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. Shankh literally means pacifying the inauspicious. The Shankh is regarded sacred and auspicious in the Indian system.

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. Shankh literally means pacifying the inauspicious. The Shankh is regarded sacred and auspicious in the Indian system. Like the swastika symbol it is an integral part of Vedic sacraments. It is blown to initiate religious ceremonies. Shankh is associated with Sri Vishnu and goddess Lakshmi. It is one of the five principal weapons of Lord Vishnu. He is always shown with shankh in one hand and Sudarshana chakra in the other. 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. When the conch is blown, the sound from it is associated with the sacred syllable 'Om' which is believed to be the first sound of creation. ‪During Samudra manthan first conch shell appeared and it was followed by Maa Lakshmi. In the battlefield (Kurukshetra) of Mahabharata, Lord Krishna is said to have wielded a mighty shankh which was handed to him by Sri Vishnu. It is believed that when it is blown it announces the victory of good over evil. 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!
Jai Sri Lakshminarayana ~ Hari Om Tat Sat Namah Shivaya!