Conch shell
The conch shell, this has been used as the original from the past ancient times, in ancient history of Nepal and India these horns are used to commence is any rituals or worn. Popularly known as Shanka, is a musical instrument blow by the lord Krishna to declare the start of the war of Mahabharata. in all the epic stories of Hinduism shankha has been described being carried by all the heroes of the past.
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In Vajrayana Buddhism.
This has been recognised as the symbol of fearlessness, and proclaimed the truth of dharma. This is the one of the eight symbols of good fortune this stands for the popularity and fame of Buddhist teaching which spread in all direction like the sound of the Conch Trumpet.
In addition to Buddha's throat, the conch also appears as an auspicious mark on the soles, palms, limbs, breast or forehead of a divinely endowed being.
The fourfold caste division is also applied as follows:
The smooth white conch represents the Brahmin caste (priests)
The red conch, the kshatriyas (warriors)
The yellow conch, the vaishyas (merchants)
The grey conch, the shudras (labourers)
Additionally, there is a fundamental classification of conch shells occurring in nature: those that turn to the left and those which turn to the right. Shells which spiral to the right in a clockwise direction are a rarity and are considered especially sacred. The right-spiralling movement of such a conch is believed to echo the celestial motion of the sun, moon, planets and stars across the heavens. The hair whorls on Buddha's head spiral to the right, as do his fine body hairs, the long curl between his eyebrows (urna), and also the conch-like swirl of his navel.
The Left Turning Conch The Right Turning Conch
It is one of the main emblems of Vishnu, and his conch bears the name of Panchajanya, meaning 'having control over the five classes of beings.'
Arjuna's (hero of the Mahabharata) mighty conch was known as Devadatta, whose triumphant blast brought terror to the enemy. As a proclaiming battle horn, the conch is akin to the bugle. It is an emblem of power, authority and sovereignty whose blast is believed to banish evil spirits, avert natural disasters, and scare away poisonous creatures.
Today, in its greatly tamed avatar, the conch is used in Tibetan Buddhism to call together religious assemblies. During the actual practise of rituals, it is used both as a musical instrument and as a container for holy water.
Ancient Indian belief classifies the conch into male and female varieties. The thicker-shelled bulbous one is thought to be the male (purusha), and the thin-shelled slender conch to be the female (shankhini).
Shakti : Introduction
Shakti Yab-yum is a common symbol in Nepalese and Tibetan art. It represents the primordial union of wisdom and compassion, depicted as a male deity in union with his female consort via the similar concept of interpenetration or "coalescence," as illustrated by the concept of Indra's net. The male figure represents compassion and dexterity, while the female figure represents insight. The female is seated on the male's lap in yab-yum. A rare rendition of a similar figure, but reversed, with the male sitting on the female's lap, is known as yum-yab.
Yab-yum is widely regarded as representing the primordial union of wisdom and compassion. The masculine form is active in Buddhism, representing the compassion and skillful means that must be developed in order to achieve enlightenment. The feminine form is passive and represents wisdom, both of which are required for enlightenment. The figures, when joined, represent the union required to remove the veils of Maya, the false duality of object and subject.
These figures are frequently worked into statues or reliefs, or they are painted on thangkas. Yab-yum can also be represented by the aniconic symbols yantra and mandala.
In Tibetan Buddhism
In Tibetan Buddhism, the same ideas are to be found concerning the bell and the dorje, which, like the yab-yum, symbolize the dualism that must be transcended. The sacred Tantric practice leads to rapid development of mind by using the experience of bliss, non-duality, and ecstasy while in communion with one's consort, either visualized, or in the case of advanced practitioners, in some cases physical. In one important Anuttarayoga text, where Tilopa expounds the meaning to Naropa, it is said:
When you rely on a consort, the wisdom of empty bliss will arise, so enter into union—the blessing of method and wisdom. Bring it down slowly, retain it, reverse it, and draw it back up. Bring it to the places in the body and let it spread throughout. When you remain free of desire, the wisdom of empty bliss will appear.
Indicating the advanced nature of the actual practice with consort, the verses are the last in what is already widely considered as a text for the most advanced practitioners, a fact clearly evident in the story about Naropa's receiving the teaching.
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