Sacred Object
Shankha
Sanskrit: Śaṅkha
The shankha, or conch shell, is a sacred ritual object and wind instrument in Hindu tradition, closely associated with Vishnu, and also recognized within Buddhist material culture as one of the Ashtamangala (Eight Auspicious Symbols).
- Category
- Instrument
Material Culture & Craftsmanship
Ritual shankhas are the shells of certain large sea snails, prepared and sometimes mounted with metal fittings for ceremonial use; a rare naturally left-spiraling ("vamavarta") shankha is considered especially auspicious and valuable in Hindu tradition.
Symbolism
In Hindu iconography, the shankha is one of Vishnu's four principal attributes, associated with the primordial sound of creation and with victory, having originated in epic literature as a battle horn sounded to signal triumph.
As one of the Buddhist Ashtamangala, the white conch shell that spirals clockwise represents the far-reaching, all-pervading sound of the Dharma teaching awakening beings from ignorance.
Ritual Use
The shankha is blown at the opening of Hindu temple rituals and ceremonies, and is also used to hold and pour consecrated water in puja. In Buddhist contexts it appears both as a physical ritual object and as one of the eight auspicious symbols depicted in art and architecture.
Sources & References
- A Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology and Religion, Geography, History and Literature — John Dowson, Trübner & Co. (1879) · Link
Public domain.
- Hindu Mythology, Vedic and Puranic — W. J. Wilkins, Thacker, Spink & Co. (1900)
Public domain.