Sacred
Vedic Shells
RARE
LAKSHMI CONCH SHELL (sinistral turbinella pyrum)
Conch
Shells which spiral to the right are very rare and considered
especially sacred, the right spiral mirroring the motion of
the sun, moon, planets and stars across the sky. Also, the hair
whorls on Buddha's head spiral to the right, as do his fine bodily
hairs, the long white curl between his eyebrows and the conch
like swirl of his navel. A shell is made into Tibetan ritual musical
instruments by cutting off the end of its tip and furnishing it
with a mouthpeace and an ornamental metal casing extending from
the shell's mouth.
Normal
Shank (left) and sacred 'Valampuri' Dakshin Conch
Over
the last 30 Years we have been looking for the truth about the
fabled Lakshmi Conch Shell (sinistral turbinella pyrum). They
are so rare that only a few temples in India have them. We only
found several, one in Pashupati Nath Temple Museum, and one in
the London Museum of Natural History. In fact they are the same
kind of Shank or Conch shell that we bath the Sri Murti with but
they open on the right side (opposite of normal).
When shell collectors refer to the reversed Shank as “left-handed”
or "sinistral turbinella pyrum," the Indians call the
“valampuri” right-handed, because they orient it with
the apical spire downwards and the aperture or siphon (mouth)
uppermost and, consequently, on the right side of the shell.
Fabled
Sri Lakshmi Conch Shell (sinistral turbinella pyrum) from
the private collection of Richard Shaw Brown |
BOGUS
Lakshmi Conch. This is a Lightning Whelk (busycon contrarium)
wrongly sold as Sinistral Turbinella Pyrum - BEWARE!!! |
Note: there are many species in Conch family, but in India "Shank"
always refers to the normal smooth white conch shells. They alone
are called "Shank" --- and it is ONLY such a shell,
if it opens on the right side, that is a real Lakshmi Shank. No
other right-sided shell is ever Lakshmi Shank (sinistral turbinella
pyrum).
Many Hindu temples today keep another kind of shell that opens
on the right which is a Lightning Whelk (busycon contrarium),
and they mistakenly believe it to be a Lakshmi Shank!?? They are
wrong. There is ONLY one true Lakshmi Shank, and the photos above
are a darshan of the REAL thing...
It is better to use a normal left-handed white smooth shank, like
normal, rather than another type of shell, like a Lightning Whelk,
that is not even a Shank, and which is NOT recommended in Puja.
Only a Shank is auspicious for puja, what to speak of a shank
that opens on the right side, viz., A Lakshmi Shank.
Also
known as "Cow's Eye" this rare shell features a perfect
chakra spiral that denotes good health, gives an attractive persona,
and attracts wealth. Origin: Thailand.
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