[Advaita-l] Locations of pañcāyatana śilās

[Jaldhar H. Vyas via Advaita-l]

On Tue, 15 Jul 2014, Mikael Aktor via Advaita-l wrote:

>
> I am doing research on the pañcāyatana pūjā. As part of this I want to 
> know the exact locations where the five śilās are collected. Some of 
> these places are well described, but I have three doubts:
>
> 1) The exact location where the red śoṇabhadra śilās are collected. It 
> is described as the area in Bihar where the Son River flows into the 
> Gaṅgā, but is there a more precise description? A town or city?

The Son river flows throught U.P. and Bihar (I think its source is even 
further south than that.) and meets the Ganga at Patna.  That would be the 
largest city.

> 2) I have been told that the suvarṇamukhi śilā is collected from 
> Swarnamukhi River, Andhra Pradesh, near the town of Srikalahasti. Is 
> that correct?

Yes.


> 3) The crystal / sphaṭika is said to originate from Vallam Town near 
> Thanjavur, but some say that it is no longer found there. Is that 
> correct, and if it is, where is the crystal collected now?

Don't know about this one.  There is a sphatika in my puja but it probably 
came from somewhere in Gujarat (I'm Gujarati.)

All the dharmashastras are in agreement that these particular 
shilas are to be used in Panchayatana puja but the concept of worshipping 
Shiva, Vishnu, Shakti, Ganesh and Surya together is widespread even 
amongst those who don't have all five.  For instance in my puja I have 
the Banalinga and Shaligram but a panchaloha murti for Ganesh Bhagavan, a 
silver coin inscribed with the image of Shri devi for Mataji, and the 
aforementioned sphatika for Surya Bhagavan.  All these were inherited from 
my grandfather.


-- 
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>