Shankha

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Shankha (Sanskrit: शंख) is the divine Conch shell or sea shell, which is one of the insignia in the Hindu God Vishnu's hands. Lord Vishnu, also called Narayan, is imagined to have four hands. He has a Shankha (a conch shell) on one hand, the Sudarshana Chakra in second, a Gada (a mace) in the third and Padma (lotus flower) in the fourth.

See also Vishnu#Iconography

Lord Vishnu is imagined to hold the Shankha on his upper left hand. The Shankha is used to alarm enemies and to start off war. It also represents awakening. The sound emitted from Shanku when blown, is too divine, that is used for regular rituals for Vishnu. Shanku also represents the Insignia of Vishnu. As a result of this, Shanku stands as a Royal State Emblem of Travancore and current state emblem of Kerala.

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Śankha was also the name of one of sons of King Virata who was killed in Mahabharata.