Listen, dear one, to the sacred account of the worship of the śālagrāma stone, for it is with heartfelt devotion to me that such worship must be performed. Know that in the form of the śālagrāma stone, Keśava himself dwells; it is none other than the Lord’s own presence. Within this holy stone, the gods, asuras, yakṣas, and the entirety of the fourteen worlds are contained, all converging in its sanctity. When the gods are praised, one earns the merit of millions of acts; yet in this age of Kali, that same vast merit is gained simply by singing the praises of Keśava. The ancestors, too, are deeply satisfied by a single offering made before the śālagrāma stone, and through this, they become countless in their blessings. What need is there for consuming thousands of the fivefold products of the cow, when the devoted simply drink the water that has touched the śālagrāma stone? When atonement is sought, there is no necessity for elaborate gifts or arduous fasts; for by drinking the water that has washed the feet of Hari, even the most scrupulously performed lunar penances are surpassed. If one establishes the image of the Lord reclining on the waters in a pond, what need remains for millions of other acts or for worshipping other gods? There, the foremost of the gods, led by Viṣṇu, gather and converse; for all merit, my son, there is indeed a supreme standard. Truly, the merit gained by worshipping the śālagrāma stone is beyond measure. Whoever gifts a śālagrāma stone to Viṣṇu, or to a brāhmaṇa devoted to Viṣṇu, performs the equivalent of hundreds of grand sacrifices. Even while living at home, such a person attains the merit of daily bathing in the sacred Gaṅgā. He is as if bathed in all holy waters and initiated into all sacrifices, simply by performing ablution with water from the śālagrāma stone. Across heaven, earth, and the netherworld, there are countless stones, O Guha, but none can compare to the śālagrāma stone. In this rare and precious human birth, one’s life becomes truly fruitful if, with devotion, one gives a hundred prasthas of sesame each day. Yet, the very same merit is attained by worshipping the śālagrāma stone with even the simplest of offerings—a leaf, a flower, a fruit, water, a root, or a blade of sacred grass. Whatever is offered at śālagrāma becomes as weighty and meritorious as Mount Meru itself. Even one who lacks proper ritual, action, or mantra, if he offers to the stone marked with the discus, attains the results prescribed by the scriptures. I have witnessed in Keśava the power that destroys all suffering. All of this I share with you, my beloved child, out of deep affection: Where does Viṣṇu dwell? What is his support and abode? How, O Lord, are you best pleased? Tell me all of this. Śrī Kṛṣṇa replied: “I always reside, O Śambhu, in the stone that arises from Śālagrāma.” There, upon the mark of the chariot wheel, listen to my many names. If, at the doorway, the wheel is seen clearly and without interruption, know that as Vāsudeva—pure white and exceedingly beautiful. Pradyumna is recognized by a sun-like face and a blue radiance; if the stone is elongated and has many holes, it is his form. Aniruddha is golden, round, and extremely beautiful, marked by three lines at the entrance and the sign of a lotus. The dark-hued Nārāyaṇa is found with a navel wheel, raised, bearing a long line and holes on the right side. If the stone faces upward, know it as the beautiful form of Hari, bestower of desires, giver of liberation, and especially the giver of wealth. Parameṣṭhī appears white, adorned with the marks of lotus and discus, round in shape, with many holes on the back. Viṣṇu is black in color, with a beautiful wheel at the base and a line above the entrance, visible in the middle region. Kapila and Narasiṃha are broad-wheeled and splendid; they are to be worshipped with celibacy, for otherwise, they may cause obstacles. The Varaha form is a linga with a pointed, uneven shape, thick and indigo like Indra’s sapphire, marked with three lines and auspicious at the navel. The Matsya stone is long, golden, adorned with three dots, and grants both enjoyment and liberation. The Kurma is elevated on the back, round, filled with circular marks, green in hue, and marked by the Kaustubha gem. Hayagriva bears the form of a horse, adorned with five lines and many dots, with a blue mark on its back. Vaikuntha is described as having undivided limbs, a single discus, and a banner; above the doorway is a beautiful line shaped like a gunja berry. Shridhara, the deity, is adorned with a garland of forest flowers, has the form of a kadamba blossom, and is marked by five lines. Vamana is round and short, resembling the atasi flower and beautified by a single dot. Sudarshana is dark in color and radiant; on the left side are the mace and discus, and on the right, a line. Damodara is thick, with a discus set in the middle, the color of durva grass, marked with door-like shapes and a yellow line as well. Ananta is of many colors, marked by various coils, possessing many forms, and grants all desired fruits. The one whose face is seen upward in all directions and intermediate quarters is known as Purushottama, the giver of both enjoyment and liberation. A linga seen at the summit, arising from the śālagrāma stone, is such that the Lord of Yogis destroys even the sin of killing a Brahmin through its presence. Padmanabha is reddish, with a lotus joined to his face; by worshipping him daily, even the poor become lords. A śālagrāma stone marked with a discus, golden-bodied, shining with rays, abundant with golden lines, and resplendent with the luster of crystal is supremely auspicious. Thus, the worship of the śālagrāma stone, in all its forms and manifestations, brings the highest merit, the fulfillment of desires, and the ultimate liberation to those who approach with devotion and faith.