The shaligram stone is also known as salagram shila or saligram stone or shalagram.

SHALIGRAM THE DIVINE GIFT

Worship Shree Shaligram for six values of life
Righteous living, Wealth, Protection, good health, pleasures and Spiritual

AKYAS CA IVA DESE CA SALAGRAMA STHALAM MAHAT
SANAM TAD BHAVAM YAT TAT SALAGRAMAM ITI SMRTAM

The Shaligram is the most sacred stone worshipped by the Vaishnavas and is used to worship Vishnu in an abstract form i.e., God without form as a 'Saligrama'. The use of the Shaligram is similar to the use of 'Lingam' as abstract symbol of Lord Shiva. The stone is not an 'ammonite fossil' as written in many websites about the Shaligram. The Shaligram is found in river Gandaki near Muktinath in Nepal.

GANDAKYAS CAIVA DESE CA SALAGRAMA STHALAM MAHAT
PASANA TAD BHAVAM YAT TAT SALAGRAMAM ITI SMRTAM
(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 5/296 From GAUTAMIYA TANTRA )

As per Gautamiya Tantra, near the kali - Gandaki river, there is a big place called Shalagram.The stones which appear in that place are called shalagram shila. According to the Hindu tradition this stone is the shelter for a small insect known as "Vajra-Keeta" that has a diamond tooth which cuts through the Shaligram stone and stays inside it. The Saligram stones are hundreds of million years old when the Himalaya was an ocean floor. The marks on the Shaligram gives it a special significance, with the pattern often representing that of Sudarshan Chakra, the Discus of Lord Vishnu. The Shaligrams come in different colours, such as red, blue, yellow, black, greeen. All the varities are considered very sacred. The yellow and golden colour Shaligrams are considered most auspicious and bestow immense wealth and prosperity to the devotee. The Shaligrams of different shapes are often associated with different incarnations of Lord Vishnu such as Narasimha Avatar, Kurma Avatar and so on. According to the Vaishnavas the Shaligram is the "dwelling place of Lord Vishnu" and any one who keeps it, must worship it daily. He must also adhere to the strict rules such as not touching the Shaligram without bathing, never placing the Shaligram on the ground, avoiding non-vaishnavaite (or non-satvic) food and not indulging in the bad practices. The Lord Krishna himself mentions the qualities of Shaligram to 'Yudhishtra' in the Mahabharta. Most of the Shaligrams are considered auspicious, some are very sacred, while others are considered to bring good luck, money, peace, sons and so on. The temples can use any kind of Shaligrams in their rituals. The place where the Shaligram stone is found is itself known by that name and is one of the 108 sacred pilgrimage places for the " Vaishnavas" outside India. In fact such is the auspiciousness of this place that the Puranas mention that any stone from this land is equally sacred to Shaligram.

According to the religious text of Devi Bhagwate (and other scriptures) to kill demonJalandhar Lord Vishnu have to destroy Sati Brindha's sati dharma. When he did that Sati Brindha gave four seeming desecrations to Lord Vishnu to become stone, grass, tree, plant. To wash away this reaction Lord Vishnu took four avatars (incarnations). He became stone (Sri Saligram) grass (Kush) tree (Pipal) and plant (Tulsi). from this time onwardse the Saligrams are considered to be most auspicious to behold and to worship. As per Skanda Purana there can never be a price put on any Shaligram as there is not enough gold, jewels or any precious thing exist in the world to equal even a single Shaligram. We accept a small donation to cover the cost of the wages, lodging, boarding and potter / transportation charges paid to the poor villagers who collect and bring them to us. These villagers risk their life in search of rare Shaligrams under very difficult and trying climatic conditions that exist in and around Kali Gandaki river at Muktinath (Himalayas Nepal)to bring these auspicious Shaligrams to all of us.

As per Skanda Purana, Padma Purana and other epics, the worshipper of Shree Shaligram knows nofear and is blessed to attain all desirable things, worldly comforts, good wife, good sons, good health, immense wealth, peaceful environment prevails in his surroundings and he gets immense protection against all evil forces. His all anxieties, mental tension goes off and all ambitions are fulfilled Even the water that has just touched the Shaligram Shila becomes “Amrit” and by drinking it "man" is relived of all diseases. Worshipping of Shaligram helps in meditation and attainment of spiritual liberation.

The Shaligrams are specifically described as fossil-stones which have taken shape in the Gandaki-river, and as characterized by the presence of discus marks . The legend, related at length tells us that Gandaki, the lady-devotee, performed penances for longyears, and that she got a boon from Vishnu, which made Vishnu reside in her womb (in her depths)as her own offspring; the Shaligram-stones are thus the forms of Vishnu. Like the worship of Siva in the form of a lingam, the worship of Vishnu in the shape of a Shaligram is an iconic in character. Shaligrams are always naturally found in the river Gandaki. The region where Shaligrams are found is also called Shalgrams. The Shaligrams region is in Mustang and River Gandaki basin. These also include the famous Kali-Gandaki river, Muktinath, Damodar Himal, Damodar Kunda, Devghat, etc.

The devotees are hereby cautioned that spurious, fake, artificially carved black stones are very much available in the market and people are selling them at a very cheap price. Devotees are advised that they should approach a genuine organization to obtain authentic shaligrams which can give best results.