Shankha the divine shell

Being a highly auspicious holy item associated with Goddess Lakshmi, Vishnu and many other deities, the Shankha Pooja is part of the ritual in the Vedic Poojas. Meru Tantra gives details of the Shankha Sthapana ritual. This is the Pooja for the regular Vamavarti Shankha and also the Dakshinavarti Shankha. Anyone, including ladies can perform the Pooja. Ideally Pooja must be performed every day for best results. However if there is a break no harm will occur. Full moon, New moon, Ekadasi, Thursdays and Fridays are the most auspicious days for worship.

There is archeological evidence to show that Shankhas were used for libation during the Mohenjo-daro/Harappa civilisation 3000 BC. Click here & see

Shankha Sthapana is done after the initial Pooja rituals Guru, Ganesha and Saraswati vandana, achamanam, …. etc. and after the kalasha sthapana.

A. Sprinkle water and purify the ground in front of you, slightly to your left side, and draw a diagram - a square with a circle inside it and a six pointed star inside the circle - called Mandala. If you know and can - show matsya mudra and perform Shadanga Nyasa. If not, simply offer a namaskara and say "bhoomandalaya namah". Then worship the mandala with sandalwood paste, akshantas and flowers.

B. The Shankha is then placed at the center of the mandala. It should be placed to your left and to the right of the kalasa. Shankha is placed on a metal stand (normally brass). The open part of the Shankha must be facing upwards. The tip of the Shankha must be facing the Deity(s) and head must be pointing towards you. The recite the mantra “-------- (name of the deity you are going to worship is mentioned) devata shankhadharam sthapayami namah”.

C. The Shankha stand is worshipped with the ten kalas of Agni by reciting the verse:
Mam ram dharma prada dasa kalatmane
Vahni mandalayam --------(name of deity) devata shankhadharaya namah

Then worship the dasa kalas of Agni with the following mantras:

1.Yam dhumrarchishe namah
2. Ram ushmayai namah
3.Lam jvalinyai namah
4.Vam jvalinyai namah
5.Sam vishphulinginyai namah
6.Sham susriyai namah
7.Sam surupayai namah
8.Hum skilayai namah
9.Lam havyavahayai namah
10.Ksham kavyavahayai namah

D. Clean the Shankha with water, recite the mantra ‘ astraya phat’, and placed it on the Shankha stand. The recite the verse “-------devata shankham sthapayami namah”.

E. Recite the Vedic mantra of Shankha:

"Panchajanyaya vidmahe padma garbhaya dheemahi tanno Shankha prachodayaat"

F.Then recite the five names of the Shankha:
Om Amburajaya Nama
Om Kamburajaya Namah
Om Dhavalaya Namah
Om Panchajanyaya Namah
Om Padmagarbhaya Namah

F.Then recite the Shanka Pooja verse:

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

G.Then the dwadasa kalas of Soorya are worshipped.

1. kam bham tapinyai namah
2. kham vam tapinyai namah
3. gam pham dhumrayai namah
4. gham pam marichyai namah
5. nam nam jvalinyai namah
6. cham dham ruchyai namah
7. chham dham sushumnayai namah
8. jam tham bhogadayai namah
9. jham tam visvayai namah
10. nam nam bodhinyai namah
11. tam dham dharinyai namah
12. tham dam kshmayai namah

H. Fill the Shankha with water and worship it with sandalwood paste, akshantas, flower etc, reciting the mantra:

“---------- devata shankham amrtena purayami namah’ and ‘um sam kamaprada shodasakalatmane Chandramandalaya namah”.

I.Then recite the shodasa Chandra kala mantras:

1. Am amrtayai namah
2. Aam manadayai namah
3. Im pushayai namah
4. Iim pushtyai namah
5. Um tushtyai namah
6. Uum ratyai namah
7. Rim dhrtyai namah
8. Reem sasinyai namah
9. Lrm chandrikayai namah
10. Lum kantyai namah
11. Em jyotsnayai namah
12. Eam sriyai namah
13. Om prityai namah
14. Oum angadayai namah
15. Amm purnayai namah
16. Aha purnamrtayai namah

J. Worship the Shankha again with Sandalwood paste, akshantas, flowers, sesamum seeds, Darbha grass. (or whterver possible). Then cover the Shankha with your hand and recite the following verse to invoke the holy waters (Tirtha) of the seven holy rivers:
“Gange cha yamune chaiva godavari sarasvati narmade sindhu kaveri jalesmin sannidhim kuru”

K.After that wave the Shankha three times in front of the deity you are worshipping. The first waving is from the feet to the top of the deities head, the second from the navel to the head and the third from the heart to the head. Pray the deity to come and reside in the Shankha. This purifies and sanctifies the water in the Shankha. It now becomes the holy water known as Teertha jalam.

L.Then pour part of the Shankha water into kalasha. Sprinkle the rest of the water in the Shankha on all Pooja objects plus yourself and others present.

M.Then you must turn the Shankha so that the head is now towards the deities and tip towards you. Then fill it with water again. Recite the Gayatri mantra and then the following Shankha sloka:

Twampura sagaroutpannoh vishnunah vidhruta kareh
Poojitah sarva devaicha panchajanya namostute.

After this you can proceed with the rest of the Pooja of the other deity(s). At the end of the Pooja sprinkle the water in the Shankha on yourself and others in the family and in front of the house and other rooms. This brings wealth and auspicious results and a very good remedy for health and evil sprits related problems.

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