Om! Gam! Ganapathaye! Namaha!Om! Sri Raghavendraya Namaha!

Om! Namo! Bhagavathe! Vasudevaya!Om! Ham! Hanumathe! Sri Rama Doothaya Namaha!

DWARKA SHILA(Chakrankitha)

Dwarka Shila also called as Dwaravati Shila is a wheel (chakra) marked white porous type stones that are found in Gomati River at Dwarka. Chakra (Disc) mark is the most distinguishing feature of these stones, and hence they are also called as Chakrankitha Shila. The place where the river Gomati meets the ocean at Dwarka is known as Chakra Theertha as it is said that Lord Maha Vishnu had manifested here along with Sudarshana Chakra in the form of Dwarka Shila. The famous Nageshwar Jyothirlinga near Dwarka is made up of a large size Dwarkashila (Chakrankitha).

Many Pouranic scripts like Varaha Purana, Skhanda Purana, Garuda Purana, Brahma Purana, and Prahlada Samhita are said to have made reference to the merits and glory of Dwarka Shila. As per these scripts it is said that, whoever touches a Dwarka Shila having the mark of a Vishnu-Chakra will become free of all sins. Mere Darshana of a Dwaraka-Shila is said to fulfill all the desires. It is said that, without a doubt even if a sinful person worships a Dwaraka-Shila he becomes free from all his sins. According to Dwaraka

Mahatmya, it is said that a Shila marked with Chakras coming from Dwaraka is also called as Chakra-Tirtha. It is highly sacred and meritorious to worship a Salagrama Shila along with Chakrankitha (Dwarka Shila) since both are the manifested forms of Lord Sri Maha Vishnu and Dwarka Shila is assumed as Lord Sri Krishna.

These Dwarka Shilas are identified with different names based on the number of Chakra marks on it, ranging from one to twelve and worshipping each specific one has its own merits. It is said that a Dwarka Shila with one prominent Wheel (Chakra) is known as Sudarshana, a Shila with two Chakras is Lakshmi-Narayana, and one with three Chakras is Trivikrama. The Shila marked with four Chakras is Janardhana, with five Chakras is Vasudeva, with six Chakras is Pradhyumna, and with seven Chakras is Balabhadra. The one that has eight Chakras is called Purushottama, one with nine Chakras is known as Navavyuha, with ten Chakras is Dashamurti (Dasavathara), and with eleven Chakras is Aniruddha. That Dwaraka-Shila with twelve Chakras is Dwadasatmaka, and one with more than twelve Chakras is known as Ananta. Besides giving materialistic benefits, worshipping these shilas along with a Salagrama shows the path to salvation.

Generally we come across the Dwarka Shilas that have more than twelve chakras. It is said that, in such a case the one with even numbered chakras are to be preferred. The shape of the Dwarka Shila also determines the type of the Shila. Generally round and square shilas are preferred for worshipping which are but rare. These stones also occur in different colours, but white stones are considered most suitable for worship. One can easily find these stones in the river bed of Gomati River while they are also sold across the Gomati Ghat. It is believed and said that one should not buy or sell a Salagrama or Chakrankitha (Dwarka Shila) and worshipping the one which is acquired by themselves is highly auspicious. One has to take proper care in selecting these stone which has proper formation of Chakras with proper shape, without a hole, which is white in colour and unbroken. Worshipping a Chakrankitha with Thulasi Dala is very sacred and highly meritorious.

Sri Krishnaarpanamasthubhargavasarma