Types of Shaligram Shilas as in Garud Puran
The varieties of Shalagram recorded in the Garuda Purana (Panchanan Tarkaratna, part1 Chapter 45) run as follows:
Vaasudeva : White in colour having two circular marks joined with each other at the opening.
Shankarshan: Reddish in colour, having two circular marks joined with each other, and also the mark of a
lotus on the easter side of his body
Pradyumna : Yellow in colour and long in shape with a small opening.
Aniruddha : Blue in colour and round in shape with a hole at the top side of his body.
Narayana : Black in colour with three linear marks at the opening.
Nrisimha : He holds the mark of a mace at the centre of his body, and a
circular mark at the lower middle portion, his upper middle portion being comparatively bigger.
Kapila : He holds three dot like mark on his body or at his opening.
Varahashaktilinga : he holds two circular marks of unequal size.
Kumaramurthi : Big in size, blue in colour and printed with three linear marks and one or more dots.
Krishna : Round in shape with a flat upper side.
Shridhar : printed with five linear marks and mace.
Vaaman : Round in shape with a comparatively smaller height, and printed with one or more beautiful circular marks.
Ananta : Variegated in colour with many circular marks.
Damodara : Big in size, blue in colour with a deep circular mark at the centre.
Brahman : Red in colour with a small opening.
Prthu : Printed with a long linear mark, a circular mark and lotus, and having one or more holes.
Hayagriva : With a big hole, a big circular mark, horse neck shaped,five linear
marks and the marks of a kaustubha gem, an Ankusha (spear head) several dots and dark spot.
Vaikuntha : Blue in colour, printed with a lotus and circular mark, and glittering like a gem.
Matsya : Long in shape and printed with a lotus and two linear marks.
Trivikrama : Green in colour, with a circular mark on his left side and a linear mark on his right side.
Lakshminarayana : Round in shape with a single opening. He has four circular marks at
the opening and is decorated with a vanamala, one footprint of a cow and a golden linear mark.
