Panchajanya

Literature

Mahabharata

According to the Mahabharata, Vishnu is said to have slain a daitya (a member of a clan of asuras) named Panchajana on a mountain named Chakravan, which was constructed by Vishvakarma, and to have seized the conch shell in which Panchajana had lived. The conch is named after the daitya.

Bhagavad Gita

In the Bhagavad Gita, the Panchajanya is mentioned:

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

Harivamsha

As per the Harivamsha, Krishna is described as possessing a conch shell called Panchajanya, one of his four attributes, along with the mace Kaumodaki, the disc-like weapon Sudarshana Chakra, and a lotus. The conch was used during the Kurukshetra War and, in popular tradition, is believed to have signaled both its beginning and end.

Skanda Purana

The Skanda Purana features two origin legends for the conch.

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

In another legend, Sandipani, the guru of Krishna, Balarama, Sudama, and Uddhava, states that his son was swallowed by a whale at Prabhasa while on a pilgrimage, and seeks his return as his dakshina (honorarium). The Ocean is said to have informed Krishna of a great daitya of the name Panchajana dwelling in its depths, who had indeed swallowed the boy. Krishna slew the daitya who was in the form of a whale, and seized from within him the Panchajanya, a conch that had previously belonged to Varuna. Not finding his guru's son, Krishna 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:

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

References

References

1. Dalal, Roshen. (2010). "Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide". Penguin Books India.
2. Varadpande, Manohar Laxman. (2009). "Mythology of Vishnu and His Incarnations". Gyan Publishing House.
3. Chandra, Suresh. (1998). "Encyclopaedia of Hindu Gods and Goddesses". Sarup & Sons.
4. Thepyanmongkol, Phra. (2007). "Sunday Dhamma Talks, volume 1". Wat Luang Phor Sodh Buddhist Meditation Institute.
5. Krishna, Nanditha. (1980). "The Art and Iconography of Vishnu-Narayana". D.B. Taraporevala.
6. "Bhagavad Gita As It Is Original by Prabhupada".
7. Debroy, Bibek. (2016-09-09). "Harivamsha". Penguin UK.
8. "The Skanda Purana Part 7: Ancient Indian Tradition And Mythology [Volume 55]". Motilal Banarsidass.
9. Books, Kausiki. (2021-10-24). "Skanda Purana: Avanti Khanda: Avanti Kshetra Mahatmya: English Translation only without Slokas". Kausiki Books.