Shaligram

There are Shaligram Shila and Fossil Ammonite.

Many calls Shaligram shila as Fossil Ammonite which isn't accurate.

In temples when we install any idol/pratima or murti it needs proper Karmakand, ways to call God and reside within that Idol called as Pranstaphana.

God enters in those Idol/murti & it turns to a Deity/God himself .There are few shila on this planets which needs no Pranstaphana. Few of them are. Genuine Shaligram are lord Narayan Manifested (Skand Puran)

*Shaligram Shila
*Goverdhan Shila
*Narmadeshwar Mahadev

Once you get them, it can be served by the best possible ways. It's a sin to buy & sell these shilas as mentioned in Skand Puran.

Shalagrama shilayam yo mulyam udghatayet narah
Vikreta cha anumanta cha yah pariksham udirayet
Sarve te narakam yanti yavad ahuta samplavam
Atah samvarjayed vipra cakrasya kraya vikrayam

"Oh brahmana, no one should ever buy or sell Shalagram Shila.

The material value should never be attempted.

Never should a Shalagram Shila be criticized.

Such offenders inhabit hell until the end of creation" --- Siva to to his son Kamadev (Sri Hari-bhakti-vilasa: 5/436, 437 (Ref. Skanda Purana)

Shaligram Shila are only to be found in Nepal.
Shilas are 140 millions years old approx but it keeps forming till date.

They are formed near the Damodar Kund which later comes down from the river Gandki.

(King Bharat The Son of Lord Rishabev did his tapa here. Sri Kagbhushandi still resides here, give lecture on Ramayan since millions of years,

his form is that of a devta with a crows beak, there's a ghat named kagbeni ghat where he still comes for his sandhya)

How is Shaligram Formed?

Incarnation of Bhagwan Vishnu in a worm form named Vajrakeet whose teeth are as powerful as granite, carves these markings in different shapes of chakra, padma gada, etc .

There are many Ancient text which mentions about Shaligram and many main temple got these in their main alter.

Eg Jagganath Temple (the entire base and ground is covered with shaligram shilla due to which many vaishnava dnt enter this main Garbha graha of prabhu Jagganath)

-In Sri Hari-bhakti-vilas it is stated, "merely by touching a genuine Salagram Sila one becomes free from the sins of millions of births

-By puja of Salagrama Sila one gains the direct association of Shree Hari.

As stated above, "the sale or purchase of a Salagram Sila is strictly prohibited. Anyone who attempts to determine the material value of a Salagrama Sila will live in hell until the end of the universe.

The area within a radius of twenty-four miles from where a Salagrama Sila is worshiped is considered a holy place (tirtha).

Anyone who sees, bathes, worships, or bows to a Salagrama Sila will receive the same piety as doing millions of sacrifices and giving millions of cows in charity."

"Without having accumulated pious activities, it is very difficult to find a Salagrama Sila in this world, especially in the age of Kali-yuga." In the Padma Purana it is stated, "if a devotee who is properly initiated in prescribed mantras does the puja of Salagrama Sila,

he will attain the Supreme spiritual abode without a doubt."

Thanks to Dhaval bhaiya for sharing this beautiful information

Note - one image mentions the Fossil is different from Chakra Shaligram.

||HaRe KriShna||