Panchajanya

In the Bhagavad Gita, the Panchajanya is mentioned:[2]

Then, Lord Krishna blew His conchshell, called Pancajanya; Arjuna blew his, the Devadatta; and Bhima, the voracious eater and performer of extremely difficult tasks, blew his terrific conchshell called Paundram

— Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 1, Verse 15

As per the Harivamsa, Krishna, the avatar of Vishnu, is described as possessing a conch shell called Panchajanya, one of his four attributes together with the mace Kaumodaki, the disc-like weapon Sudarshana Chakra, and a lotus. The conch was used during the Kurukshetra War, and is held in popular tradition to have signalled its beginning.

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There are two origins stated in the scriptures for the conch.

The Panchajanya is mentioned to be among the various substances and beings that emerged during the Samudra Manthana:[3]

Then came out the Śārṅga bow, the presiding deity of all weapons. Then emerged Pāñcajanya, the conch, the supreme deity of all musical instruments.

— Skanda Purana, Vasudeva Mahatmya, Chapter 12, Verse 14

Panchajana was a wicked daitya who lived in a colossal conch shell in the deepest depths of the Prabhasa ocean. He kidnapped the son of Sandipani, the guru of Krishna, Balarama, Sudama, and Uddhava, and devoured him. Upon the completion of their studies, Krishna, Balarama, and Uddhava persuaded the teacher to ask for the preceptor's dakshina (fees) of his liking. Sandipani, after consulting with his wife, asked for, as his dakshina, the death of this asura. Krishna grew enraged when he heard this tale and plunged into the sea to bring justice to Sandipani. Krishna successfully slew Panchajana and took the conch shell for himself.[4] He then went to his guru Sandipani, who named the conch Panchjanya.

In the Skanda Purana, Sandipani states that his son was swallowed by a whale at Prabhasa while he was on a pilgrimage, and seeks his return as the fee. The Ocean itself is stated to have informed Krishna of the existence of a great daitya of the name Panchajana dwelling in its depths, who indeed had swallowed the boy. Krishna slew the daitya who was in the form of a whale, and seized the Panchajanya from within him, which had previously belonged to Varuna. Not finding his guru's son, he descended to Naraka with Balarama and demanded his return. Yama and Chitragupta battled the deities until Brahma intervened, and urged Yama to restore the boy back to life. His desire fulfilled, Brahma eulogised Krishna, prompting him to blow his conch:[5]

The sound of the conch was conducive to the liberation of the men who had committed sinful activities and therefore had been consigned to hells. Due to the sound of the conch and the recollection of Acyuta, all of them got into divine aerial chariots and went to heaven. That region (of hell) became a void, due to the contact with Nārāyaṇa.

— Skanda Purana, Avantiksetra Mahatmya, Chapter 1, Verses 101 - 102

Krishna and Balarama then returned the son back to his father, who rejoiced in surprise and hailed their names.

Vishnu holding Panchajanya in his upper left hand

The manner in which the shankha must be revered is described in the Skanda Purana:[6]

Then he should worship Pāñcajanya, my favourite conch. O dear one, by worshipping it he causes great delight unto me. During the worship of the Śaṅkha, O dear one, he should recite the following mantras:

“O Pāñcajanya, formerly you were born of the ocean. You have been held by Viṣṇu in his hand. You have been made by all the Devas. Obeisance to you.

On account of your sound, clouds and Suras and Asuras become afraid. Obeisance to you, O Pāñcajanya of the bright lustre of ten thousand moons.

The foetuses of the womenfolk of demons perish in thousands in the nether worlds, O Pāñcajanya. Obeisance to you.”

— Skanda Purana, Margasirsa Mahatmya, Section 5, Verses 41 - 44