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Panchajanya: FAQ & Sources
पाञ्चजन्यPanchajanya is the sacred conch (shankha) of Vishnu, carried in his upper left hand. In the Bhagavata Purana Krishna wins it from the demon Panchajana, and in the Bhagavad Gita he blows it to open the Kurukshetra war. Its sound is linked with the primordial Om.
Borne byविVishnu
Frequently asked questions
What is the name of Vishnu's conch?
Panchajanya. Krishna blows it at the start of the Kurukshetra war in Bhagavad Gita 1.15.
How did Krishna get the Panchajanya conch?
The Bhagavata Purana says he took it after slaying the demon Panchajana, while rescuing the son of his teacher Sandipani.
Why is a conch blown during aarti?
Tradition holds that its sound echoes Om, announces the divine and dispels inauspiciousness.
Sources
- Bhagavata Purana, Book 10, ch. 45
- Bhagavad Gita 1.15
- Vishnu Purana, Book 1, ch. 22
- Vishnu Sahasranama, closing verse
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