CONCH, SHANKH

Conch is known as shankh in Sanskrit,means “Conch holding sacred water”. Shankha is the outer covering of a giant sea snail biologically called as “Turbinella pyrum” and found  in the Indian Ocean.  Conch Shell, made of calcium and magnesium, is very hard, strong and shiny.

Shankh-A sacred symbol
Shankha is the royal emblem of Travancore. The shape of India resembles conch.  Sacred city of Puri well known for Rath yatra is known as “Shankha Kshetra”, meaning “Place of Conches”, referring to the abundance of conch shells found in the adjacent ocean.In Greek culture, Conch shells adorned with pearls were offered to express the feelings of sex, love and marriage. 

How blowing conch creates conscious morphogenetic fields?
Some scientific experiments have revealed the formation of vibratory patterns in conches found only in Indian Ocean. This conch is of species Turbinella pyrum of family ‘Turbinellidae’.
Vedas says “Foundation of all creation is the morphogenetic consciousness field (Brahman) created by ‘OM’ sound waves”. 

Blowing a conch perfectly would result in the formation of scalar waves that would enter your body to create conscious morphogenetic fields. Spiritual effect of the sound waves is not heard by ears but felt by heart. This spiritual effect of echoing sound waves stimulates the electrons within each of trillions internal cells to stimulate the hormonal glands and spiraling chakras.  

Blowing Conch produces AUM sound
Conch resonate the AUM sound. This is why it is placed on all temples and blew in all religious ceremonies be it marriage, sacrifice, house warming etc. When Lord Krishna blew his conch before the start of Mahabharata war, the whole world trembled in fear as they listened to the thundering sound emanating from the conch.  

Morphogenetic consciousness field of lord Krishna conch
Sound from the conch blew by lord Krishna just before the start of Mahabharata war striked terror among the kaurava warriors. The mesmerizing sound waves were heard all around the world. With his blowing of conch, Lord Krishna announced the victory of good over evil. According to vaishnavism, conch when blown, produces the primeval sound that creates this universe with five elements: water, fire, air, earth and ether.
Shankh signifies the natural vibration of earth which gets magnified on entering the curved layering on conch shells.
To blow a conch, your back must be erect else the resulting sound would not produce the desire effect inside your body due to non formation of morphogenetic fields. Raise your neck up and bend it slightly backward.

Take a deep breath, fill your lungs with air and divert all your concentration towards blowing of the conch. This is very necessary as the shankh is blown in a single breath.

Close your eyes and bring in the positive devotional attitude by removing all negative thoughts from the mind. Now blow the conch from low pitch to high pitch in a single breath as long as possible. 
Musical Notes of shankh Sonorous blissful effect of the conch sound waves is mentioned even in the sikh religious book Gurbani as “Sankhan ki dhun ghantan ki kar phulan ki barkha barkhavae ", meaning “The conch and the bell produce blissful sounds”

Conch is also used as a musical instrument in Indian classical dance.

Group of Hindu priests blowing Turbinella pyrum conch


How shankh is used in religious ceremonies?
Shankha has been in use in Indian culture since time unknown.
Beginning of any ritual is marked by 3 times blowing of conch to reduce the negative energies in the environment.  Use of conch is written in every Hindu religious book like Vedas, puranas and bhagavad gita. Shankh is blown in every Hindu religious ceremony be it bhoomi pujan, marriage, house warming ceremony, thread wearing ceremony etc. Water is poured from shankh to bath the deity and the objects that are used in ceremonial rituals before the start and end of the festival or sacrifice. Water poured from conch is as sacred as water of the river ganga.

The Shanka verse recited in pooja is:

"Shankham chandrakadaivatwam kukshouvaruna daivatam
prusthe prajapatirdaiva mugre ganga saraswati
Pruthivyam yani teerthani vasudevasyachagyaya
Shankhe tisthanti viprendra tasmat shankham prapoojyayet"

According to Tantric belief, the shankha keeps away evil spirits and saves one from calamities. Following is the verse that is chanted to do so
"Shankha Madyesthitam Thoyam Brahma Hatyadhikam Daheth
Anga Lagnam Manushyanam Mruthyu Samsara Bheshajam"

Commercial use of conch
When hundreds of conch is blown together in a particular pattern, energy produced from the resulting vibrations heals the ozone layer and reduce environmental pollution.  

Shankh is used in the cure of diseases One can hear the gentle ocean waves on holding a perfect shaped conch near the ear.
Shankha bhasma- Ayurvedic medicine
Ash produced by burning conches is used as an ayurvedic remedy to cure several diseases. This ash called as ‘Shankha bhasma’ is produced by burning the conch shell after soaking it in lime juice for few hours. Since the ash has high amount of minerals like iron, calcium, and magnesium, it effectively cures digestive and antacid diseases. Shankha bhasma when mixed in correct proportion with tamarind, ammonium chloride, asafetida, aconite, mercury, pepper, ginger and some other ayurvedic herbs is use in the cure of dyspepsia. This medicine is called as Shankavati in ayurveda. 
 Conch is worshipped as 
Twam puraa saagarot pannaha
Vishnunaa vidhrutahakare
Devaischa poojitha sarvaihi 
Panchjanya namostu te
Translation:
Salutations to Panchajanya
the conch born of the ocean
Held in the hand of Lord Vishnu
and worshipped by all devaas
Healing properties of conch
  1)    Conch is effectively used in the cure of cholera and plague like diseases.
2)    Water stored in conch has high concentration of sulphur and calcium. Person who struggles to speak or has speech disorder must drink conch water regularly.
3)    Skin diseases are cured by missing conch water in bucket of water used for bathing.
4)    Mix conch water (kept for 8+ hours) with rose water for shining black hair.
5)    Conch water kept for 12+ hours can cure stomach pain and intestinal problems. Make sure your stomach is empty before you drink conch water.
6)    Rub conch surface on face to remove wrinkles, black patches and dark circles. This would additionally instill a glowing face.
7)    Cow milk stored in conch is used for the purification of the house.
8)    Conch vibrations act a sterilizer that destroys harmful viruses and bacteria’s in the environment. Effect of conch was proved by Nobel Prize winner Indian scientist ‘Jagdish Chandra Bose’.

10)    Playing shankh is equal to doing yogic exercises that saves us from deadly diseases like BP, heart attack etc.Tuberculosis, Asthma, Influenza, Liver, Spleen diseases will be eradicated echoing conch.
11)    Inner structure of conch is spiral and curved. And as we know, DNA is also spirally shaped. Conch waves helps in repairing damaged DNA.
      12)    Sound waves of shankh destroy the negative energies from the atmosphere. So, conch is blown in houses to remove the influence of negative energies and evil spirits.
13)    According to VASTU SHASTRA, Keeping a skahnkh in puja room removes all the Vaastu dosh of your house.
    
 

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