CONCH – [SHANKHA]

Conch is known as shankha in Sanskrit. Shankha in Sanskrit means “Conch holding sacred water”

The conch Shell is a major Hindu article of prayer, used ‘as a trumpet and in order to get rid of negative energy and evil spirits. The shankha is mudra is also used during various tantric rituals and meditation. The sound from the conch is associated with the sacred syllable ‘Om’ which is believed to be the first sound of creation. The Shankha or conch marks the beginning of any good work. The sound of the conch is believed to be the purest form of sound which ushers in freshness and new hope.The Shankha or conch is believed to have originated from the churning of ocean or Samudra Manthan. There are two types of Shankhs – The left handed conch shell and the right handed conch shell.

Left Handed Conch Shell:

Shankhas which towards left (when you hold with head towards yourself) are called Vamavarti Shankhs. These are mostly ‘Blowing’ shankhs and come in various sizes and shapes. There are some Vamavarti Shankhs, which are non blowing. These are the ones where there is no opening on top. Blowing Shankh is an art and can be learned with bit of practice. It is considered very sacred to keep this at home and to blow these during daily Pooja.

Shankha is usually associated with Lord Vishnu. A conch is one of the five principal weapons of Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu’s conch is known as the ‘Panchjanya’ which is believed to be the most powerful among the conch shells. It is said to contain the five elements i.e water, fire, earth, sky and air. Shankha is also associated with the God of Wealth, Kubera. The right handed conch shell is kept at home by many people because it is said to bring wealth and prosperity.

Right Handed conch Shell: Shankas which open towards right (when you hold with head towards yourself) are called right handed conch shell or Dakshinavarti Shankhas. is considered auspicious and is also known as Valampiri Shankha or Lakshmi Shankha. It comes in various sizes. Big ones are generally used for Abhishekam in temples or for big occasions.

In Vedas there are five shankhas used at the time of worship/prayer ,namely Padmabhargav, Pancha Janya, Dhawalya, Kambhoj and Amburaj. In Bhagavat Gita Lord Krishna was possessing Pancha Janya Shankha during Mahabharata. The Pandavas were carrying the conches ie Yudhisthira carried-the shankha by name Ananta Vijaya, , Bhima carried Poundra , Arjuna-Devadutta , Nakula- Sugosha, and Sahadeva-Manipushpaka Shankhas.

Significance Of Shankha

शङ्खं चन्द्रार्क दैवत्यं मध्ये वरुण दैवतम् ।

पृष्ठे प्रजापति विद्यात् अग्रे गङ्गा सरस्वती ॥

Shankham chandraka daivatyam madhyevarunadaivatam

prshte prajapatir vidyat agre ganga saraswati

Meaning:

In Shankha (Conch) abides the Chandra (Moon) and Arka (Sun) Devatas, and in its middle the Varuna Devata,

On its back abides Prajapati and on its front Ganga and Saraswati;

त्वं पुरा सागरोत्पन्नः विष्णुना विधृतः करे ।

पूजितः सर्व देवैश्च पाञ्चजन्य नमोऽस्तु ते ॥

Tvam pura sagarotpannah; Vishnuna vidhrtah kare,

poojitah sarva devaischa panchajanya namostute.

Meaning:

In former times You rose from the Sea and was held by Vishnu in His Hand,

You are worshipped by all the Devas; Salutations to Panchajanya,

त्रैलोक्ये यानि तीर्थानि वासुदेवस्य च आज्ञया ।

शङ्खे तिष्ठन्ति विप्रेन्द्र तस्माच्छङ्खं प्रपूजयेत् ॥

Trailokye yani teerthani Vasudevasya chajnaya,

shankhe tishtanti viprendra, tasmat shankaham prapoojayet.

Meaning:

Whatever Tirthas (Sacred Waters of Pilgrimages) are there in the Three Worlds, by the command of Vasudeva, …

they abide inside the Shankha (Conch), O best of Wise men; Therefore Shankha is to be Worshipped,

पाञ्चजन्याय विद्महे पवमानाय धीमहि ।

तन्नः शङ्खः प्रचोदयात् ॥

Panjajanyaya vidmahe, pavamanayadheemahi,

tannah shankah prachodayat.

Meaning:

Om, Let us contemplate on Panchajanya (Shankha of Sri Krishna) and meditate on Pavamana,

May that Shankha (i.e. Sound of Shankha) awaken our Consciousness,

A Shankha or conch shell is a symbol of purity. Hence a conch shell is kept in every Hindu household with great care. It is placed on a clean red cloth or on a silver or clay pot. People usually keep water in the conch which is sprinkled while performing the puja rituals. Shankha is believed to hold the cosmic energy within itself which gets emanated when it is blown. Leaving aside the mythology part, even if you hold the Shankha near your ear, you can hear a humming sound of ocean in it. This is actually a natural vibration or cosmic energy of Earth which gets magnified on entering the conch shell. Pics of right-handed and left-handed conches are given herein.

CONCH – [SHANKHA]

Conch is known as shankha in Sanskrit. Shankha in Sanskrit means “Conch holding sacred water”

The conch Shell is a major Hindu article of prayer, used ‘as a trumpet and in order to get rid of negative energy and evil spirits. The shankha is mudra is also used during various tantric rituals and meditation. The sound from the conch is associated with the sacred syllable ‘Om’ which is believed to be the first sound of creation. The Shankha or conch marks the beginning of any good work. The sound of the conch is believed to be the purest form of sound which ushers in freshness and new hope.The Shankha or conch is believed to have originated from the churning of ocean or Samudra Manthan. There are two types of Shankhs – The left handed conch shell and the right handed conch shell.

Left Handed Conch Shell:

Shankhas which towards left (when you hold with head towards yourself) are called Vamavarti Shankhs. These are mostly ‘Blowing’ shankhs and come in various sizes and shapes. There are some Vamavarti Shankhs, which are non blowing. These are the ones where there is no opening on top. Blowing Shankh is an art and can be learned with bit of practice. It is considered very sacred to keep this at home and to blow these during daily Pooja.

Shankha is usually associated with Lord Vishnu. A conch is one of the five principal weapons of Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu’s conch is known as the ‘Panchjanya’ which is believed to be the most powerful among the conch shells. It is said to contain the five elements i.e water, fire, earth, sky and air. Shankha is also associated with the God of Wealth, Kubera. The right handed conch shell is kept at home by many people because it is said to bring wealth and prosperity.

Right Handed conch Shell: Shankas which open towards right (when you hold with head towards yourself) are called right handed conch shell or Dakshinavarti Shankhas. is considered auspicious and is also known as Valampiri Shankha or Lakshmi Shankha. It comes in various sizes. Big ones are generally used for Abhishekam in temples or for big occasions.

In Vedas there are five shankhas used at the time of worship/prayer ,namely Padmabhargav, Pancha Janya, Dhawalya, Kambhoj and Amburaj. In Bhagavat Gita Lord Krishna was possessing Pancha Janya Shankha during Mahabharata. The Pandavas were carrying the conches ie Yudhisthira carried-the shankha by name Ananta Vijaya, , Bhima carried Poundra , Arjuna-Devadutta , Nakula- Sugosha, and Sahadeva-Manipushpaka Shankhas.

Significance Of Shankha

शङ्खं चन्द्रार्क दैवत्यं मध्ये वरुण दैवतम् ।

पृष्ठे प्रजापति विद्यात् अग्रे गङ्गा सरस्वती ॥

Shankham chandraka daivatyam madhyevarunadaivatam

prshte prajapatir vidyat agre ganga saraswati

Meaning:

In Shankha (Conch) abides the Chandra (Moon) and Arka (Sun) Devatas, and in its middle the Varuna Devata,

On its back abides Prajapati and on its front Ganga and Saraswati;

त्वं पुरा सागरोत्पन्नः विष्णुना विधृतः करे ।

पूजितः सर्व देवैश्च पाञ्चजन्य नमोऽस्तु ते ॥

Tvam pura sagarotpannah; Vishnuna vidhrtah kare,

poojitah sarva devaischa panchajanya namostute.

Meaning:

In former times You rose from the Sea and was held by Vishnu in His Hand,

You are worshipped by all the Devas; Salutations to Panchajanya,

त्रैलोक्ये यानि तीर्थानि वासुदेवस्य च आज्ञया ।

शङ्खे तिष्ठन्ति विप्रेन्द्र तस्माच्छङ्खं प्रपूजयेत् ॥

Trailokye yani teerthani Vasudevasya chajnaya,

shankhe tishtanti viprendra, tasmat shankaham prapoojayet.

Meaning:

Whatever Tirthas (Sacred Waters of Pilgrimages) are there in the Three Worlds, by the command of Vasudeva, …

they abide inside the Shankha (Conch), O best of Wise men; Therefore Shankha is to be Worshipped,

पाञ्चजन्याय विद्महे पवमानाय धीमहि ।

तन्नः शङ्खः प्रचोदयात् ॥

Panjajanyaya vidmahe, pavamanayadheemahi,

tannah shankah prachodayat.

Meaning:

Om, Let us contemplate on Panchajanya (Shankha of Sri Krishna) and meditate on Pavamana,

May that Shankha (i.e. Sound of Shankha) awaken our Consciousness,

A Shankha or conch shell is a symbol of purity. Hence a conch shell is kept in every Hindu household with great care. It is placed on a clean red cloth or on a silver or clay pot. People usually keep water in the conch which is sprinkled while performing the puja rituals. Shankha is believed to hold the cosmic energy within itself which gets emanated when it is blown. Leaving aside the mythology part, even if you hold the Shankha near your ear, you can hear a humming sound of ocean in it. This is actually a natural vibration or cosmic energy of Earth which gets magnified on entering the conch shell. Pics of right-handed and left-handed conches are given herein.