03-02-2006, 08:08 PM
<b>ShAlagrAmas</b>
Professor S K Ramachandra Rao
Salagramas constitute an important detail of religious life in our country. The worship of these natural and sacred stones, picked up from the river Gandaki in Nepal and India, goes back to a distant past; and there are several Sanskrit texts dealing with the examination, description and identification of these sacred stones.
Unfortunately however, these Sanskrit texts are mostly in manuscript form, and the few texts that have appeared in print are far from satisfactory.
The need for some informative and authoritative literatureon the subject has been voiced, as many disturbing beliefs have gained ground among the credulous people.
For instance, it is widely believed that women should not touch or worship
Salagrama-Stones. <b>While this is not supported by either ancient texts or reason</b>, a puranic legend has been responsible for this erroneous idea.
<b>It is also believed that Sudras must not worship Salagrama-Stones; this is an entirely false notion</b>, for even the Puranic texts and other manuals prescribe specific Salagrama-worship for the Shudras, as for Vishyas, Kshatriyas and
Brahmanas. Another belief is that the worship of Salagramas must be very elaborate, correct in all details, and undertaken in strict purity.
The texts, on the other hand, do not indicate any worship ritual meant only for Salagramas, nor do they insist on elaborate worship. <b>They uniformly say that it is sufficient to merely look at Salagrama, touch it, sip water in which it
is bathed, or place leaves of Tulasi on it. </b>
Detailed worship of Salagrama is of course meritorious, but it is not indispensible or obligatory. <b>The texts also mention that there can be no possible error when Salagrama-worship is undertaken; any lapse or defect is immediately or automatically condoned. </b>
<i>Introduction to his book on Shaalagraama-Kosha -Vol 1-, published by Kalpataru Research academy, Shankarapuram, Bangalore. which has also published his other works, six volumes of Pratima Kosha and twelve of Agama-Kosha.
Vidyalankara, Sastra Chudamani, Sangita-Kalaratna, Professor Saligrama Krishna Ramachandra Rao, is a well-known scholar, who combines traditional learning with modern research. Well versed in Sanskrit, Pali Ardhamagadhi and several modern Indian languages, with Tibetan and some European languages, he has written extensively on Indian religions and Culture.
He was a professor in psychology, and headed the department of clinical psychology in NIMHANS Bangalore.
He is honoured by the State of Karnataka, and has served on the Agama Board of State Government.
Kalpatharu Research Acadamy, Bangalore, is dedicated to the cause of preservation of ancient heeritage of India and has encouraged research in the fields of Agama, Veda, Tantra, Jyothisha, Manthra-sastra, Vasthu, Yoga, Silpa, Ayurveda,
etc.
It has been running a gurukula type of instituition, on ancient linesto impart Vedic education in a rural-set-up since 1988.</i>
Professor S K Ramachandra Rao
Salagramas constitute an important detail of religious life in our country. The worship of these natural and sacred stones, picked up from the river Gandaki in Nepal and India, goes back to a distant past; and there are several Sanskrit texts dealing with the examination, description and identification of these sacred stones.
Unfortunately however, these Sanskrit texts are mostly in manuscript form, and the few texts that have appeared in print are far from satisfactory.
The need for some informative and authoritative literatureon the subject has been voiced, as many disturbing beliefs have gained ground among the credulous people.
For instance, it is widely believed that women should not touch or worship
Salagrama-Stones. <b>While this is not supported by either ancient texts or reason</b>, a puranic legend has been responsible for this erroneous idea.
<b>It is also believed that Sudras must not worship Salagrama-Stones; this is an entirely false notion</b>, for even the Puranic texts and other manuals prescribe specific Salagrama-worship for the Shudras, as for Vishyas, Kshatriyas and
Brahmanas. Another belief is that the worship of Salagramas must be very elaborate, correct in all details, and undertaken in strict purity.
The texts, on the other hand, do not indicate any worship ritual meant only for Salagramas, nor do they insist on elaborate worship. <b>They uniformly say that it is sufficient to merely look at Salagrama, touch it, sip water in which it
is bathed, or place leaves of Tulasi on it. </b>
Detailed worship of Salagrama is of course meritorious, but it is not indispensible or obligatory. <b>The texts also mention that there can be no possible error when Salagrama-worship is undertaken; any lapse or defect is immediately or automatically condoned. </b>
<i>Introduction to his book on Shaalagraama-Kosha -Vol 1-, published by Kalpataru Research academy, Shankarapuram, Bangalore. which has also published his other works, six volumes of Pratima Kosha and twelve of Agama-Kosha.
Vidyalankara, Sastra Chudamani, Sangita-Kalaratna, Professor Saligrama Krishna Ramachandra Rao, is a well-known scholar, who combines traditional learning with modern research. Well versed in Sanskrit, Pali Ardhamagadhi and several modern Indian languages, with Tibetan and some European languages, he has written extensively on Indian religions and Culture.
He was a professor in psychology, and headed the department of clinical psychology in NIMHANS Bangalore.
He is honoured by the State of Karnataka, and has served on the Agama Board of State Government.
Kalpatharu Research Acadamy, Bangalore, is dedicated to the cause of preservation of ancient heeritage of India and has encouraged research in the fields of Agama, Veda, Tantra, Jyothisha, Manthra-sastra, Vasthu, Yoga, Silpa, Ayurveda,
etc.
It has been running a gurukula type of instituition, on ancient linesto impart Vedic education in a rural-set-up since 1988.</i>