Panchajanya – Conch or Shankh of Lord Vishnu
Panchajanya is the divine conch or Shankh that emerged from the ocean of milk during the Samudra Manthan (the churning of ocean) by the Gods and demons for Amrut (Ambrosia). Lord Vishnu received the Panchajanya, which is considered to be a divinity in its own right.
Lord Vishnu's fire-emanating conch is Panchajanya, meaning 'possessing control over the five classes of beings.'
Vishnu's fire-emanating conch was named Panchajanya, meaning 'possessing control over the five classes of beings.'
It is held in the upper left hand of Lord Vishnu and paired with the wheel or Sudarshana Chakra in his upper right hand. These two attributes are commonly held by the first five of Vishnu’s ten incarnations – Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Narasimha and Vamana.
Panchajanya is also widely associated with Sri Krishna. He blew it in the great Kurukshetra battle.
There is lot of symbolism attributed to Panchajanya. Lord Vishnu himself is said to be represented in the Shamkha (Conch). Sun and Moon are said to reside in it, Varuna, the God of waters is said to rest in the middle portion; Prajapati, the first born and the progenitor of all beings in its tail portion... and River Goddess Ganga and Saraswathi in its front portion.
There are numerous stories as to how Krishna came to own the Panchajanya.
A story in the Mahabharata says that Krishna got the conch after killing demon Panchajana who live in the Patala or netherworld. Vishnu Purana and Harivamsa have different versions of Panchajana.
As per one version, the demon used to live in the conch and Sri Krishna got the conch after killing the demon.
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Significance of Shankh or Conch Shell in Hinduism
In Hindu religion, Shankh, or Samkha, is of great importance and symbolizes luster, brilliance, purity and auspicious beginning. It is a pious article and is used in all religious rituals. The most famous Shankha is the Panchajanaya of Lord Vishnu. In the Mahabharata, Lord Krishna and the five Pandavas had a separate conch shell and it is referred in the beginning of the Bhagavad Gita. In religious rituals, Shankh is used to announce the beginning of a prayer or arrival of deity and in some places sacred water is collected and distributed in it.
Shankh literally means ‘pacifying the inauspicious.’ In Hinduism, origin of the conch shell took place during the Samudra Manthan or churning of ocean. There are two types of Shankh – left handed conch shell and right handed conch shell. Valampiri Shankh or Lakshmi Shankh is the right handed conch shell and is considered auspicious.
Shankha is blown at every festival and auspicious beginning and the sound ushers in freshness and new hope. Right handed conch shell is kept at home by many people as it is believed to bring wealth and prosperity. It is also associated with Kubera, god of wealth. Many institutions and organizations employ conch shell as their symbol.
Shankha is closely associated with Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi. Image of Lord Vishnu always has him holding a conch shell. It is believed that during the Samdura Manthan, first conch shell appeared and it was followed by Goddess Lakshmi.
Usually, right handed conch shell is used for worship. The shell is thoroughly cleaned and is placed on a clean cloth, usually red cloth. Normal puja is performed. In some places, conch shell is placed on a silver or clay pot. A cloth is used to cover the mouth of the pot and it is placed on it.
People usually collect and keep water in conch shell and is sprinkled while performing pujas. While performing Lakshmi Puja, conch shell is filled with milk and then it is poured over the idol. Water collected in Shankh is offered while worshipping sun.
Shankh is also part of classical Indian musical instruments and there is also a mudra based on it in classical dance. There are also numerous legends and myths associated with the conch shell in the vast Hindu literature.
J.KANNAN, M.Com, FIATA
"WE DON'T THINK TO BREATHE
WE BREATHE TO THINK"
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