Significance of Shankh, Chakra, Gada, Padma

Hindu Iconography has the four arms: "sattvam rajastama iti ahamkaras chaturbhuja?" (Gopala Uttara Tapaniya Up. 55). The four arms represent the three fundamental qualities (gunas) and the notion of individuality as aha?kāra from which all existence arises. Four is the number of the earth, and represents the fulfillment of manifestations in all the spheres of existence.

Thus they represent all the following; a. The cardinal directions:– indicating that the Lord is all pervading and has perfect dominion over all the directions. b. The Yaj?a kunda (fire pit):– the Lord is known as Yaj?a Purusha, he is the sole enjoyer of the sacrifices as well as being the sacrifice itself, and as such his arms represent the four Vedic kundas (garhapatya, ahavaniya, avasathya, sabhya). This is also the reason why he wears a yellow garment signifying the fire of the ku??ā.

c. The four Vedas:– Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharvana. d. The four divisions of society:– intellectuals, administrators, entrepreneurs, and workers. e. The four stages of life:– student, householder, retirement and renunciate. f. The four levels of consciousness; waking (jagrata), dream (svapna), sub-consciousness (sushupti) and transcendental consciousness (turiya).

g. The four types of devotees:? distressed, inquirer, the opportunist and the sage. h. The four functional manifestations (vyuhas):– Vasudeva, Aniruddha, Pradyumna, Sankarshana. i. The four essential components of dharma:– truth (satya), austerity (tapa), compassion (daya), and charity (Dana). j. The four aims of human endeavor (purusharthas);– pleasure (kama), prosperity (artha), righteousness (dharma) and liberation (moksha).

k. The four types of liberation (mukti):– comunion (sayujya), association (sarupya), contiguity (samipya), collocation (salokya). l. The four ages of the universe:– (yugas) Satya, Treta, Dvapara, Kali. m. four types of birth :— gods (deva), humans (manushya), animals (tiryak) and organic (sthavaram). n. The four types of Yogas:— j?ana, karma, bhakti and saranagati o. The four types of differentiation among all existing things:— genus (jāti), form (rūpa), nature (svabhava) and knowledge (jnana). p. The four qualities of all manifested beings:– category (jāti), attributes (guna), function (kriya), relationship (sambandha).

The Conch (Shankha): The conch represents the first manifestation of articulate language— AUM— nada brahman. This monosyllable contains within itself all language and meaning in a potential state. It is the seed from which speech developed — the nutshell containing the whole of wisdom. All the forms of the universe are effects of the primeval sonic vibration. Thus the conch is the symbol of the origin of existence. Its shape is a spiral, starting at one point and evolving into ever increasing spheres. It comes from water, the first compact element. When blown it produces the sound AUM.

The conch is named paanchajanya which means 'born-of-five' and it is the representation of the pure-notion-of-individuality, (Satvika ahamkara), from which are evolved the principles of the five elements. (Padma Purana 4;79;222). According to the Vedic account of creation, in the beginning Brahman (the Supreme Being) alone existed then a desire arose to expand and manifest, the first sense of individuality arose within Him, and from this primeval sense of individuality gradually the process of evolution of the Universe was set into motion.

During war in ancient India the conch was blown to signal the commencement of the battle, it was also blown by the victorious parties to announce their victory. The Lord's blowing of the conch therefore indicates that He is always ready to do battle with the forces of evil and for the protection of the devotees.

The Discus (chakra): bala svarūpam atyanta javenāntaritānilam | cakra svarūpa?ca mano dhatte vi??u? kare sthitam || 70 || (Vishnu Purana 1;22; 70.) In the form of mighty power, revolving swifter than the winds— the Universal Mind in the form of a wheel is held in the hand of Vishnu. The Cosmic Mind has the unlimited power which creates and destroys all spheres of existence (lokas) and forms of the universe, the nature of which is to revolve. According to the Ahirbudhnya Samhita 2;26, the Discus represents the "will-to-multiply". In the beginning the Lord said to Himself eko'ham bahu syam — I am one, may I become many. And thus He projected the manifold universe that we see around us. There is only one center to the wheel but it is said to have a thousand spokes (sahasrara).

The Discus is called sudarshana which means 'pleasing-to-see', it is usually shown in iconography with a hexagon in the center. The six points of the two triangles represent the six seasons in a yearly time cycle, in the center nave is the seed sound (bija) 'hrim', which represents the changeless, motionless center, the Supreme Cause. The Wheel has eight spokes and 8 wings, which represent the eight syllables of the sacred Ashtakshari mantra, while the outer circle of the wheel represents 'māyā', the divine power of manifestation.

"athā??āram-a??apatra? cakra? bhavatya??āk?arā vai gāyatrī gāyatryā sa?mita? bhavati barhir-māyayā ve??ita? bhavati k?etra? k?etra? vai māyai?ā sa?padyate || (Nrsimha purva tapaniya" -Up 5;2.) In the microcosm the Universal Mind corresponds to the active-notion-of-individual-existence (rajas ahamkara) that is associated with the fiery principle. "The prodigious power of the mind can destroy all forms of ignorance, hence the discus is the fearful weapon which cuts off the heads of all the demons of error ". (Sri Vishnu tattva sidhanta 5;19 44-45).

The Lotus (Padma): The lotus represents the manifested universe, the flower that unfolds in all its glory from the formless and infinite waters of causality. "a??adikpālakair-bhūmi padma? vikasita? jagat | sa?sārār?ava sa?jāta? sevita? mama mānase" || (Gopala Uttara Tapaniya Up. 51). From the Ocean of Creation rises the Universe which appears in My Mind: the regents of the eight directions are its eight opened petals. The pure and unsullied lotus arising from the depth of the waters and far from the shore is associated with the idea of purity and with sattva which arises from the law-of-conduct (dharma) and knowledge (j?ana). The Lotus is symbolic of the enlightened mind. It rises in the mud of material existence gradually growing through the waters until it reaches the surface and then opens up to the sun in all its glory. Water splashed upon a lotus leaf never remains but immediately slips off. In the same way the dirt of worldliness never stain the enlightened being.

The Mace (gadā): bu"ddhirapyāste gadārūpe?a mādhave" || (Vishnu Purana 1;22;68.) The mace which Krsna wields is the Intellect. The mace is the form of strength or power and the intellect is the highest power, by the power of mind one person can control thousands. The mace is thus the symbol of the intellect (buddhi) or the power of knowledge. It is called kaumodaki which means “the-stupifier-of-the-mind”. The power of knowledge is the essence-of-life (prā?a tattva) from which all physical and mental powers come. Nothing else can conquer time and itself become the power of time. "gadā ca kālikā sāk?āt sarva ?atru nibarhi?ī" | (Krishna Upanishad 23) The mace is Kāli, the power of time, and it destroys everything that opposes it.

The Sword & Scabbard; "bibhartti yaccāsiratnam acyuto 'tyanta nirmalam | vidyomayantu tajj?ānam avidyāko?a sa?sthitam" || (Vishnu Purana 1;22;73.) The sword which Sri Krsna possess is the sword of Immaculate Wisdom, The sheath in which it is kept is the sheath of Ignorance. The sword represents Pure Knowledge (j?āna) whose substance is wisdom (vidya)— It is called nandaka which means the “source-of-joy”. This flaming sword is the powerful weapon which destroys ignorance. The sheath represents nescience (avidya).

Bow & Arrows; "bhūtādim indriyādi?ca dvidhāha?kāram ī?vara? | bibhartti ?a?kha-rūpe?a ?ār?ga rūpe?a ca sthitam" || (Vishnu Purana 1;22;69.) The Lord supports aha?kāra (notion of individuality or self-identification) in its twofold division — into the material elements and the indriyas (10 organs) as the emblems of His conch and bow. The bow is the destructive aspect of the-notion-of-individuality (tāmasa aha?kāra)-This aspect is associated in the creation of the world with the disintegrating tendency and with the origin of the indriyas ( sensory and motor faculties) and their fields of activity in the material world.

"yānīndriyā?ya?e?ā?i buddhikarmātmakāni vai | ?ararūpā?ya?e?ā?i tāni dhatte janārdana?" || (Vishnu Purana 1;22;72.) Janardana bears in his numerous shafts the faculties of both action and perception. This activity of engaging in sense gratification is symbolized by the arrows, held within the quiver which is the storehouse of actions. The arrows are then shot at objects within the field of our daily experience. On the path to enlightenment the bow represents the psychological foundation from which spiritual unfoldment takes place. The arrow of the mind is aimed at its target which is the Ultimate Truth, and then with skillful means of spiritual techniques (sādhana) it is released to fly to its ultimate goal, never to return. Om Namo Narayana