World Religions

The spiral form of the conch-shell is symbolic of infinite space that gradually expands in a clock-wise direction. The conch is symbolic of the Human Journey Through Life, Birth, Life, Resurrection, Love, Good Luck. The shell's hard casing protects life. The pearly lustre and its aquatic nature is attributed to qualities of virgin purity. Symbolic with music, the conch shell's spiral form and the sound of the ocean represents the beginning of existence.

The blowing of the conch purifies the environment from all evil. The sounds from the conch increase positive attributes in the atmosphere such as courage, hope, determination, will-power and optimism. The blowing of the conch is a call to awaken one from ignorance and announce victory of good over evil. The sonorous sound of conch shell honors and salutes the Lord of Creation. It was the primordial sound of creation and the divine sound "Om". Devotees blow the Shankh before the supreme God with sentiments of welcoming Him in their hearts and as a symbol of His divine grace, especially at the beginning of worship of the deity. The blowing of the shell during any auspicious occasion, is said also to bring good luck and prosperity. The conch is blown once or several times before ritualistic worship. It is sometimes blown whilst performing 'aartis'. The conch, placed at the altar in temples and homes next to the Lord symbolizes the primordial sound or the 'naada brahma' (truth), the vedas, Om, dharma, victory and auspiciousness. The conch is often used to serve the 'tirth' (sanctified water) to raise their minds to the highest truth. During, weddings the conch is blown loudly to drive away evil spirits.

In Buddhism, blowing of the conch signifies victory over suffering. In Chinese Buddhism, the conch shell signifies a prosperous journey, and

In Islam it represents the hearing of the divine word.

In Christianity the scallop shell was the emblem of St. James, the patron of pilgrims, so the shell came to symbolize a pilgrimage. The scallop shell is also associated with the guardian angel Raphael, and the Virgin Mary. In later Christianity, it symbolized resurrection and baptism. Quetzalcoatl created life with the aid of a conch shell and he is always pictured wearing a conch pectoral. Triton the son of Poseidon and Amphitrite, in ancient Greece is depicted with a trumpet made from a conch which he used to raise or calm storms.