issue of April, 1988, in an article by atti

narasimhAcArya svAmi, it is stated that worship of two or three

sAlagrAma-s is not allowed.

 

Supports available regarding the number that can be worshipped:

 

1. (SAlagrAma kOSa vol. 1, p. 18, published by Kalpatharu Research

Academy, and quoted from SAlagrAma SilA lakshaNa paddhati):

 

SAlagrAmAh samAh pUjyAh sameshu dvitIyam na hi |

a-samA naiva pUjyante ekah pUjyatamo matah |

 

"An even number of SAlagrAma-s must be worshipped, but they must not

only be two. An odd number of them is never worshipped, but one only

is regarded as best".

 

Another version given is:

 

SAlagrAmAh samAh pUjyAh vishamA na kadAcana |

vishamam tveka eva syAt same dve na kadAcana ||

 

A third version: p. 171 of SAlagrAma koSa:

 

sAligrAmAh samAh pUjyAs-sameshu dvitIyam na hi |

vishamA naiva pUjyAstu vishameshveka eva hi ||

 

"An even number of sAligrAma-s must be wroshipped, except when there

are only two, and an odd number of sAligrAma-s must never be

worshipped uless it is only one".

 

gRhe li'nga-dvayam nArcyam SaligrAma-dvayam tathA |

dve cakre dvArakAyAstu nArcyam sUrya-dvayam tathA ||

 

"In a house, two li'nga-s or two SaligrAma-s must not be worshipped,

nor should two dvArakA SilA-s or two sun-stones should be worshipped".

 

Based on the above references, it seems that the scriptures declare

that worshipping two sAlagrAma-s is not recommended, and worshipping

odd numbers other than one is not recommended.

 

It is well-known to those who have delved into the study of sAlagrAma-

s, that it is very difficult to categorically say if a given

sAlagrAma stone is an authentic sAlagrama or not. This is because

there is a substantial amount of profit-making in this area, and

there are those who choose soft-looking pebbles, and drill holes in

them, or inscribe cakra-s in them, and then sell them. SrI M. S.

Krishnamachari, in his book titled "sAlagrAma Silotpatti vimarSanam",

comments (p. 12) that because of this difficulty in getting genuine

sAlagrAma mUrti-s, elders permit worshipping any number of mUrti-s

that we have come to be blessed with, irrespective of the number.

 

Another practical advice is given in by MelpAkkam SrI narasimhAcArya

svAmi in the book titled "kELvi – badil" (Questions and Answers),

published by SrI nRsimha priyA Trsut (1996). The following is a

summary of the information in page 15:

 

"If one happens to end up with a number forbidden by the

above rules, for example, if one has two sAlagrAma-s in the house,

then the two mUrti-s can be kept separated, and ArAdhanam performed

for one of the mUrti-s, followed by separate ArAdhanam for the second

mUrti, or even just naivedyam only for the second mUrti after

performing ArAdhanam for the primary mUrti. This can be continued

until such time as additional mUrti-s are obtained".

 

The above rule can easily be extended to any number of odd number of

sAlagrAma-s: In other words, if one has 2n+1 mUrti-s, keep the 2n

mUrti-s in one box, and the other mUrti in a separate box, and

perform ArAdhNa separately for the two sets. Alternatively, perform

ArAdhanA for one pradhAna mUrti, and then perform naivedyam for the

remaining mUrti-s.

 

Based on the above, I feel that if any of us is in the situation

where we have either an odd number of sAlagrAma-s excepting one, or

only two mUrti-s, we just keep them separated such that

 

- in the case of only two mUrti-s, we keep the two mUrti-s

separated, and perform ArAdhana for both the mUrti-s one after the

other,

- in case of an odd number of mUrti-s, keep one mUrti separate

from the other mUrti-s, and perform ArAdhana as advised by mElpAkkam

svAmi.

- If detailed ArAdhanA is performed for only one mUrti, the

mUrti that is kept separate from the rest might best be the pradhAna

mUrti.

 

With regard to whether there is an upper limit on the number of

sAlagrAma-s that can be worshipped, there does not seem to be such a

limit. Allan Shapiro in his Ph.D. thesis on the subject of sAlagrAma-

s (Ph.D. thesis, Columbia University, 1987), quotes from the

vaikhAnasa samhitA, and indicates that numbers such as 16, 20, 24,

32, 40, 88, 100, and 108, are associated with special benefits. The

generalization of this is that there is no upper limit to the number

that can be worshipped.

 

I read some posting recently that if one has a dvArakA-SilA, then

none of the restrictions with respect to numbers apply. I did not

find any mention of this rule in my references. In fact, the last

Sloka quoted above specifically states that even in the case of

dvArakA-SilA-s, two of them should not be worshipped together.

 

In summary, I would conclude that while the scriptures prescribe that

the number of sAlagrAmas to be worshipped should not be two, or odd

numbers other than one, mElpAkkam SrI narasimhAcArya svAmi's advice,

along with SrI M. S. Krishnamachari's comments regarding the

difficulty of ascertaining which of the sAlagrAma-s are genuine

sAlagrAma-s, would lead to the conclusion that worshipping any number

is permitted as long as we just keep the numbers separated so that

they conform to the SAstric injunction.

 

I would also conjecture that the rules regarding the number of

sAlagrAma-s to be worshipped only relate to the worship performed

with specific benefits in mind. This is purely my personal opinion.

 

-Krishnamachari