The Cosmic Conch

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Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

 

 

 

The Cosmic Conch

 

 

Weapons are usually ugly, literally and figuratively. No one calls a machine gun

beautiful, or a grenade, much less an armoured tank (except perhaps a

terrorist). They have absolutely no redeeming feature to them, being meant

solely for mass destruction, meant only to cause sadness and sorrow and to take

away that precious thing which most of us take for granted-Life. We thus find

that anything that deals out death and destruction and little else, can never be

beautiful in any sense.

 

 

 

Hence if I say that weapons also double as adornments, people would definitely

look at me strangely and would probably construe that I am referring to

terrorists, who constantly tote guns and grenades, considering them to be

adornments to their person. Though none would believe it, it is the Lord I refer

to, who is always armed to His teeth, ready to rush to the rescue of a devotee

in distress- " sadA panchAyudhee bibhrat sa na: SrIranga nAyaka: " It is a

well-chronicled fact that the Lord totes several weapons in His hands and

whenever we picturise Him in our mind's eye, it is as accompanied by these

weapons.

 

 

 

One important difference between the Lord's weapons and others' is that the

former are used for both protecting and preserving devotees on the one hand and

for destroying their detractors. Unlike weapons of human creation, which are

meant solely to cause damage and devastation, the Lord's arsenal is for a dual

purpose, as indicated. Hence it is no wonder that the divine armoury is

extremely beautiful and enticing to look at, serving at once as lethal weapons

and luminous adornments to the Lord's arms.

 

 

 

All are agreed that the Lord's principal weapons are five-The Shankham, The

Chakram, The GadA (Mace), asi (Sword) and the ShArngam (Bow). Of these five, it

is the Chakram or Sudarsanam, which commands primacy and is known as the King of

Weapons- " HEti RAja " . As such, SudarsanAzhwan has a lot of stotrams composed on

him-the SudarsanAshtakam, the HEti RAja stavam, the Sudarsana Satakam (poorva

and uttara satakams, comprising two hundred slokas in all) etc. to name a few.

At several divyadesams, separate sannidhis have been allotted to ChakrattAzhwar

and devotees delight in circumambulation in his shrine, as could be seen at

Srirangam and other places.

 

 

 

However, there is another worthy, who is no less magnificent, no less Sudarsanam

(good-looking), no less potent and no less dear to the Lord, who does not

attract as much attention and adulation as the Chakram, but is all the same a

strong, silent performer worthy of all our admiration. Whenever there is an

enumeration of the Lord's weapons, it is his name that is mentioned ahead of

others', indicating his primacy in the divine scheme of things. You may refer to

not one but any number of instances, where the Lord's weapons find mention-in

all of them, the Shankham is always mentioned first, followed by the other

AyudhAs. Look at the following for example-

 

 

 

" Shankha chakra gadA pANe! DvArakA nilaya! Achyuta! " (Draupati's appeal while

being disrobed in the Kaurava darbAr)

 

" Tamasa: paramaO dhAtA Shankha chakra gadAdhara: " (Mandodari's tribute to Sri

Raghava, in Srimad Ramayanam)

 

" Shankha chakra gadA asi ShArngAdi asankhEya divyAyudha! (Sri Ramanuja in

Gadyam)

 

" Sangennum chakkaram ennum tuzhAi ennum-igganE sollum "

 

" SanginOdum nEmiyOdum tAmarai kaNgalOdum "

 

" Sangu vil vAL tandu chakkara kaiyyarkku "

 

" VeLlai suri SangOdu Azhi Endi tAmarai KaNnan "

 

" Sangodu chakkaram kaNdu ugandadum tAmarai kaNgalukku attru teerndadum "

 

(Sri Nammazhwar)

 

 

 

All these denote in no uncertain terms the primacy the Shankham enjoys, among

the Lord's weapons. What could be the reason behind this phenomenon of the

Shankham being accorded pride of place, despite the Chakram being obviously more

popular and enjoying greater visibility?

 

 

 

The answer to this puzzle lies in the NAcchiyAr Tirumozhi of Sri Andal.

 

 

 

Perhaps to compensate in advance for the lack of adequate mention by

PoorvAcharyas, Sri Andal devotes all of ten pasurams for the adulation of Sri

PAnchajanyam, the glorious shankham adorning the Lord's left hand.

 

 

 

ChakrattAzhvan might be the much- adulated arsenal of the Lord, but it is the

Lord's Shankham that gets to taste the incredibly sweet lips and mouth of

Emperuman. It is therefore to the Shankham we must turn, as Sri Andal does, if

we want to get a true picture of how tasty the Lord's lips are. For, when the

Lord blows the Conch, His coral lips and fragrant mouth come into close contact

with the Shankham, affording it a delectable taste, which is normally the

exclusive preserve of the Divine Consorts.

 

 

 

" Is the Lord's mouth fragrant as scented camphor? Or is it the type of fragrance

exuded by the lovely lotus? " Sri Andal seeks confidential information (which is

known only to Sri Devi and Sri Bhoodevi) from Sri PAnchajanyAzhwan-

 

" Karuppooram nArumO kamala poo nArumO

 

TiruppavaLa sevvai tAn tittitirukkumO? "

 

Maruppositta MAdhavan tan vAi suvayum nAttramum

 

Virupputtru kEtkindrEn sol Azhi veN SangE! "

 

 

 

Since this is a divine secret, Sri Andal places Sri Panchajanyam in the position

of an Acharya and seeks upadEsam on the taste and fragrance of the Lord's lips,

says Sri Azhagia MaNavALa PerumAL nAyAnAr-

 

 

 

" Karuppooram nArumO! Kamala poo nArumO!..endru dEsikarai kEtkum padiyAna

soundarya sArasyam uLLitta bhOgyataiyai udayOmum nAm allOmO endrA pOlE "

 

 

 

We are able to glean quite a lot of information about the Shankham, from these

ten pasurams of Sri Kodai Nacchiar. For instance, we get to know that the

Shankham, though originally from the unfathomable depths of the ocean, grew up

in the body of an asurA known as " Panchajanan " , from which it attained the name

" PAnchajanyam " . It is pure white in colour, symbolising the epitome of Sattva

guNam, of unalloyed goodness.

 

 

 

Sri Andal's descriptions of the PAnchajanyam are indeed glorious and graphic.

The Lord looks like a huge mountain- " Pacchai mA malai pOl mEni " . On this

mountain, the pale wintry moon, the " Sharat Chandran " rises slowly and

beautifully. This is what the Shankham, with its pearly white complexion, looks

like, sitting on the Lord's left arm, resembling the glorious Moon in colour, in

affording immediate bliss at sight, etc.-

 

 

 

" Tada varayin meedE sharat kAla Chandiran

 

idaiyuvAvil vandu ezhundAl pOl "

 

 

 

The Shankham's resemblance to the Moon is emphasized in the next pasuram-

 

" Chandira mandilam pOl DAmOdaran kaiyil

 

antaram ondru indri Eri " .

 

 

 

We are told by the PanchAyudha Stotram that the PAnchajanyam resembles not one,

but millions of Moons shining simultaneously-

 

" Tam PAnchajanyam sashi kOti shubhram Shankham sadAham sharaNam prapdyE "

 

 

 

Sri Andal speaks with envy about the several distinctions the Shankham has

managed to garner.

 

 

 

If we need some favour from the Lord, it is to the Shankham that we have to

apply and not to any other acolyte, for, the PAnchajanyam " has the Lord's ears " ,

so to say, nestling close to His left ear, as it does. From its vantage

position, it looks as if the Shankham is forever whispering secrets and sweet

nothings into Emperuman's ears, unbeknownst to others and also putting in a word

on behalf of devotees who need the Lord's favours-

 

" avan seviyil mandiram koLvAyE pOlum valam puriyE! "

 

 

 

We know how difficult and strenuous it is to visit holy places, for having a

spiritually cleansing dip in the various puNya teertthams. Whether it be the

Ganga or the Yamuna, they lie at a great distance, involving a lot of time,

expenditure and physical strain to bathe in them. With absolutely no effort on

its part, the Shankham is able to bathe daily in the holiest of waters, holier

than any of those known to mankind, viz., the sweet juices from the Lord's

mouth- " SeNkaN Mal tannudaya vAi teerttham pAyndu Ada vallAi ValampuriyE! " .

 

Swami Desikan confirms this in Sri Devanayaka Panchasat- " VamsEna Shankha patinA

cha nishEvitam tE bimbAdharam "

 

 

 

Food and Shelter form the essential requisites for any person. Some can eat just

porridge " Kanji " ), while some are able to do justice to a sumptuous meal. While

some reside in humble huts, some are fortunate to have palaces for their stay.

However, more fortunate than any one, as far as food and shelter are concerned,

is the PAnchajanyam, which has the sweet juices of the Lord's mouth for its

staple food and sleeps comfortably in the most exalted of shelters, viz., the

Lord's lotus-like, soft and supple palm. Can the glory of the Shankham be

measured at all, asks Sri Andal- " Indiranum unnOdu selvatthukku ElAnE " ,

" ShankarayA! Un selvam sAla azhagiyadE " .

 

 

 

By monopolising access to the Lord's fragrant lips and mouth, the Shankham

generates immense envy in the minds of the fairer sex, who too would like their

share of the treasure. The Shankham's incalculable good fortune, in having for

its constant consumption liquids sweeter than nectar and holier than the holiest

of sacred waters, make the 16000 and odd Consorts of the Lord green with envy

and livid with fury, says Sri Andal-

 

" peN padayAr un mEl perum poosal chAttrugindrAr "

 

 

 

" PadinAram ayiravar dEvimAr pArtthiruppa

 

madhu vAyil kondAl pOl Madhavan tan vAyamudam

 

poduvAga uNbadanai pukku nee undakkAl

 

chidayAro! UnnOdu sol Azhi VeNsangE! "

 

 

 

The Shankham is not only the symbol of Shuddha Sattvam, it is also the

embodiment of immeasurable wisdom. It was through a mere touch of the Shankham

that the infant Dhruva, bewildered beyond measure by the sudden appearance of

the Lord before his eyes and unable to find the right words to praise the Lord,

was afforded eternal wisdom, which made him burst into verses filled with

devotion and erudition-

 

 

 

" Shankha prAntEna Govinda: tam pasparsha kritAnjalim

 

utAnapAdam anagham dvija varya! Jagatpati: " (Sri Vishnupuranam)

 

 

 

However, a major doubt assails us-we have been speaking of the Shankham as an

" Ayudham " , a weapon, and all that we have seen so far indicates only a docile

disposition. Is the Shankham really effective as a weapon and if so, how can it

cause harm to the Lord's opponents, not being endowed with a " cutting edge " ,

like other weapons of distinction like the Chakram and the Sword? Nor can the

PAnchajanyam be used as a " blunt instrument " to cause damage, like the Mace

KoumOdaki!

 

 

 

The Shankham is by far superior to the other components of the Lord's arsenal,

endowed with the power of making foes drop dead due to sheer fear, shock and

trauma, occasioned by its benumbing boom-

 

 

 

" VishnO: mukhOttAnila pooritasya yasya dhvani: danava darpa hantA

 

tam PAnchajanyam sashi kOti shubhram Shankham sadAham sharaNam prapadyE " .

 

 

 

The Shankham does a clean job, with its victims just dropping dead, unlike the

gory and bloody deaths caused by its peers like the Chakram and the Sword. As

proof of the PAnchajanyam's potency, we find that the moment Sri Krishna and

Arjuna blew their conches in the battle field of Kurukshetra, the Kaurava army

practically dropped dead with fear and shock, making Arjuna's job of disposing

them off much easier than it would have been otherwise. The following Gita

slokas attest to this-

 

 

 

" MAdhava: PANdavaschaiva divyou Shankhou pradadhmatu:

 

PAnchajanyam HrisheekEsa: DEvadattam Dhananjaya:

 

 

 

" sa ghOshO DhArtarAshtrANAm hridayAni vyadArayat "

 

 

 

Expanding on these beautiful verses, Sri Ramanuja says that victory for the

Pandavas was a foregone conclusion, once the deafening and terrifying boom of

these Shankhas tore through the hearts of the Kauravas-

 

 

 

" SarvEsvarEsvara: ParthasArathI rathIcha PANdu tanaya: trailOkya vijayOpakaraNa

bhootE mahati syandanE stitthou trailOkyam kampayantou, Sreemat Panchajanya

DEvadattou divyou shankhou pradadhmatu: " . The words " TrailOkyam kampayantou "

appear to be a verbatim translation of the Tiruppavai lines, " GyAlatthai ellAm

nadunga muralvana " , testifying to the deep roots that this prabandam had taken

in the mind of the Tiruppavai Jeer.

 

 

 

Sri Periyazhwar performs mangalAsasanam to this Shankham, which boomed

terrifyingly, reducing opposing armies to mere jelly-

 

" padai pOr pukku muzhangum ap Panchajanyamum pallANdE! "

 

 

 

 

 

The normal position of the Shankham is on the left hand of the Lord- " kooonEru

sangam idatthAn " . Lest we get the wrong idea that the Shankham's principal role

is destructive, to assure us that it indeed has a supportive, protective and

preservative role too, the Lord sports the same in His right hand, at

Tirukkovilur, says Swami Desikan in Sri DEhalIsa Stuti-

 

 

 

" Chakrasya daitya danujAdishu vAma bhAvam

 

Shankhasya cha Ashrita janEshu dakshinatvam

 

Vyaktam pradarsayasi GOpapurAdhirAja!

 

Vyatyasya noonam anayO: kara samprayOgam " .

 

 

 

The strains from the Shankham, while being unbearably terrifying to opponents'

ears, are indeed sweet music to those of devotees. We hence see Sri Kodai

Naachiar wishing the Shankha nAdam to be part of the marriage festivities, at

Her divine wedding with the Lord-

 

" mattaLam kotta, vari sangam nindru ooda "

 

 

 

Have you seen the Lord holding only the Shankham? You would be prompted to reply

even without thinking that it could not be so, for the Lord is always seen at

all divya desams sporting both the Divine Discus and the Cosmic Conch. However,

just to prove you wrong, the Lord does hold only the PAnchajanyam, at

TiruvallikkENi, in His bewitching role as PArthasArathy, adhering to His promise

that He would not touch a weapon during the Kurukshetra war. However, little did

the ignorant DuryOdhana know that the innocent-looking Shankham could be as

potent a weapon as the dreaded ChakrAyudham.

 

 

 

Compared to the burning and brilliant SudarsanAzhwar ( " anal Azhi " ), true to its

origins,(the ocean), the Shankham is cool and comforting, and shares its

birthplace with Sri Mahalakshmi, a distinction unavailable to the other AyudhAs.

And being dear to the Divine Consort, the PAnchajanyam automatically occupies

the pride of place in the Divine Household, enjoying the dual advantage of

privity to both the Lord and His Consort.

 

 

 

To cut a long story short, the Shankham is the " coolest " of the Lord's weapons,

incorporating the dual-purpose technology of protectiveness and pleasurable ness

to devotees and striking terror in the hearts of others. It has not only the

Lord's ear, but His mouth too, and, due to its vantage position, is the object

of not only " Neighbour's envy " (of Sudarsanam) but also that of the Divine

Consorts.

 

 

 

Srimate SriLakshmINrisimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri Narayana

Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

 

dasan, sadagopan