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SalagrAma Worship.

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Krishnamachari, N (Krish) • July 21, 1998 


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"  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.