Importance and meaning of Saligram (सलिग्राम)

One can have a glimpse of a black stone called Saligramam (सलिग्राम) being worshipped in side  Vaishnavite's (वैष्नव) Pooja room. It's usually black in color with the symbol of sudarshana chakra सुदर्शन चक्र) . The chakras can be seen both outside and inside. The Saligram stone is not just an another stone found in the nature. It is found only at Gandaki River  (गन्दकि नदी)  situated high in the Himalayas in Nepal. It is believed that the chakra symbols are formed by river worms called Vajra Keeta. It is believed that these worms drill the stones, get inside and use the stones a dwelling place. 




There is a katha behind the origin of Saligramam. Once upon a time, Lord Siva was in a war with an asura called Jallundhara. The war seemed to be between two equals and not just another war of a God with a demon. It was in fact a test of chastity (सतित्व) of their consorts. (It is a Hindu belief that chastity of the wife protects her husband even from death as Savitri brought back the life of her husband from the lord of death - Yumraj) Lord Siva knew that unless the chastity of Vrinda, Jallundhara's wife is spoiled, he cannot be killed as he will be protected by the power of her chastity. But it was against the nature of Gods to indulge in a heinous act like spoiling a woman's chastity. 

But there was no such taboo for the demon Jallundhara. He thought that by spoiling the chastity of Goddess Parvati he could defeat Lord Siva. But Goddess Parvati could see through Jallundhara's trick and ended his appearance.  She signaled Lord Krishna (Avatara of Lord Vishnu) that it was now just to spoil the chastity of Jallundhara's wife and it will not be a sin. Lord Krishna approached Vrinda in the guise of Jallundhana. She could not understand that it is not her husband and lost her chastity. 

Later when she came to know about this, she cursed Lord Vishnu to turn into grass, stone, tree and plant. It is believed that Kusha-grass, Saligram-stone, Pipal-tree and Tulsi-plant are incarnations of Lord Vishnu and worshipped henceforth. 

Padma purana (पद्म पुराण) states that resident of a salagram is Lord Kesava himself and along with him reside all the devatas, asuaras, yakshas and the Universe. Hence, giving a salagrama, is the best form of charity. It also states that Lord Siva himself stays in the salagrama shila and thus worshipping it is important for both Vaishnav Sampradaya and Shiv Sampradaya. Even if a salagram is cracked, split, or broken it will have no harmful effect if it is worshiped with attention and love. It is said in Gautamiya Tantra  that merely by touching a shalagram one becomes freed from the sins of millions of births. In Skand puraan (स्कन्द पुराण), it is said that that any person who has seen salagram stone, paid obeisances to it, bathed and worship it, has achieved the results of performing ten million sacrifices and giving ten million cows in charity. According to Garud Puraan (गरुड़ पुराण), The Lord resides in many places in which he may be worshipped, but of all the places Salagram is the best.