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Conchshell (Lectures, Conv. and Letters)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.12 -- London, July 13, 1973:

Pradyumna: Translation: "Then Bhīṣma, the great valiant grandsire of the Kuru dynasty, the grandfather of the fighters, blew his conchshell very loudly like the sound of a lion, giving Duryodhana joy." (BG 1.12)

Prabhupāda: So Duryodhana was doubting that "My grandfather, Bhīṣma, is more affectionately inclined to the other party. So he may not be lenient in fighting." So in order to encourage Duryodhana, tasya sañjanayan harṣam. "Don't think that I am lenient. I am strong." Immediately, to encourage him, he blew his conchshell. Nowadays they use bugle. Formerly the conchshells were used by the kings.

And not that in modern days the fighting takes place—the poor soldiers, they come to fight, and the leaders, they remain in safety place. It is not like that. All of them came out, kṣatriya. Bhīṣmadeva came, Duryodhana came, Arjuna came. And face to face, they had to fight. Not that the poor soldiers would fight and they would remain in a secure place, no.

Lecture on BG 1.13-14 -- London, July 14, 1973:

Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.):

tataḥ śaṅkhāś ca bheryaś ca
paṇavānaka-gomukhāḥ
sahasaivābhyahanyanta
sa śabdas tumulo 'bhavat
(BG 1.13)

Translation: "After that, the conchshells, bugles, trumpets, drums and horns were all of a sudden sounded, and the combined sound was tumultuous."

Prabhupāda: So there are mention of various types of musical instruments. Those instruments are no longer in use. But different types of bugles, drums, kettledrums, as they use in modern days. So the same principle. By musical instruments, the soldiers are kept alive so they can fight nicely. Sa śabdas tumulo 'bhavat: "When simultaneously all the instruments were sounded, it become tumultuous."

Lecture on BG 1.13-14 -- London, July 14, 1973:

Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.):

tataḥ śvetair hayair yukte
mahati syandane sthitau
mādhavaḥ pāṇḍavaś caiva
divyau śaṅkhau pradadhmatuḥ
(BG 1.14)

Translation: "On the other side, both Lord Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, stationed on a great chariot drawn by white horses, sounded their transcendental conchshells."

Prabhupāda: So you have seen the picture. Kṛṣṇa is driving four white horses. (reads from purport:) "In contrast with the conchshell blown by Bhīṣmadeva, the conchshells in the hands of Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna are described as transcendental." Kṛṣṇa is transcendental. Nārāyaṇaḥ paro 'vyaktāt. Kṛṣṇa is not of this material world. Kṛṣṇa's body, Kṛṣṇa's activities, everything of Kṛṣṇa, they are transcendental. They are not of this material world. Divyam. In the catuḥ-śloki Bhāgavatam it is said when Kṛṣṇa was instructing Brahmā, aham evāsam evāgre: (SB 2.9.33/34/35/36) "Before this material creation, I was existing." In the Vedas also, it is said, eko nārāyaṇa āsīt. "Before creation, only Nārāyaṇa was there."

Lecture on BG 1.13-14 -- London, July 14, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa and His devotee Arjuna, they are on the same platform. Therefore Mādhava and Pāṇḍava. They blew Their transcendental conchshells. This is not ordinary. (reads from purport:) "The sounding of the transcendental conchshells indicated that there was no hope of victory for the other side." This is the sounding. Divyau. They are also sounding their conchshell, even Bhīṣma, but that cannot be compared with the conchshells of Mādhava and Pāṇḍava. Arjuna, associates, they are also equally powerful. Nobody can be associates of Kṛṣṇa without being very, very much advanced. Just like fire can mix with fire, similarly water can mix with water; similarly, unless one is transcendentally advanced, he cannot be associate of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 1.15 -- London, July 15, 1973:

Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.):

pāñcajanyaṁ hṛṣīkeśo
devadattaṁ dhanañjayaḥ
pauṇḍraṁ dadhmau mahā-śaṅkhaṁ
bhīma-karmā vṛkodaraḥ
(BG 1.15)

Translation: "Then Lord Kṛṣṇa blew His conchshell named Pāñcajanya; Arjuna blew his, the Devadatta; and Bhīma, the voracious eater and performer of Herculean tasks, blew his terrific conchshell named Pauṇḍram."

Prabhupāda: So Vṛkodara, Bhīmasena, is advertised as voracious eater. But he can perform Herculean task also. Just like the elephant, it eats voraciously, but it gives service also. Similarly if we simply eat voraciously and we cannot give any service that is not good. We must eat sumptuously and give service also. In Bengali it is said that peṭe keli piṭhe soya (?). If one is given sufficient food in the belly, he can carry more burden on the back. So Bhīma-karma, his activities were very Herculean, very, very, difficult tasks he performed.

Lecture on BG 1.16-19 -- London, July 16, 1973:

So all these kings on the side of the Pāṇḍavas, they were relatives, so they joined. So when they blew their different types of conchshell, then the other side were trembled, "Oh, they have gathered so much strength." Because Duryodhana thought that for, continually for thirteen years Pāṇḍavas were banished, so they could not gather any good amount of soldiers. But when they saw that so many kings from different parts of the world have joined them, so they became frightened. That is described in the next verse, sa ghoṣo dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṁ hṛdayāni vyadārayat. They are just like heart-broken: "What is this? They have gathered so much great, great fighters."

Lecture on BG 1.16-19 -- London, July 16, 1973:

Pradyumna:

sa ghoṣo dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṁ
hṛdayāni vyadārayat.
nabhaś ca pṛthivīṁ caiva
tumulo 'bhyanunādayan
(BG 1.19)

Translation: "The blowing of these different conchshells became uproarious, and thus, vibrating both in the sky and on the earth, it shattered the hearts of the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra."

Prabhupāda: So enemy, when one enemy fights, the other party, well-equipped, strong, so it breaks the heart of the enemy. That happened. So there is nothing to especially... The breaking of the heart by vibrating different types of conchshell from the side of the Pāṇḍavas, it broke the heart of the dhārtarāṣṭrāṇām. Dhṛtarāṣṭra, his sons, one hundred sons. So from Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Dhārtarāṣṭra, dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṁ hṛdayāni vyadārayat. And it resounded both in the sky or on the surface. So I think that's all.

Lecture on BG 1.45-46 -- London, August 1, 1973:

He is talking with Kṛṣṇa. He is already giving the counterargument, that "Kṛṣṇa, if you think that I don't fight, but they will take the opportunity and kill me immediately, that also I shall prefer, but I am not going to fight. This is my decision." Sañjaya uvāca. So Sañjaya, the secretary of Dhṛtarāṣṭra... They were sitting in a room. So evam uktvā, "thus saying," Arjuna, the person... Arjuna is nominative case. Arjuna, saṅkhye, "in the battlefield;" rathopastha, "on the chariot," upāviśat. You have seen the picture. When Kṛṣṇa blew His conchshell and from the backside Arjuna is just trying to take his arrow and fight... But instead of fighting, he's visṛjya sa-śaraṁ cāpam. "No, no, no. I am not going to..., giving up. Finished. I am no more going to fight." Visṛjya sa-śaraṁ cāpam. Why it is? Śoka-saṁvigna-mānasaḥ. His mind was overwhelmed with lamentation, that "How can I kill my kinsmen?" This is the position.

Lecture on BG 2.8-12 -- Los Angeles, November 27, 1968:

That is the system. How it is so? Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given very nice example. That is in the Vedas. Just like we keep conchshell in the Deities' room. Conchshell is considered very pure, transcendental; otherwise, how we can keep before Deity and you blow conchshell? You offer water with conchshell. How you can offer? But what is this conchshell? The conchshell is the bone of an animal. It is nothing but bone of an animal. But the Vedic injunction is that if you touch the bone of an animal, you'll have to take bath immediately. You become impure. Now one may say, "Oh, this is contradiction. In one place it is said that if you touch the bone of an animal, then you have to purify yourself by taking bath immediately, and here, the bone of an animal is in the Deities' room. So it is contradiction, is it not? If bone of an animal is impure, how you can place it in the Deities' room? And if bone of an animal is pure, then what is the meaning of becoming impure and take bath?" You'll find similar contradiction in the Vedic injunctions. But because it is said by the Vedas that bone of an animal is impure, you have to accept. But this bone of an animal, conchshell, is pure.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 9, 1966:

They are simply after the service of the Lord. They are prepared to suffer any kind of suffering. They are not affected by all those sufferings. What they want? Pure devotees? They want that "I must serve the Supreme Lord." That is their mission. So anyway, these bhaktas, or the devotees of the Lord, for them there are other four kinds of mukti. And what is that? This is sāyujya-mukti, to become one with the... Now, there is... Then sārūpya, sārūpya-mukti. Sārūpya-mukti means the spiritual body becomes as... The features of the spiritual body becomes just like the Supreme Lord. Just like Nārāyaṇa. Nārāyaṇa has got four hands with śaṅkha, cakra, gadā, padma, and with the lotus flower, conchshell, club and wheel. So, so everyone who takes that sārūpya-mukti just become just like the... His feature of the body become just like the Lord. That is called sārūpya-mukti.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Hyderabad, November 19, 1972:

Actually we accept. Similarly, conchshell, conchshell is nothing but bone of an animal. According to our Vedic version, if you touch the bone of an animal, you become immediately impure. You have to take bath. But this bone of animal, conchshell, is taken to the Deity room. It is so pure. So from our human consciousness we find contradiction in the Vedic instruction, that in the Vedas, in one place, it says that the bone of an animal is impure; in another place says the bone of a particular animal is pure. The Vedas says the stool of an animal is impure, but in another place it says that the stool of the cow animal is pure. So apparently we find contradiction. But still, because we accept the authority of the Vedas, therefore we accept the statement also. We accept the bone of the conchshell, and we accept the stool of cow as pure. That is acceptance of authority. You cannot argue. Even though it appears it is contradictory, you cannot argue.

Lecture on BG 2.27-38 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1968:

You see, you have to accept the Vedic injunction as it is. There is some meaning which may not be explained immediately, but because it is so enjoined, we have to accept it. Just like the conchshell. The conchshell is the bone of an animal. Now in the Vedas it is said that if you touch the bone of an animal or human being, you have to take bath immediately to purify yourself. Now, this conchshell is also a bone of an animal. Now, it is kept in the Deities' room. Now, if you say, "The bone of an animal is impure. How it is that it is kept in the Deities' room?" So actually it is being done. Why it is being done? Because it is injunction of the Vedas. Similarly, all such injunctions we have to accept, but there is meaning. There is meaning, and that may not be understood immediately. That doesn't matter. So if, instead of red garment, if you take this saffron, what is harm to you? So you should accept the injunction.

Lecture on BG 2.46-62 -- Los Angeles, December 16, 1968:

Om vibration is there. Om is also representation of Kṛṣṇa. That is also accepted. But that is not ultimate. Ultimate is Kṛṣṇa. Just like there is some vibration, some source. You go, go, proceed, wherefrom this vibration is coming? If you find whether here is a horn. From this..., or conchshell. Here is vibration. So that, unless you reach that point... That is the ultimate. Not that vibration. Suppose I am vibrating conchshell. There is a huge sound. But is that vibration ultimate? Or the conchshell wherefrom the vibration is emanating, the conchshell is ultimate. The conchshell sound is going beyond this temple. Does it mean that conchshell sound is bigger than the conchshell? The vibration of the conchshell, apparently it seems to be very great, but does it mean it is great? The great is the conchshell wherefrom the vibration is coming. That is the ultimate source. So oṁkāra vibration is all over the universe, that's all right; but wherefrom it is coming? That you have to search out. When you search out you'll find Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 6.30-34 -- Los Angeles, February 19, 1969:

Viṣṇujana: Purport: "A yogi who is practicing meditation on the Supersoul within himself sees the plenary portion of Kṛṣṇa as Viṣṇu—with four hands, holding conchshell, wheel, club and lotus flower."

Prabhupāda: This picture, Viṣṇu picture. That is the objective of concentration for the yogi. That is real yoga. And this Viṣṇu manifestation is Kṛṣṇa's plenary portion.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Hyderabad, November 26, 1972:

So the Vedas gives us injunction both ways that stool is impure but this stool is pure. And those who are followers of Vedas, they accept both. When they touch the stool of another animal they take bathing, but the stool of cow is taken to the Deity worship room. Similarly, śaṅkha, conchshell. Conchshell is the bone of an animal. It is said that if you touch the bone of a dead animal you have to, you become impure. But conchshell is also the bone of an animal, it is taken to the Deity room for vibrating. Therefore, there are so many things which is beyond our perception, knowledge, we have to take shelter of the Vedic injunctions. That is called Vedic. Therefore our method, Vedic method, is as soon as we speak something, we immediately give evidence from the Vedas. Then it is perfect. There is no question of arguing. Just like in the law court the lawyer pleading something, but if he gives quotation from previous judgement and section of law, it is accepted. So the forms of the ātma, there are three kinds of forms—one you can see directly, this bodily form, another you can simply perceive, and another you can accept only on the Vedic injunctions. But there are forms. So is that right? Thank you. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.8.34 -- Los Angeles, April 26, 1973:

So Kṛṣṇa came. And you have seen our Kṛṣṇa Book, how much He's engaged in killing the demons. In killing the demons. So Kṛṣṇa says that: "I come down, paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya (BG 4.8), to kill the demons." So killing business is there. Kṛṣṇa. Although His killing and protecting the same thing. Because He's absolute. But the killing business is there. Therefore Kṛṣṇa has, the Nārāyaṇa has got two hands, club and disc. That is for killing the demons. And two hands, conchshell and lotus flower. That is for the devotees. The devotees are protected. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). Kṛṣṇa is bugling with His conchshell that: "My devotees will not be vanquished." And the lotus flower is the symbol of blessing. It is in the hands of Lakṣmījī also sometimes, blessing.

Lecture on SB 3.26.28 -- Bombay, January 5, 1975:

So this Aniruddha is the objective of meditation for the yogis. Nowadays they have manufactured so many objective, but that is not authorized. The authorized is that you have to concentrate your mind upon the form of Viṣṇu known as Aniruddha. That is the real meditation. Viṣṇu has got many forms. "Many forms" means the Viṣṇu forms are all catur-bhuja, four-handed, and the symbolic representation of each hand is śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-padma: the conchshell, the disc, śaṅkha-cakra, gadā, the club, and the lotus flower. Now the Lord is differently named... Ordinarily, there are twenty-four names. So those names are there according to the situation of the symbolic representation. It begins from the right lower hand, and then it comes to the left lower hand, this śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-padma, differently situated. Just like begin, śaṅkha, then cakra, then gadā, then padma. Then begins cakra, gadā, lotus flower, and conchshell. In this way there are different positions of the śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-padma, and according to that different position, the name is changed: Nṛsiṁha, Vāmana, Padmanābha, Nārāyaṇa, like that.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Vrndavana, October 24, 1976:

So you have to accept pure. No argument that "Such stool is impure, even my spiritual master's stool is also impure. How is that that animal cow dung is pure?" But because it is in the Vedas it is said pure, you have to accept. Similarly the conchshell, it is the bone of an animal. The bone, if you touch any dead body's bone, you'll have to take, immediately purify. But that, this bone is placed in the Deity room. We are daily blowing the conchshell—because the Vedic instruction. So there is no argument. If you accept Vedic instruction, you have to accept it as it is.

Therefore we are protesting to all these rascals who are making interpretation of Bhagavad-gītā, "You rascals, you cannot do anything. You have to accept Kṛṣṇa's word. That is Vedic knowledge. And if, you rascal, if you interpret, then you are lost and everything is lost."

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Vrndavana, October 24, 1976:

As soon as you give up this paramparā system, immediately the whole thing is lost, sa kālaneha... Otherwise what was the use of Kṛṣṇa speaking again to Arjuna? Because Bhagavad-gītā was there current, but Kṛṣṇa said because the paramparā system is lost, every rascal is interpreting. This is the system always. As soon as some time goes away, so many rascals come and they interpret Bhagavad-gītā in their own rascaldom way. That is lost. Sa kāleneha yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa. Therefore I am advising you again. You take it. So if we take Bhagavad-gītā in that way—or any śāstra—through the paramparā channel, then it is all right. Just like this example. This is Vedic instruction, Vedic order: "Yes, cow dung is pure." We have to take it. This is paramparā. "Yes, conchshell is pure. Although it is bone, never mind. It is pure." The order.

Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Indore, December 13, 1970:

So there was one Ajāmila at that time, but you will find many Ajāmilas like that at the present moment because it is the age of Kali. There was one Rāvaṇa. In the dress of a sannyāsī he kidnapped Lord Rāmacandra's wife, and nowadays you will find many Rāvaṇas like that. You see? The so-called sannyāsīs, their business is to... This tendency is always there, but according to the age, sometimes it is very prominent and sometimes not so prominent. But this material world is so contaminated. In the days of Rāmacandra people were hankering after the kingdom of Rāma, even there was Rāvaṇa in the days of Rāmacandra. And what to speak of all these nonsense debauchees? Rāmacandra was so strict, and God Himself was ruling, and still, there was Rāvaṇa. But because Rāmacandra was there he was also killed. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnām (BG 4.8). God's business is to protect the faithful and kill the demons. That is always. Therefore we find Lord Viṣṇu, the four symbolic representation: for killing, the club and the cakra; and for protecting, the lotus flower and conchshell.

Lecture on SB 6.1.32 -- Surat, December 16, 1970:

So because the Viṣṇudūtas were very beautiful, four-handed, exactly resembling Lord Viṣṇu... As I have explained, in the Vaikuṇṭhaloka all the inhabitants, their feature of the body are exactly like Lord Viṣṇu, four-handed, with conchshell, lotus flower, club, and disc. So they never saw Viṣṇudūta before, these Yamadūtas, because they go in an atmosphere where sinful activities are executed. But this time they were astonished, that "How these beautiful personalities are here?" Kiṁ devā upadevā vā yūyaṁ kiṁ siddha-sattamāḥ. So, "Will you kindly let us know wherefrom you are coming? Are you coming from the Siddhaloka planet or heavenly planet?" Because in the material world nobody knows that there is a spiritual sky beyond this material sky... As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, paras tasmād tu bhava anyaḥ: "There is another nature." This is one nature, material nature, where millions and trillions of universes are clustered together in the corner of the spiritual sky.

Lecture on SB 6.1.32 -- San Francisco, July 17, 1975:

We have not seen how the bodies are there in the Vaikuṇṭha. Here you can understand that in the Vaikuṇṭha planets, as the Lord Viṣṇu is four-handed, similarly, all the inhabitants there, they are also four-handed and equally dressed. Just like here, if your President Ford comes, he also dressed like a nice gentleman. And there are many others also, equally nicely dressed. You cannot distinguish who is President and who is ordinary man. Similarly, in the Vaikuṇṭhaloka all the inhabitants are equally in external feature: four-handed with the weapons—the disc, the club, the conchshell, the lotus flower. All the Vaikuṇṭha's inhabitants: the same dress, same garment, same ornaments, same weapons. But still, there is distinction, that kaustubha jewel. That you will find Him hanging. By that kaustubha jewel, one can understand that "Here is Lord Viṣṇu, and here is ordinary living being." Just like the president has got his confidential plaque. If one challenges his credential, he can show, "Yes." The same principle.

Lecture on SB 6.1.33 -- San Francisco, July 18, 1975:

So even the living entities they have got also four hands, not empty hands, with good ornament, good dress, and the complexion, color—everything like Viṣṇu. Everything like Viṣṇu. Sarve cāru-caturbhujāḥ, dhanur-niṣaṅgāsi-gadā-śaṇkha-cakrāmbuja-śriyaḥ. And the weapons: dhanuḥ, bow; dhanur-niṣaṅga asi, the arrows and the sword; gadā, club; śaṇkha, conchshell; and cakra, disc. As Viṣṇu has Sudarśana... Śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-padma. There are fourteen different forms of Viṣṇu according to the position of the weapon in different hand, beginning with śaṇkha-cakra-gadā-padma, then cakra-gadā-śaṇkha-padma, in this way. These description are there in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. And according to the change of the weapon, the different names are there. One viṣṇu-mūrti is called Vāmana; one mūrti is called Govinda. In this way there are twenty-four forms of Viṣṇu, śaṇkha-cakra-gadā-padma, according to Their placing in different hands.

Lecture on SB 6.1.33 -- Honolulu, June 1, 1976:

They have been described here, sarve padma-palāśākṣāḥ. They saw that their eyes were just like petals of the lotus flower, so beautiful. Sarve padma-palāśākṣāḥ pīta-kauśeya-vāsasaḥ. And all dressed in saffron cloth, yellow. Kirīṭinaḥ, with helmet, kuṇḍalino, and earrings. Kuṇḍalino. Lasat-puṣkara-mālinaḥ. And with flower garland. Just imagine if somebody is very good-looking, with helmet and nice earring, bedecked with jewels, and the helmet bedecked with jewels, and cloth yellow, with garland, four hands. Sarve ca nūtna-vayasaḥ. All young, not old like me; all young like you. Nūtna-vayasaḥ. Just (indistinct) very young. Sarve ca nūtna-vayasaḥ sarve cāru-caturbhujāḥ. And four-handed. Here we get two hands, in the Vaikuṇṭha planet we get four hands. Dhanur niṣa aṅgāsi-gadā-śaṇkha-cakra-ambuja śriyaḥ. And each hand is decorated with bow, arrow, sword, and conchshell, and disc. Like that. This is the description of Vaikuṇṭha features.

Lecture on SB 6.1.34-39 -- Surat, December 19, 1970:

So they are describing that "You are... You look all just very young." And sarve cāru-caturbhujāḥ: "And you are beautifully embodied with four hands." Sarve cāru-caturbhujāḥ. (aside:) What is that? Dhanur-niṣaṅgāsi-gadā-śaṅkha-cakrāmbuja-śriyaḥ: "And exactly like Viṣṇu, you have got dhanur, bows; and śaṅkha, conchshell; cakra, disc; gadā, club; and ambuja, padma, lotus flower. Everyone." That means everyone in the Vaikuṇṭhaloka, they are exactly like the bodily feature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa. This is called sārūpya-mukti. There are five kinds of liberation. This liberation, to have the same bodily feature like Nārāyaṇa, is called sārūpya, "the form exactly like Viṣṇu." Sārūpya-mukti. There are five kinds of liberations: sāyujya, sālokya, sārūpya, sārṣṭi, sāmīpya (CC Madhya 6.266).

Lecture on SB 6.1.37 -- San Francisco, July 19, 1975:

You have to take your bath immediately, full. Then Vedas say, "Now, the stool of cow is pure, cow dung." Now, with your reason you can say, "First of all you said that stool is impure, and as soon as you touch you must take your bathing. Otherwise you remain impure. So another stool, cow stool, you say pure? This is contradiction. You say that the bone is impure, and you are keeping the bone in the Deity's room?" The conchshell is bone. You know this conchshell is a bone of an animal. So it is being used in the Deity room, and the cow dung is also used in the Deity room. Even Kṛṣṇa is smearing His whole body with cow dung. You know Kṛṣṇa's līlā. So if you say, argue, with your poor knowledge, then it becomes contradiction. One stool is good; another stool is bad. But because it is said by the Vedas, you have to accept it. This is Vedic knowledge. You cannot argue. There is no scope of argument. Whatever is said, you have to accept. Otherwise how Vedas become authority? You can change in your own way.

Lecture on SB 6.1.39-40 -- Surat, December 21, 1970:

Similarly, this bone, any bone, animal bone, if you touch, you have to take bath. You become impure. But this conchshell, which you are sounding, vibrating in the Deity room, that is also bone. But you cannot argue that "You say bone is impure. Why you are taking one bone in the Deity room?" That you cannot say. This is acceptance of Vedas, without any argument. And if you want to know why one is accepted pure and one is accepted impure, if you make, I mean to say, research, you will find that the Vedic injunction is right. Take for..., this cow dung. Perhaps, you doctor, know, that one Dr. Lalman Ghosh in Calcutta, he analyzed this cow dung and he was a professor in the medical college. He has declared that cow dung is full of antiseptic properties. So Vedic injunction is... That is right. But sometimes it appears to be contradictory.

Lecture on SB 6.1.40 -- Surat, December 22, 1970:

Similarly, Vedas, as I gave you the example, that in the Vedas you will find that stools are considered as impure, stool of some animal, but Vedas says that "This stool, the cow stool, is pure." So there is no argument that "Once you said that stool of animal is impure, and another time you say that this stool is pure. Once you said that all bones of animals are impure; again you say that śaṅkha, conchshell... This is also a bone of an animal. You say it is pure." So there cannot be any argument. Veda says, "This is this; this is that." We have to accept it. That is the following of religion. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). And vedaḥ sākṣāt... Vedo nārāyaṇaḥ sākṣāt svayambhūḥ. Svayambhūr iti śuśruma. Svayambhū. Svayambhū means which is not created by any man. Just like Brahmā is sometimes called Svayambhū. His another name is Svayambhū.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.164-173 -- New York, December 13, 1966:

Then He says, "There are unlimited expansions of Kṛṣṇa in the spiritual world, and..." Nāhi mūrti-bheda. Just like His expansions in the spiritual world... He is originally two-handed, but in the spiritual planets... There are innumerable spiritual planets, and He is situated in each of them in four hand. Now this four hand, each hand... There are four symbols: conchshell and wheel and club and a lotus flower. Now, these four symbols are differently manifested in. Just like four hands. Beginning from right, this is lotus flower, club, and then conchshell, then wheel. And some of them, here begins wheel, here begins club. In this way the four has about sixteen divisions, and they are represented... Not sixteen. Twenty-four. Twenty-four, I mean to say, change of the place of the symbols. And according to the change of symbols, you will find different names. In the cover of the book Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, you have seen. These symbols are there. And there are different names. Some of Them named Hṛṣīkeśa, some of Them named Pradyumna, Aniruddha, Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Padmanābha... In this way there are different names according to the different change of the symbolic representation.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.172 -- New York, December 14, 1966:

The Vāsudeva name, the four hands... How you can distinguish? The four hands you will find everywhere, and the symbolic representation in the hand, that lotus flower, club, and the wheel, and the conchshell. Now, according to the different position of these four symbolic representation, the name are different. Just like Vāsudeva. Vāsudeva, He takes the club in the first right hand and then the conchshell in the second right hand and then left, the upper left hand, wheel, and the lower left hand, lotus flower. Similarly, Saṅkarṣaṇa, there is change. So different change... Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, Keśava, Nārāyaṇa, Śrī Mādhava, Govinda, Viṣṇu-mūrti, Madhusūdana, Trivikrama, Śrī Vāmana, Śrīdhara, Hṛṣīkeśa, Padmanābha, Dāmodara, Puruṣottama, Śrī Acyuta. Śrī Acyuta, (aside:) Acyutānanda. Śrī Acyuta, Śrī Nṛsiṁha, Śrī Janārdana, Śrī Hari, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Adhokṣaja, Upendra, Hayaśīrṣa.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 5 -- Los Angeles, May 7, 1970:

So this is explained here. This is Vedic mantra. This is the proof, Veda mantra. Why we are attached to Veda mantra? Veda mantra is the proof of everything. Whatever is said in the Vedas, that is fact. Unless you take some axiomatic truth in that way, you cannot make progress. Just like in geometry there are so many axiomatic truths, we have to accept it. "A point has no length, no breadth." "Things equal to the same thing are equal to one another." These are axiomatic truths. Similarly the Vedas, they are truth. We have to accept. Just like I've given example in my book: The conchshell is the bone of an animal.

Initiation Lectures

Talk, Initiation Lecture, and Ten Offenses Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 1, 1968:

Scriptures, authority of Vedas, they must be accepted. Just like the other day I was explaining, the Veda says the conchshell is pure although it is a bone of an animal. In other places Veda gives you the injunction that bone of an animal is impure. But it says the conchshell is pure. It can be placed before the Deity, it can be used in the Deity room in His service. Now there may be argument, "Oh, this is a bone of an animal. How is that? Contradiction." No. So one should accept the injunction of the Vedas like that. Whenever it says this is impure, it is impure; when it says it is pure, it is pure. Now if there is any doubt, that should be understood by questioning submissively and with service from the spiritual master. The spiritual master is there. Then? But we should always accept the injunction of the scripture as truth. Just like there is a proverb, "Bible truth," "Biblical truth." Nobody can deny Bible. This should be the attitude. Bible is also part of Vedas. Therefore Vedic injunction should be accepted as it is, without any interpretation. Just like Bhagavad-gītā is Veda. Why Veda? The Supreme Personality of Godhead personally speaking; therefore it is Veda. There is no mistake. One should accept—no interpretation—as it is. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. Yes.

Initiation Lecture -- Los Angeles, July 13, 1971:

The example is the same, just like the conchshell. In the Vedic injunction is that you should not touch dead animal's bone. If you touch, you become impure. But Vedas say the conchshell is pure. So that is being practically observed. We followers of Vedic injunction, we are using conchshell in the Deity room because Vedas says it is pure. You cannot argue, "Oh, one place you said that conch..., the bone is impure. Oh, here I can show you the book. You have said like that." Oh, that nonsense will not do. Whatever is said is all right. You have to accept that. Even it is contradictory, you have to accept. That is called no interpretation. That is wanted. There is meaning, but through your brain at the present moment you cannot understand. That is another thing. But you cannot say like that: "Oh, one place you have said this conch, yes, bone of an animal is impure, and now you are saying the conchshell is pure. It is contradictory." So that will not do. Therefore it is said you cannot interpret in that way. That is offense. Then you will not be able to make progress. Yes. Yes.

General Lectures

Speech to Maharaja and Maharani and Conversations Before and After -- Indore, December 11, 1970:

One function is to give protection and happiness to the good citizens, and another function is to kill the demons or the disturbing elements in the society. Lord Kṛṣṇa, the original form of Viṣṇu... Viṣṇu has got four hands. In two hands He has got the symbol of conchshell and lotus flower, and the other two hands He carries club and the cakra, sudarśana-cakra. So He wanted that a kṣatriya king like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira should rule over the world. That is the practically basic idea of the whole Mahābhārata and Bhagavad-gītā. So we are very much concerned to preach the message of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavad-gītā. We are presenting Bhagavad-gītā As It Is without any malinterpretation. We cannot interpret on the words of God because religion means the words of God.

Lecture at Christian Monastery -- Melbourne, April 6, 1972:

Whenever there is lenient government, the rogues and thieves will increase. It is natural. And if the government is very strict, then rogues and thieves cannot become very prominent. So when Kṛṣṇa comes, He has got two business: paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8)—for giving protection to the devotees, to the faithful, and for killing the demons. So Kṛṣṇa, when He was present, He exhibited these two things. Perhaps you have seen our picture of Nārāyaṇa, or Viṣṇu. Viṣṇu has got four hands. In two hands He has got lotus flower and conchshell, and in the other two hands He has got a club and a disc. The disc and club is meant for vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām, for killing the demons and the miscreants. And the conchshell and the lotus flower is meant for giving benediction and blessings to the devotees.

Rotary Club Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 8, 1972 'The Present Need of Human Society':

So if we accept cow dung as pure, we don't require to make research. But actually it is pure. The other day I was passing through a cow shed in Hyderabad. So, so much cow dung stocked there. So I was asking my students, "Suppose so much human stool was stocked here. Could we pass through it?" No, it is not possible. But it was pleasant to pass through. So this is a fact. If we argue that animal stool... (aside:) Stop. Stop him. Don't make noise. ...the animal stool is impure, but when the Vedas says the animal stool of the cow is pure, so this is, this true. Similarly conchshell. Conchshell is the bone of an animal. So according to Vedic instruction, if you touch the bone of an animal, you become impure. But the bone of an animal which is conchshell, it is kept in the Deity room. So Vedic instruction is so perfect. Why this animal bone is pure, why this stool of animal is pure, that is already known. You don't require to make any research. You simply accept and get the fact. This is Vedic truth.

Purports to Songs

Spelling of Arati Song -- Los Angeles, December 31, 1968:

Prabhupāda: Śaṅkha. Śaṅkha means the conchshell.

Pradyumna: Conchshell?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Pradyumna: Bāje.

Prabhupāda: Bāje. Śaṅkha bāje means bugling, or what is it. Sound, make sound. What do you call?

Pradyumna: Trumpet? Bugle or trumpet?

Prabhupāda: Yes. trumpeting. Trumpeting. The conchshell.

Pradyumna: Sounding. It's called. You sound.

Prabhupāda: Sounding, yes. Sounding the conchshell. Śaṅkha bāje. Bāje means sounding.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Press Interview -- December 30, 1968, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Try to help this movement. Your America, there are so many rich men. If somebody comes and helps this movement, one or two, we can make very steady progress. We have no money. We are struggling very hard. You see? This boy is a professor in the Ohio University. So whatever he's earning, he's spending for this. Similarly, all the boys whatever they earn, they spend. But that is not sufficient, you see? We require to make propaganda. We cannot sufficiently publish this magazine. We want to publish it at least fifty thousand per month, but there is no money. We are publishing at most five thousand. (conchshell blowing)

Journalist: Who's blowing the shofar?

Hayagrīva: Conchshell.

Journalist: I thought it was a shofar.

Prabhupāda: What is that? Chauffeur?

Journalist: The Jewish ram's horn.

Prabhupāda: This conchshell sounding is considered auspicious. Yes. Actually it is conchshell sounding. So after offering prayer to the Lord, we bugle this conchshell.

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- April 11, 1969, New York:

Prabhupāda: There are some special marks on the chest of Viṣṇu by which in Vaikuṇṭha He is known that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Otherwise, in Vaikuṇṭha, everyone has got the same feature like Viṣṇu. Just like if President Johnson comes here as a gentleman, you'll not, nobody will recognize him whether he's president or not unless he shows his special mark. Is it not? All government officers, big officers, they have got within the coat one, some mark. So far I know. So similarly, in Vaikuṇṭha the inhabitants, they got svarūpa. Their form is exactly like Viṣṇu. There is no difference. When the Viṣṇudūta came to take Ajamila from the hands of Yamadūta. They were four-handed with śankha-cakra-gadā-padma as Viṣṇu, the lotus flower, this disc, and the club, and the conchshell.

Room Conversation -- April 27, 1969, Boston:

Prabhupāda: That's all right. That doesn't matter. You have to take saṅkīrtana party. That should be the main business. And the..., at least sixteen men, four mṛdaṅgas. Practice mṛdaṅga like that. And twelve cymbals, and one chanting and all others responding. Oh, it will be tremendous. Take some flags, "ISKCON, Hare Kṛṣṇa" flag, red flag. You see? And conchshell, mṛdaṅga. In New York they are doing now, and they also one day collected 240 dollars or something like that. What is that?

Puruṣottama: 247.

Prabhupāda: 247. You see? (chuckles)

Haṁsadūta: I'll try in Montreal. We have new devotees now, lot of new boys.

Room Conversation -- April 27, 1969, Boston:

Prabhupāda: Speed. Yes. That's all right. Oh, so many things. This is the rest of...

Haṁsadūta: Conchshell.

Prabhupāda: Is it broken?

Haṁsadūta: A little bit. What is this for, Swamiji?

Prabhupāda: This pancapātra.

Haṁsadūta: What do you put in there? Ghee?

Prabhupāda: No. Water. Ācamana. And what is this?

Himāvatī: Look inside.

Prabhupāda: Jagannātha?

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation with Prof. Kotovsky -- June 22, 1971, Moscow:

Prof. Kotovsky: That is due to analyze. That's right. That's from common sense point of view.

Prabhupāda: Similarly, another, another instance is there. Just like conchshell. Conchshell is the bone of an animal. So according to Vedic instruction, if you touch the bone of an animal, you become impure. You have to take bath. You become impure. But this conchshell is kept in the deity room because it's accepted as pure by the Vedas. So my point is that we accept Vedic laws in such a way, without argument, accept because it is stated in the Vedas, and that is the principle followed by scholars. If you can substantiate your statement by quoting from the Vedas, then it is accepted. You do not require to substantiate in other ways if you prove by Vedic quotation. Śruti-pramāṇa. It is called śruti-pramāṇa. There are different kinds of pramāṇa, evidences. Just like in the legal court if you can give quotation from the law books, your statement is accepted, similarly, all statements which you give, if they are supported by śruti-pramāṇa... I think you know. The Vedas are known as Śrutis.

Room Conversation -- August 15, 1971, London:

Prabhupāda: So make arrangement, whatever thoughts are coming I am giving you. Ārati is finished?

Śyāmasundara: In about two or three minutes. Five. You'll hear a conchshell.

Prabhupāda: Everywhere this class must be there, morning evening class. Either it is festival or temple. If you go on simply festival, you don't require to start many centers.

Śyāmasundara: Yeah. Starting more centers is not necessary.

Prabhupāda: No.

Room Conversation -- August 25, 1971, London:

Prabhupāda: It is called śaṅkha. From conchshell, it is made from conchshell. Where you have purchased it?

Woman: I'm afraid this is ivory.

Prabhupāda: Ivory? Oh. There is similar made from conchshell.

Woman: Yes, I had those in Allahabad. I was going there to...

Prabhupāda: Allahabad? Conch, from conchshell? It is especially used in Bengal. A woman... that is an auspicious sign that she is with her husband, to have conchshell bangle. Śaṅkha-sari. A woman dressed śaṅkha and sari, śaṅkha-sari. They don't require any other ornament. One nice sari and śaṅkha. That is Indian conception of woman having husband. That is distinction between widow and a woman having husband. Widow will not accept sari. All finished. Vedic culture, widow should finish her life after having the husband. Saha-gamana. Satī. Yes. (break) ...have got enough to preach. People will like it.

Room Conversation with Dr. Karan Singh, -- November 25, 1971, Delhi:

Dr. Singh: Whether Arjuna fought or not, the war would nevertheless have taken place, because both the armies were there, the conches had been sounded. So Arjuna's decision was not whether there should be war or whether there should not be war. Arjuna's decision was only whether he should fight or he should not fight.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that...

Dr. Singh: But the more difficult decision is whether there should be war, whether there should not be war. Because Arjuna only came into it, if you consider it, only at the time when everything had already been decided, the armies had been brought.

Prabhupāda: Everything was done by Kṛṣṇa.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 1, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: They are conch shells, small conchshells. They are called gunja, gunja. They are called gunja? (break)

Guest (4) (Indian man): ...ahaṁ yogī nikita.(?) So what is that? Can you give me some light on that?

Prabhupāda: Karma-yogī means one who does everything for Kṛṣṇa. He's karma-yogī.

Guest (1): One who does everything for...?

Prabhupāda: For Kṛṣṇa.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 18, 1976, Mayapur:

Harikeśa: He just wanted to know if someone was allowed to come for darśana.

Prabhupāda: Yes, let them come. This time, five to seven? (conchshell sounds) (Bengali) (break) Śrīmad-bhāgavata-dharma is for the person who is not jealous. Paramo nirmatśarāṇāṁ (SB 1.1.2). This very word is used in the beginning, that "This bhāgavata-dharma is meant for persons who is not jealous." Otherwise the material, whole world is full of jealousy. Even during the time of Kṛṣṇa there was Paundra, out of jealousy. And there were so many. Beginning from Kṛṣṇa's birth the asuras were jealous—"How to kill Kṛṣṇa." This is the whole mat.... Even in the higher planetary system the jealousy is there, asuras and the devas, devasura. So our business is, as instructed by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā. This jealousy will go on. Therefore one has to learn how to tolerate jealousy.

Room Conversation -- January 18, 1976, Mayapur:
Prabhupāda: So those who are neither equal nor higher, how they can dictate? That is their mistake. Either first of all become higher than him—then you dictate—or you be equal with him—then you suggest. You are lower and you want to dictate? What is this nonsense? (Bengali) By standard, one who is lower, they want to dictate. (Bengali) (loud conchshell) Bas. (laughter) Hare Kṛṣṇa. They may be very big visioner. (Bengali) A pakkā Vaiṣṇava like you, to find out faults, what is this? Rādhārāṇī is.... (Bengali) They have not united. They have disunited. And here, practically you see all religions, all nations, all persons, all philosophy. Everything is there. (Bengali) They have come with their life. (Bengali) C.I.A. (Bengali) Less common sense they have. They haven't got even common sense. (break) ...on behalf of Kṛṣṇa, so all the money should be given to us. The money actually belongs to Kṛṣṇa.
Morning Walk -- February 5, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: That's all right, but He creates by His energy. Just like I am creating this institution, but I am not doing directly, but my men or my assistants, they are doing it. (sound like conch) What is this sound?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Intercom.

Prabhupāda: So why this intercom? Inter...?

Hṛdayānanda: To speak from one room to another.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It connects the pūjārī room and... It connects the pūjārī room, the office, your secretary, and up here, Bhavānanda Mahārāja.

Prabhupāda: (break) ...accepted, now He created and that... What is that next? Explain.

Morning Walk -- April 7, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: I think śaṅkha. That is the conchshell.

Akṣayānanda: (break) ...thread from the Deity, the old sacred thread, and they tie it on their wrist. They tie it here.

Prabhupāda: Who?

Akṣayānanda: Some of the devotees have started to do that now.

Prabhupāda: Why?

Akṣayānanda: I don't know.

Room Conversation with Scientists -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: Yes. He is favorable, keep in touch. (long pause)

Svarūpa Dāmodara: One thing I wanted to ask was about the ārati, in offering ārati, now we blow the conchshell, but, ah, coming out the pūjārī from the altar, outside, when the pūjārī blows the conchshell, he does this, especially in Atlanta, and I think in other temples also I have seen, the pūjārī comes out of the...

Rūpānuga: Yes, he comes on this side of the altar and blows the conchshell. Is that all right? It should be behind the curtain or in front of the curtain?

Prabhupāda: Behind the curtain?

Rūpānuga: He should blow it behind.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: No, what he does is, the pūjārī comes out while the other devotees are there, behind the curtain, and then blows the conchshell.

Prabhupāda: To make the sound audible? But there is no harm.

Room Conversation with Scientists -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: Why not? It can be done.

Hari-śauri: I think they took that from Vṛndāvana. In Vṛndāvana, they blow the conchshells, they come out onto that little balcony and blow.

Rūpānuga: I also wanted to ask a question, Śrīla Prabhupāda, on dancing in the temple room during ārati, especially maṅgala-ārati. Is it not that the devotees should not turn their back while dancing to the Deity?

Prabhupāda: No, no.

Rūpānuga: And that they should not bump each other or dance with each other personally, distracting the attention from the Deity? Shouldn't all the dancing be focused toward the Deity?

Prabhupāda: Sometimes dancing is done here in peculiar method. (laughter). That is not desirable. The dancing, Caitanya Mahāprabhu is showing.

Room Conversation -- October 31, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: They have proposed it. That Houston politician, "It is spreading like epidemic." Hm? Come. "It is spreading like epidemic. Something must be done." Otherwise one day they'll capture our government." That's a fact. If so many young men join this movement, they will vote. Because your country is democratic. (conchshell blows) Do this what I suggested.

Haṁsadūta: Yeah. You see them...

Prabhupāda: (indistinct) (break) "What is this pressure?" "Sir is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. (laughter) And very bad." Some day somebody says, "No it is good." (laughter) But Kṛṣṇa pressure.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Talk -- April 25, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: The oven. (laughter) He is third class. And the second class, blowing in the conchshell, pūjārī. And first class? Blowing in the ear and becoming spiritual master. (laughter) But their business is...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Blowing.

Prabhupāda: Either here or in the conchshell or in the fire, first, second, third. This is a very..., said three way.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bengali language has so many...

Prabhupāda: Bengalis are very poetic. That's a fact.

Room Conversations -- July 7, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: The bone of animal is the conchshell, and that is used in Deity room. It is... The conchshell is nothing but bone of an animal.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Right. He says that he has a plan. "We want to inlay the thrones for the new temple with beautiful shells if it is permitted."

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Room Conversation -- October 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So, whatever Nava-yogendra has presented, let it be sold and utilized...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In Mombassa.

Prabhupāda: Mm. Sometimes presentations are sold at higher price by bid. Yes. That is the way.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: By bid. The most valuable thing, you gave to Gurukṛpā Mahārāja-conchshell. But he did not pay anything for it.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. He'll worship. Jaya Nitāi-Gaura.

Correspondence

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Sri Padampat Singhania -- Kanpur 7 May, 1957:

The Vedas say that stool is impure but the stool of the cow is pure. The Vedas say that bone is untouchable but the conchshell which is also a bone is perfectly pure. For the common man the statements of the Vedas appear to be contradictory. But in spite of such contradiction, because we Hindus accept the Vedas as authority we accept cow dung as pure and allow it to be used even in the kitchen. So also we accept the conchshell. The conchshell is after all a bone of an animal but because it is accepted by the Vedas we allow conchshell to be used in the sanctified room of our family deity. If we examine in the physical laboratory or analyse it by chemical test we won't find any difference between the stool of a man and that of a cow or the bone of an ox and that of a conch. And yet the whole Hindu Muslim conflict, the whole struggle of Gandhi and Jinnah and the whole question of Kashmir problem in the UNSCO have arisen from this petty difference of bones only. In the Hindu temple the bone conchshell is already there but as soon as a Muhammadan throws a piece of bone of the ox in the temple—the whole trouble began, resulting in the partition of India and Pakistan.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Hamsaduta, Himavati -- Los Angeles 3 March, 1968:

Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your nice letters, one dated the 23rd of Feb. and the other undated. I have noted the contents, and your attitude of service is so nice. I am pleased to hear that you have begun practicing for the Kirtana party; please keep me informed how you are progressing. Yes, if you like, you can also arrange for costumes and wig; one boy may be dressed as Lord Caitanya, another as Nityananda, as well as Gadadhara, Advaita with white beard and Srivasa with shaven head. Responsive chanting is very nice; one good singer may lead, and the others may join in. That is the system in India. It is very good for two reasons especially: One, the chanter gets to rest, so he does not become tired, and two, you get to chant and hear, that is the process. You may also have melodious accompaniment instruments, and amplifiers. Blowing of the conch shell and horns is very nice.

Letter to Aniruddha -- Los Angeles 14 November, 1968:

Arati is performed at 1 1/2 hour before sunrise to awaken the Deities. Each offering is made by moving it in 7 big circles, starting at the Lotus Feet of the Lord, and going clockwise round. First of all, burning camphor or ghee (5 fires if possible) is offered in this way, slowly circling them before the Lord. With left hand bell is being rung, and with right hand the offerings are made by circling. Next burning dhupa is offered. Then water is offered in a conchshell. Then a nice handkerchief is offered. Then a nice flower, as a rose. Then the Deities are offered a fan, nice peacock feather fan. And the last item is the blowing of the conch shell three times. Throughout arati there is bell ringing, cymbals, mrdanga, gong, harmonium, etc.

Letter to Jadurani -- Los Angeles 25 December, 1968:

2. Devaki is sitting in a different palace room and Visnu with His four hands (conch, club, wheel, lotus) in yellow dress appeared before her. In this scene, Devaki and Vasudeva are bowing down to Lord Visnu and praying.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Jayapataka -- Los Angeles 14 February, 1969:

About the shell which you are presently keeping in the temple, because it is not a conchshell, it should be considered as impure, and therefore it may not be placed upon the altar. Regarding the meter sung by Narada Muni, it is not necessary for us to practice this. For your final question, you are correct in your idea that leaflets which are destined to be thrown upon the ground should not contain pictures of Krishna, Jagannatha, etc. Such leaflets may only be hung up for people to see.

Letter to Prabhas Candra Mittra -- Los Angeles 17 February, 1969:

7. 3 water conch shells

8. 2 blowing conch shells

9. 1 Bengali New Year (1375) panjika

In addition to these items, you may be receiving a letter from Vrindaban about a pair of murtis which are to be sent as a free gift to us.

Letter to Nara-narayana -- Los Angeles 25 February, 1969:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated February 14, 1969, and I am just now having the opportunity of replying to your inquiries. So far as the Deities are concerned, this has been discussed many times, so just do it nicely using your best judgment to make Them like the Deities which are there in N.Y. with you as far as possible. Your idea of placing conchshell in the eyes is nice and you may do it. You have the perfect example of the Deities in New York, so if you can similarly make some Deities for our other centers it will be very nice accomplishment.

Letter to Prabhas Babu -- New Vrindaban 4 June, 1969:

Back To Godhead 8 wooden incense holders, 5 tubes incense, 7 tulsi malas from Vrindaban with kuntis and counter beads, regular items for performance of puja namely, conch, 5-light lamp, incense holder, cup and spoon, one set of Srimad-Bhagavatams, notes, etc. In addition, 8 bundles of books were sent to you by Atma Ram & Sons, containing Srimad-Bhagavatam, Vol. One—104 copies, Vol. Two—110 copies, Vol. Three—46 copies.

Letter to Krsna dasa -- New Vrindaban 13 June, 1969:

Regarding Sivananda's plan to go to Paris, it may be suspended till I request him to do so. In the meantime I have received information from London that they have secured a nice house at the cost of $400 per month, so they want me to go there by the end of July. In the meantime, if you think my presence in Hamburg will help your organization, I can go there for a few days. But I do not know what is your financial condition. So if you are serious to call me, you can let me know by return of post. I have received a letter from Mandali Bhadra that they are positively going there on the 27th of June. Regarding the conch shell that was donated, it is welcome. You can use it in the temple.

Letter to Dr. Syama Sundardas Brahmacari -- Hamburg 5 September, 1969:

I understand that you will remain at Jagannatha Puri for some time, so if you like to supply us some goods from there, you can make some profit out of it. If you kindly send me quotations for the following goods, I would appreciate it very much: 1) Jagannatha Deity set—Lord Jagannatha, Balabhadra and Subhadra of all different sizes. 2) Silverwares made in Cuttack 3) brass utensils like jhanj, karatalas, and worshiping materials, 4) conchshells, and 5) saris made in Orissa and adjoining places. If you like to purchase these goods on our behalf, then I shall send you money, and if you desire, you can add some percentage for your profit on the purchase price. In this way, if you pack up these goods nicely and send to the nearest port for dispatching, then you can do very good business and make some profit. So I hope you will give me some price quotations immediately for the above things and let me know if you are interested in doing this business.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Yamuna -- Los Angeles 16 January, 1970:

The arati articles may be returned to the same places, especially the conch shell, but the deeps, lamps, should be set down from their places because they must be washed.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Los Angeles 15 April, 1970:

The atheist theoretically can deny the presence of God, but the presence of God in form of Death is present before him despite his flouting. You have seen the picture of Lord Narayana—He has got four hands, two hands are for the atheist and two hands are for the theist. For the theist-devotee the Lord has the Lotus-flower or blooming peace and prosperity, and the Conchshell dissipating all inauspicity by its vibration. But for the atheist there is the big Club for hammering on the head of the atheist, or separate the head of the atheist by the sharpened edge of the Disc.

Letter to Ekayani -- Los Angeles 3 May, 1970:

Regarding the color of Balaramaji, He is colored like milk white with little bluish tint and rosy luster. Our idea of whiteness is of the milk foam. Regarding whether ivory is offerable to Krsna, yes, ivory is pure. Although it is a bone of an animal, still it is as pure as the conchshell which is also the bone of an animal.

The six armed form which Lord Caitanya disclosed to Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya had two hands of Lord Ramacandra, two hands of Krsna and two hands of Lord Caitanya. Perhaps you have seen the picture in our New York temple which was brought from India by Kirtanananda Swami.

Letter to Tribhuvanatha -- Los Angeles 18 July, 1970:

Please accept my blessings, I beg to acknowledge receipt of your nice letter dated 13rd June, 1970, and just the other day I have received your package containing gifts of conchshell, sandalwood incense, orange socks and flowers as well as your beads for initiation. I beg to thank you for all these nice presentation and they are all being appropriately employed.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Jagadisa -- Allahabad 16 January, 1971:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letters dated 10th, 20th, 25th and 29th December, 1970, and have noted the contents carefully. Also I have received the conchshell necklace made by Laksmimoni. It is very nice. Please thank her.

Letter to Govinda -- Calcutta 28 May, 1971:

The jewelry offered to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Nityananda should be very carefully set and kept in a secure place. There is no question of animal bone. As I have already told you, Ivory Jewels, conchshell and cow dung are all pure. Everything is pure when employed in the service of the Lord. Just like the mrdanga kohl is made of skin and still it is held as pure. If you want more karatalas and mrdangas, you can contact Jayapataka Swami here in Calcutta (3, Albert Road; Calcutta-17, INDIA). So coral and mother of pearl are all right. Many Deities are made of coral.

Letter to Jadurani -- Bombay 31 December, 1971:

In reply to your question whether TLC or the original cover of Srimad-Bhagavatam gives the authoritative picture of the hand symbols, what is written in TLC is correct. On page 69 of TLC first there is a description of the symbols for Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha. Then follows a description of the representations of Narayana. Although there should be twenty, only eighteen are given. The two who are missing are Sri Kesava who is represented holding from the lower right hand lotus, conch, disk, club; and Sri Vamana holding conch, disk, club, and lotus flower. So altogether this makes twenty-four. The twenty-two as they are written in TLC are correct.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Sudama -- Bombay 25 November, 1972:

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 14, 1972, and I have noted the contents with care. Yes, we shall base our preaching work on Lord Caitanya's formula: sankirtana. After all, He is God, and if He recommends, what is the question of failure? that is not possible. If we simply stick to this programme as I have done it since the beginning, namely, kirtana, preaching, kirtana, distribution of prasadam—if you do like this only that will be sufficient. Of course, you may make the kirtana as nice as possible, with dancing, many kholes, karatalas, conches, and if you preach sincerely, anyone will listen and become convinced.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Govardhan Das -- Bombay 18 October, 1973:

Regarding your successful book distribution, you should know that this is the greater preaching. I am very much pleased. the conch shells as you have described may be kept on the altar as decoration, but they must be kept clean. Everything on the altar must always be clean.

Letter to Makhanlal -- Los Angeles 11 December, 1973:

Nancy—Vidamba dasi

I am returning their beads by separate post. See always to their welfare in Krsna Consciousness.

The conch shell is place on the altar and used for blowing. It is pleasing to the Deity and a bona fide item of worship. Never mind all the rumors you have heard.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to ISKCON Artists -- Bombay 2 May, 1974:

12. Yes, the inhabitants of a particular Vaikuntha planet have the same arrangement of symbols in the hands. Nanda and Sunanda should hold as follows: lower right: conch, upper right: disc, upper left: club, lower left: flower.

Page Title:Conchshell (Lectures, Conv. and Letters)
Compiler:Rishab, Mayapur
Created:17 of May, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=37, Con=19, Let=21
No. of Quotes:77