Tag: oarni

hinducosmos:

Ritual Water Vessel Conch shell
c. 11th century or earlier. Bengali or Orissan

The god Vishnu uses a conch shell as a war trumpet and it is one of his identifying attributes. Within the rondel on this shell Vishnu is represented in his martial role as protector of the universe. He flies through the sky on his mount, the bird-man Garuda, holding his weapons—the shell-trumpet, the mace, and the discus.
(via Philadelphia Museum of Art)