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enter image description hereThe Pancha Mahadevatas are Ganapaty,Shiva,Vishnu,Devi(Ambika) & Surya.

There is a Smarta tradition of worshiping them together in the Panchayatana Puja..In this Puja instead of idols or images of Gods are used 5 stones which are regarded as the "Swayambhu" (self manifested, where divine presence is already present without the help of pranapratishta rituals) rupas of the respective deities.

Some use natural Stones instead of Murthis.

For..

Surya Crystal from Vallam Tamil Nadu.

Ganesha Red Sonebhadra from Sone, Bihar.

Vishnu Saligrama from Gandaki, Nepal.

Shiva, Bana Linga from Narmada, M.P.

Ambika Swarnamukhi from Swarna Mukhi from Andhra Pradesh.

Source One of the purposes of this Panchayatana Puja with Swayambhu shilas is to make man realise that God is ultimately without shape(Nirakar). For example, Ganapaty is represented by the Red Sonebhadra stone(found in the Sonebhadra river, Bihar), Shiva by Banalingas ( found in Narmada river, Madhya Pradesh), Vishnu by Salagrama(found in Gandaki river, Nepal), Devi represented by Swarnamukhi sila(found in Swarnamukhi river, Andhra Pradesh) & Surya represented by Sphatika (found in the Vallam river, Tamil Nadu).

enter image description here

Question-Besides these Pancha Devatas which other deities(like Shanmuga, Lakshmi, etc) have similar Swayambhu manifestations & in which parts of India are they found?

hanugm
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Rickross
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    Knew about Banlinga and Shaligram. But it was good to know Devi,Surya and Ganapati are also worshiped in form of Shila – ChintaMoney Sep 25 '16 at 10:22
  • Yes the remaining 3 stones are really hard to procure.Our kula deity is Vishnu So our family have Shaligrama & i myself have many Banalingas.Among all the silas the Banalingas are the most easily available. – Rickross Sep 25 '16 at 11:16
  • Can you give name of those all starting from Shalagrama in the picture.. I could recognize only Shalagrama.. – Tezz Sep 25 '16 at 12:12
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    @Tezz Counterclockwise-Red one-Sonebhadra sila(Ganapaty),Greenish one-Swarnamukhi sila(Devi),Sphatika representing Surya,then Shaligrama(black one) & the largest egg shaped one is the Banalinga. – Rickross Sep 25 '16 at 12:19
  • @Rickross Ok!... Thank you for your information... – Tezz Sep 25 '16 at 12:57
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    I think Sphatik is worn for increasing effect of Shukra, I mean sphatika is related to Shukra(venus) instead of Surya (Sun god). http://punditjunction.com/blog/2014/11/benefits-of-adorning-a-sphatik-mala.html IMO even Shanidev is represented as Shila many temples consecrate these shila like Shani Shingnapur Temple. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shani_Shingnapur – Yogi Sep 25 '16 at 18:03
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    @Yogi Its not about wearing gemstones which are supposed to increase a particular planetary effect.The sphatikas which are found ONLY in the Vallam river bed in TN are swambhyu reprsentations of Surya & NOT any other crystals.Each of these stones are found in one or the other river beds.An IMP point to note. – Rickross Sep 26 '16 at 05:28
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    Very few people know this. Thanks for sharing. – The Destroyer Sep 26 '16 at 05:32
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    @TheDestroyer Actually i asked this Q not without reasons.i saw on Indiamart some seller selling similar self manifested stones related to Varuna and Navagrahas.Also i read that the ekakshi nariyal(one eyed coconut) is similar manifestation of Goddess Lakshmi.Although it is not a stone. – Rickross Sep 26 '16 at 05:40
  • Do you know why only specific river stones are Swayambhu like its a local saying in Maheshwar -> 'Narmada ke kankar sab shankar' which roughly translates 'Every river in narmada is Rudra / Shankar'. – Yogi Sep 26 '16 at 10:40
  • @Yogi - "Narmada ke kankar shankar" means- "All the stones(kankar) of Narmada are Shiva(Shankar)." :) –  Oct 07 '17 at 09:08
  • I am surprised.. Why Lord Brahma from Trinity is not considered as Svayambhu? Is it the case that few scholar consider Surya and few Brahma in Pancha Mahadevatas? – YDS Nov 28 '17 at 13:56
  • Lord Brahma is of course Swayambhu. But whether there is a stone-representation for him like Lord Shiva,Lord Vishnu and others have is some thing that i don't know. So, that's basically what this question is about @YDS – Rickross Nov 29 '17 at 05:37
  • Related: https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/q/29746/2790 – brahma jijnasa Nov 15 '18 at 13:03
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    dakshinavarta sankha also represents Narayana so far as i know.Also, each god and goddess can be worshipped on Saligram alone except goodess Kali (नार्चयेत् शववाहिनीम्) –  Jan 24 '19 at 11:38
  • It is not about representing but whether there is life force present in them or not ... all deities can be worshipped in Ganga water and in a Linga too.. @ParthaBanerjee – Rickross Jan 24 '19 at 11:41
  • @Rickross i just mentioned that may be because of this reason these five are not worshipped together across india. And i dont think vishnu can be worshipped in linga.Because only brahmins can touch vishnu. –  Jan 24 '19 at 11:50
  • @ParthaBanerjee Chk this Q out and if possible post an answer then : https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/questions/22037/is-shalagram-worship-forbidden-to-non-brahmins – Rickross Jan 24 '19 at 12:14
  • @Rickross sorry i dont have books with me now.but there is a site of followers of maddhwa who following maddhwa preach that only brahmin males can touch saligram. –  Jan 24 '19 at 12:17
  • In Bengal that is the belief or tradition too ... but the answer says the opposite :D @P – Rickross Jan 24 '19 at 12:18
  • Let us continue this discussion in chat. –  Jan 24 '19 at 12:24
  • Ok Ill do but later .. bcoz Im logging out rite now :D @ParthaBanerjee – Rickross Jan 24 '19 at 12:27
  • There are swayambu murtis in temples but I don't know if there is any stone.. – Shashaank Apr 11 '22 at 04:37
  • Yes you are right but here I'm asking about silas (stones) @Belucat – Rickross Apr 11 '22 at 06:50

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In Maharashtra all of the Ashtavinayaks are swayambhu. Ganesh temples are located at Ojhar, Morgaon, Theur, Ranjangaon, Siddhatek, Lenyadri, ... and all of them are considered 'Swayambhu' or self-originated. Ganapatipule in Ratnagiri is also swayambhu Ganapati.

Hanuman is also swayambhu in many places.

At Hyderabad -Swayambhu Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Kshetram

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