Narayan Shila- Worshipping the 'The living fossil.'

 

Ture knowledge of Veda never did any discrimination. It was a systematized process to attain a higher self. According to Rigveda, the modern cosmos to be well-thought-out as Vishnu. Every creation of the universe is contingent on the realm of Vishnu consecration. Implicitly in Vishnu ideology, there is no discrimination on the caste, class, race divisions.

We often worship Saligram or Narayan. Shila is the holiest worship before any auspicious occasion. In Asia, North-east India, this shaligram shila used as a paradigmatic symbol of Vishnu and the restorer of the creation. A Shaligram shila idolized in the Hindu-Pauranic religion with prodigious respect and divine status.

 Sometimes it is found that this. Shaligram is not allowed to touch by others apart from the inheritor of this holy piece. The discrimination starts from this point. Occasionally the inheritor claims themselves as the brahmin and the only responsible worshipper of the shaligram. Being scientific-minded nowadays, we can understand what the literal meaning of brahmin is. Let's go beyond that debate, try to find out some reference to what Veda says in this context.   

Picture: Narayan Shila or Shaligram Shila.  Kali Gandaki river in Nepal is the source of these living fossils.

We can found some references from Purana to understand the meaning of shaligram shila. But there are significant difference from Purana and Vedic knowledge.

Like we all know, Sun is the source of light. On the contrary, merely no one can go to Sun and find out the source of light. That light nourishes us. Most of us do not bother about the origin of nourishment. Similarly, Purana sustains us, but we don't often try to find out the Vedic pieces of knowledge that are the source of all knowledge.

Narayan shila can be portrayed, in Purana in many different ways; eventually, It is a revered and holy piece of worship.  But the question is, why it is so revered and adorned?

The Shaligram or the Narayan shila is the fossilized ammonites and its near species -nautiloids. The ammonites and the nautiloids, the shelled molluscs both were living on the earth for more than ~ 250 million years ago. This family and relatives dominated the sea. Through the time of the Palaeozoic time scale, they become extinct. After this calamitous extermination, only Nautilus and ammonites species familiar nowadays as 'living fossils.

The ancient sages identified that fact. The reason for worshipping the shaligram is to show respect for the living life who ruled the earth before 200 million years ago approximately. Sediments concealed dead ammonites, and the chemical process turns them into fossils. If we contemplate, Vishnu is the creative force and maintainer of living being so,  nothing wrong to worship Vishnu as Narayan within that tiny living Narayan Shila. Time has come to rethink again.