Please forward this to Iskcon and Hindu Temples

January 5, 2009

THE SACRED LAKSHMI CONCH

(sinistral turbinella pyrum)

By Richard Shaw Brown, PG

RARE LAKSHMI CONCH: Dakshin Shank: The Right-Spiralling Conch Shell

Conch Shells which spiral to the right are very rare and considered especially sacred. The Lakshmi Conch shell is a sacred manifestation of Supreme Goddess Lakshmi, and is most effectively used to bath a genuine Gandaki vajra-kita Shalagram Shila (ammonite from Gandaki River in Nepal having chakra cut by Vajra-kita worms 140 million years ago). The TOP picture showing a genuine Lakshmi Conch with a genuine Shalagram Shila is one of a kind. VERY RARE PHOTO.

'Valampuri' Dakshin Conch & Normal Shank

Fact: The left side opening OR the right side opening Turbinella Pyrum Indian Conch - with 3 to 7 ridges in the conch cavity, and special internal structure is the ONLY Shank that is Vedic. The normal left-side opening Conch is very low price, even less than the bogus ones (Lightning Whelk), and only the Indian Shank is correct for puja.

Genuine Valampuri Lakshmi Shank Turbinella Pyrum Conch shells sell by the gram. Normal size is about 60-120 grams. Depending on quality and number of ridges in the conch cavity they sell for between Rs. 3,000 up to Rs. 20,000 per gram. This means that a genuine Lakshmi Shank can be had for thousands of dollars ONLY. No one has any excuse to use a non-conch shell. Everyone can use either a $2 normal Shank OR a $20,000 Lakshmi Shank. BUT, USE A SHANK (conch), ONLY!

Genuine Sri Lakshmi Conch (sinistral turbinella pyrum)

Lightning Whelk (busycon contrarium) is NOT a Lakshmi Conch

WARNING!!! --- Lightning Whelk: Many temples and puja dealers mistake a Lightning Whelk as a Lakshmi Conch. They are totally wrong. There is ONLY one true Lakshmi Shank, viz., sinistral turbinella pyrum, and the photos here are a darshan of the REAL thing....

It is far better to use a normal left-handed white smooth shank, rather than another type of shell, like a Whelk, that is not even related to a Shank, and which is NOT recommended as pure. Only a Shank is auspicious for puja, what to speak of a shank that opens on the right side, viz., A Lakshmi Shank.

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