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As the Agni Purana describes the worship of Shalagrama it has been said that the devotee shall locate the mystic symbol of OM in the solar plexus at his breast and should then practise the Sadangnyasa or the rite of locating in the six different parts of his body such as hands and the body etc. It says that the fingers should be folded into different postures known as Mudras outside the rectangular diagram and shall first worship his spiritual preceptor or the guru in the east, Gana in the west, Dhata in the north-west, Bedhata in the south-west and Karta and the Harta in the north and the south respectively. While the Vishvaksen and the Ksetrapala are worshipped in the north-east and south-east respectively. Agni states that the worship of Shalagrama involves worship of the Vedas at the outset. Then the cushion on which the deity sits is worshipped. Soon after this the serpent Ananta who is supposed to bear the Earth on its hood and then the Earth, the Peetha and lastly the three mystic diagrams that is the Arka, Chandra and the Banki are worshipped respectively. The Padmasana in the Shalagrama worship should consist of twelve letters forming the God's own mantras and the God is to be placed therein and is to be worshipped with all the Bija or the principal mantras appertaining to his worship. It has been narrated by Lord Agni that the worship of Shalagrama should commence with the OM Mantra, the Gayatri Mantra and the Jitadi Mantra. And then the various mudras related to the worship of the lord are performed. The worship of Shalagrama involves drawing a mandala or a mystic circle consisting of sixteen radii and containing an image of a lotus flower at its centre. Then the spiritual preceptor is worshipped and things like the Shankha, the Chakra, Gada and a sword is also worshipped. Finally it has been said that stone or the Shalagrama is installed with the Pranaba mantra. Another form of worship of Shalagrama described by Fire God in Agni Purana says that a lotus flower with eight petals is to be drawn and the guru and the other gods are to be worshipped on the ground. Then the Asana or seat shall be offered with the eight letters forming a portion and then the shila is to be worshipped uttering the principal mantra. Finally the Shalagrama shila is established by uttering the eight letters ten times and by taking the name of Lord Vishnu and the Gayatri Mantra. |
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