Types of shaligrams

• Marked with a single chakra, a vanamala, and four bindus of golden hue arranged in a square.
• Marked with a shankha and chakra on the lower middle portion.

• Blue in colour at the top, shaped like an elephant goad or the head of a horse, with a linear mark present near the chakra and several bindus.
• Marked with five linear marks, its other characteristics being the same as above.
• Marked with a single chakra and a marking resembling a banner.
• Has both yellow and red colours on its surface, two chakras, and markings resembling earrings and gems on the sides. Shaped like an elephant goad or lotus bud.
• Shaped like a lotus bud, the mukha being shaped like the head of a horse, with a marking resembling a rosary.
• Green in colour, marked with a single chakra, the left side being elevated like that of a kapinjala (grey francolin) bird.

• Has a hole (which does not reach the other side of the stone, otherwise the stone would be unfit for worship) at the top, a single chakra, markings resembling a lotus, and several bindus
• White in colour, has a single chakra, and markings resembling a lotus, a snake's hood, a pearl necklace, or a sphere, with a perforated and hard top.
• Reddish in colour and circular in shape with a single chakra and linear mark, perforated and hard.
• Round in shape, yellow in colour, with a hole at the top;
• Red/white in colour, yellowish and perforated on the top surface, marked with a single chakra and markings resembling a lotus.

• Honey-coloured and slightly elongated in shape, with several golden linear marks on the body, a crystal-like glow, and a shape like the round moon.
• Black in colour, round in shape, the vadana is glazed, marked with a single chakra, and a marking resembling the shrivatsa on the top surface.

• Shyama (the colour of Krishna's skin) in colour. The chakra is situated in the middle portion, marked with a long linear mark, and the right side is perforated.
• The vadana is situated centrally in the body, within which lies the chakra at the front, with markings resembling ornaments like ear-rings, bracelets, and necklaces.

This shaligram can be found in three varieties:

1. Lakshminarayana: Endowed with a single vadana, four chakras, and a vanamala. Circular in shape, the colour is yellow/blue like a fresh rain-cloud, the vadana is glazed and situated towards the left side within which lie four chakras, with markings resembling a banner, a vajra, and an elephant-goad. A vanamala is present, and the top is raised and features some bindus on its surface.
2. Naranarayana: The chakra is red while the body is green like the tamala tree, with patches of golden colouration.
3. Rupinarayana: Markings resembling a pestle, a gada, and a shankha are present alongside a single chakra, while another marking resembling a bow is situated near the vadana.

1. Grants all sorts of success.
2. Grants enjoyment, liberation, fulfilment of all desires, the four aims of human life, and redemption from sins.

• Black in colour, lustrous in appearance, endowed with a single chakra alongside markings resembling a gada on the right side and a mountain on the left.
• Black in colour, small in size, with the central portion raised upwards, endowed with a large vadana marked with five chakras situated towards the left.

• Round in shape like the kadamba flower, endowed with a vanamala and five linear marks at the top surface and sides.

• Green in colour, round in shape with a flat upper surface, with a single glazed chakra and markings resembling a lotus in the middle.

• Small in size, with two chakras and a vanamala.

• Glittering like a gem, endowed with a single chakra, a vanamala, markings resembling a lotus/banner, and a marking resembling an elephant-goad near the vadana.

• Large in size, the colour is as green as durva grass with a small chakra situated in the middle, a small vadana, and a single yellowish linear mark in the middle.

• Endowed with two chakras and a cracked outer surface.

• Green in colour with a lustrous appearance. The chakra and markings resembling a gada are situated on the left side, while linear markings arranged like a lotus are found on the right side

• Black in colour, shaped like a lotus, endowed with a single chakra, a large vadana, and a lowered middle portion.

• Yellow in colour, with a small chakra and markings resembling a makara on the sides and top surface, features many holes

• Blue in colour with a small chakra, a small mukha, and many holes.

• Blue in colour, round in shape and glazed, with markings resembling a lotus at the top surface and three linear marks near the dvara.

• Black in colour with a beautifully-shaped dvara and a chakra near the centre, another on the sides, and a small chakra at the top surface.

• Yellow in colour, round in shape.

• Golden in colour with one chakra at the middle portion and a bigger chakra at the front

• The colour is as yellow as the atasi flower, with many bindus present.

• With mukhas on all directions (traditionally ennumerated as ten).

• Marked with markings resembling the hood of a snake. Has 20 red chakras, 14 dvaras, and many bindus, with different colours on its body.

• The colour is as blue as a rain-cloud. Circular in shape, with 27 chakras.

• Has white, red and black patches, and markings resembling a rosary on the top surface.

• Has red and yellow patches and markings as above.

• Shaped like a lotus with three marks one above the other, the central line being longer. Has four chakras.

• Printed with markings resembling a pair of wings and having two, three, or four golden linear marks on the body. Green, blue, or white in colour.

• Elongated in shape, the colour of gold or bell-metal, and marked with three bindus.

• Elongated in shape resembling a fish, green in colour with a crystal-like glow, with two chakras at the middle portion and three bindus.

• Has three elongated dvaras, each possessing a chakra, while another chakra is situated at the posterior end shaped like the tail of a fish. The right side is shaped like a cart, and the left side has a linear mark.

• Has a long dvara at the right side, endowed with three bindus, a single chakra, and markings resembling a shankha and lotus.

• Shaped like a fish, with markings resembling an elongated fish.

• Shaped like a tortoise with the eastern side elevated.

• Green in colour, round in shape resembling a tortoise, the top surface being elevated. Featuring red markings resembling Kaustubha, five circular markings resembling the sun, and a chakra.

• Endowed with structures resembling the feet of a bed on the sides.

• Endowed with a single chakra, three golden bindus, and markings resembling a shankha and a lotus.

• Elongated in shape with the mukha extending from the left to the right side, and with five circular markings resembling the sun.

• Triangular in shape like the inflorescence of a snuhi plant, with chakras on both sides.

• Round in shape resembling a tortoise, with both blue and red colours on its surface, a long dvara, and two chakras imprinted sideways at the middle portion of the body.

• Blue in colour, large in size, and printed with odd number of chakras and three linear marks.

• Endowed with an even number of chakras, of which at least one is situated on the right side, and a vanamala. This last variety is called Lakshmi-Varaha.

• Round in shape like the kadamba flower, small in size and marked with five linear marks.

• Small in size with glittering appearance. The shape is circular or triangular like the inflorescence of the snuhi flower, with a chakra on both the top and bottom surfaces, and markings resembling the Brahminy kite beside the chakra.

• Not very small in size, with single prominent glazedchakra at the centre.

• The colour is yellow like the atasi flower with an elevated top surface, white bindus at the mukha, and an indistinct chakra.

• The colour is blue like a rain-cloud, and the shape round like the bilva fruit or the seeds of the jujube fruit. Has two chakras, a vanamala, and a small mukha. This last variety is called Dadhivamana.

• Black, with six chakras and markings resembling a sword/dagger over the mukha on the top surface.

• Shaped like the face of a horse and marked with three chakras.

This shaligram can be found in eleven varities.

1. Kapilanarasimha: Has three or five bindus, two large chakras in the middle, prominent linear marks, and teeth-like projections in the large mukha. Circular in shape and tawny in colour like jaggery or lac.
2. Lakshminarasimha: Has a large mukha, two chakras on the left side, three or five bindus, and a vanamala.
3. Vidarananarasimha: Has a very large mukha with teeth-like projections and two chakras within.
4. Sarvatomukhanarasimha: Golden in colour with multiple mukhas and seven chakras.
5. Patalanarasimha: Has multiple dvaras, multiple chakras (three at the dvara and ten at the sides), and multiple colours.
6. Akashanarasimha: Has a large mukha and an elevated chakra in the middle. To be worshipped only by monks.
7. Rakshasanarasimha: Golden in colour with a large mukha and multiple holes.
8. Jivanarasimha: Has two large mukhas, two chakras, and an elevated front.
9. Adhomukhanarasimha: Has three chakras: one inside, one on the top surface, and another on the sides.
10. Jvalanarasimha: Has a small mukha, two chakras, and a vanamala.
11. Mahanarasimha: Has two chakras and very beautiful, prominent linear marks.

1. Grants liberation, victory in combat, fulfilment of all desires, and redemption from sins on being worshipped by a celibate. Otherwise causes difficulties and pain.
2. Grants happiness, liberation, and enjoyment to householders.
3. Causes fear and inflammation of residence on not being worshipped by a celibate.
4. Grants the nectar of immortality to monks.
5. Causes inflammation of one's residence, hence should not be worshipped.
6. Causes poverty, hence should not be worshipped.
7. Grants liberation.
8. Grants freedom from the world.

This shaligram can be found in eight varities.

1. Ranarama: Neither too large nor too small in size, circular in shape, endowed with two chakras and markings resembling an arrow and a quiver.
2. Rajarajeshwara: Neither too large nor too small in size, circular in shape, endowed with two or seven chakras and perforated with holes that appear to have been created by arrows. Has markings resembling an umbrella, an arrow, and a quiver.
3. Sitarama: The colour is blue like a rain cloud, with one or two dvaras, four chakras of which one is situated on the left side, a vanamala, and markings resembling a bow, an arrow, an elephant-goad, a banner, an umbrella, and a chamara.
4. Dashakanthakulantakarama: Oval in shape like a chicken's egg, green in colour, with an elevated top surface. Has two linear marks at the dvara and a marking resembling a bow at the sides.
5. Virarama: Has a glazed chakra with the appearance of a lotus filament and markings resembling a bow, an arrow, a quiver, an earring, and a garland.
6. Vijayarama: Has a single chakra with the appearance of a lotus filament, with red bindus, a gaping vadana, and markings resembling a bow, an arrow and a quiver.
7. Ramamurti: Black, with a single chakra within the vadana.
8. Dustarama: The colour is blue like a rain-cloud, with markings resembling a bow and an arrow on the top surface and resembling hooves at the sides.

1. Grants wealth and kingship.
2. Grants victory and prosperity.
3. Grants prosperity.
4. Grants the ability to compose poetry.

This shaligram can be found in two varities.

1. Balabhadra: Marked with seven chakras.
2. Balarama: Has five linear marks on the top side and markings resembling a bow and an arrow on the rear sides.

1. Grants children and grandchildren.
2. Grants progeny.

• Black in colour, with a vanamala and a single chakra at the dvara.

• Has yellow patches, with the dvara situated at the middle. The top surface resembles a tortoise shell, with yellow bindus at the sides.

This shaligram can be found in ten varities.

1. Balakrisha: Has a long mukha and bindus on both top and bottom surface.
2. Gopala: Deep black in colour, large in size, endowed with two chakras, a vanamala, triangular markings resembling shrivatsa, and white teeth-like structures at the sides within the mukha which resemble a smile.
   1. Madanagopala: A Gopala shaligram with markings resembling full-bloomed lotuses on the sides, a garland and an earring.
   2. Santanagopala : A Gopala shaligram whose mukha is shaped like a half-moon.
   3. Govardhanagopala : A Gopala shaligram that is circular in shape with the front portion lowered. It features bindus of silvery hue alongside markings resembling a staff and a garland on the sides, another resembling a venu (flute) at the mukha, and a long linear mark on the right side.
   4. Lakshmigopala: A Gopala shaligram which is oval in shape like a chicken's egg, with markings resembling a venu, an earring, and a country plough.
3. Kaliyamardana: The sides are large and endowed with golden linear marks and three small bindus.
4. Syamantahari: The colour is white like the blade of a sword. Features a large chakra, a vanamala, and triangular markings resembling shrivatsa on the top surface.
5. Chanuramardana: Green with two red bindus and linear markings on both left and right sides, resembling a fist.
6. Kamsamardana: Blue in colour, having a different colour either at the front or on the rear side.

1. Grants progeny and prosperity.
2. Grants property, crops, and wealth.
   1. Grants children, grandchildren, wealth, and control over the world.
   2. Increases progeny.
   3. Grants fulfilment of all desires, destruction of all enemies, redemption from all sins, cattle, and crops.
   4. Grants progeny, spouse, property, enjoyment, and liberation.
3. Grants destruction of enemies, progeny, and wealth.
4. Increases progeny and fame.
5. Destroys all enemies.