Dvaravati sila
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The Dvararvati sila is a type of sila or coral stone obtained from the Gomati river in Dvaraka. Dvaraka is located in the Jamnagar District of Gujarat at the mouth of the Gomti River as it debouches into the Gulf of Kutch. The city lies in the westernmost part of India. In ancient Sanskrit literature Dvaraka was called Dvarawati and was rated as one of the seven most prehistoric cities in the country. And the sila or the stone obtained at the mouth of the Gomati river, called the Dvaravati Sila is worshipped. Dvaraka silas are coral with chakra (wheel) markings. The chakra-mark is the most distinguishing feature of the Dvaravati stones, and hence they are called ‘chakrankita-sila’.[1][2]
Aniconic representation of God is by a symbol rather than an image. Indian art overwhelmingly prefers the iconic image, but some aniconism does occur in folk worship, in early Hinduism in the form of Vishnu's Saligrama Sila (murthi) (fossil stone), Dvaravati Sila (coral stone), Govardhana Sila (stone from the Govardhan hill), etc. They have solar significance, and their use in worship is very common among all sects of Vaishanvites of Hindu religion. Dvaravati Sila's origin and significance as an aniconic image of worship is elaborated.
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[edit] Dvaraka
The legendary city of Dvaraka in Hindu history was the dwelling place of Krishna. Dwarka or Dvaraka is derived from 'Dwar', a door, and in ancient times its flourishing port was considered to be the gateway to the main land. As 'Ka' means 'Brahma' meaning, gateway to Moksha (salvation). It is called Dwarkamati and Dwarkavati or Dvaravati. The famous Nageswar Jyotirlinga near Dwaraka is made of a large Dwaraka Sila.
One can probably find stones geologically just like Dvaraka silas too in other places but they are not Dvaraka silas. The point made here is that the stone has to be from that place that the scripture cites.
[edit] Scriptural sanctions
Though there are several schools of thought among the learned acharyas of the Vaishnava cult on the worship of this sila, it is necessary to know the significance of this sila since it is worshipped, along with or independent of Saligrama sila, in some parts of the country (among Vaishnavites of Saurashtra, Bengal and Maharashtra; the Madhva sect in Karnataka), particularly in the Vaishnava tradition.
It is worshipped along with the Saligrama sila (stone) since scriptures consider it auspicious to do so (According to Skanda Purana, wherever Dvaraka sila sits in front of the Saligrama sila every class of magnificence goes on increasing unlimitedly. It also says that one who daily worships Dvaraka sila along with twelve Saligrama silas will be honored even in Vaikuntha). Since the chakra-mark is the most distinguishing feature of the Dvararvati stones, and hence they are also called ‘chakrankita-sila’.
[edit] Traits
The chakra-mark is the most distinguishing feature of the Dvaravati stones, and hence they are called ‘chakrankita-sila’. According to Garuda Purana, there are twelve varieties of this stone, owing to the number of chakras (wheels), colours and forms (‘dasadha cha prabhinnas ta varnakrti-vibhedatah’). When there is only one chakra, the stone is called Devesa; when there are two chakras, it is Sudarshana; three chakras represent the deity Ananta. When there are four chakras, the stone is Janardana. Vasudeva is represented by the stone having five chakras, Pradyumna by six chakras, Bala-bhadra by seven, Purushottama by eight, Nava-vyuha by nine, Dasavatara by ten, Aniruddha by eleven and Dvadastma by twelve. Nava-vyuha represents the collection of nine forms of Vishnu: Vasudeva, Samkarshana, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, Narayana, Hayagriva, Vishnu, Nrsimha and Varaha. The first four forms are well known as ‘chatur-vyuha’. The twelve major forms of Vishnu are derived from these nine forms, according to the Tantra siddhanta division of Pancharatra.
Prahlada samhita, quoted in Salagrama-pariksha (by Anupasimha) gives the first few names differently. The Dvaravati sila with only one chakra is called Sudarsana, with two chakras Lakshmi-narayana and with three Trivikrama. The rest of the names are the same as given above. The name Ananta is given to stones which have more than twelve chakras. The name for Dasavatara in the above list is given here as Dasamurti. When the chakras are more than twelve, only even numbered chakras are to be preferred, according to Galava-smrtir.
[edit] Benefits
These silas also have distinct personalities like the Saligrama sila that are identified by their size, colure, texture markings; these are explained below.
I.Sudarshana: one chakra - salvation
II.Lakshmi-Narayana: two chakras- salvation
III.Trivikrama: three chakras - freedom from the fear of births and deaths
IV.Janardana: four chakras - fulfillment of desires
V.Vasudeva: five chakras - obtainment of prosperity and elimination of enemies
VI.Pradyumna: six chakras - wealth and lustre
VII.Baladeva: seven chakras - continuation of progeny and celebrity
VIII.Purushottama: eight chakras - satisfaction of all that one aspires for
IX.Navavyuha (the collection of nine forms of Vishnu): nine chakras - rewards, which are difficult, even for the gods to obtain
X.Dashmurti (the ten incarnations of Vishnu): ten chakras - sovereignty and prosperity
XI.Aniruddha: eleven chakras - lordship
XII.Dvadasatmaka: twelve chakras - final emancipation
XIII.Ananta: more than twelve chakras - fulfills one’s desires (only even numbered chakras are to be preferred)
The colour and the shape of the sila is said to give following effects.
Ø White stones are considered most suitable for worship and will make for a worldly prosperity in all aspects and spiritual welfare
Ø Dark (blue-black) stones forebode death
Ø Tawny ones cause anxiety
Ø Multi-coloured ones bring about disease and sorrow Ø Yellow ones take away wealth
Ø Smoke coloured ones produce loss of wealth
Ø Blue stones will bring about obstacles to any undertaking
Ø Round in shape or square auspicious
Ø Triangular or uneven in shape inauspicious
