Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 44
Kṛṣṇa Comforts His Parents, Restores Ugrasena, Studies with Sāndīpani, and Returns the Guru’s Son
तदङ्गप्रभवं शङ्खमादाय रथमागमत् । तत: संयमनीं नाम यमस्य दयितां पुरीम् ॥ ४२ ॥ गत्वा जनार्दन: शङ्खं प्रदध्मौ सहलायुध: । शङ्खनिर्ह्रादमाकर्ण्य प्रजासंयमनो यम: ॥ ४३ ॥ तयो: सपर्यां महतीं चक्रे भक्त्युपबृंहिताम् । उवाचावनत: कृष्णं सर्वभूताशयालयम् । लीलामनुष्ययोर्विष्णो युवयो: करवाम किम् ॥ ४४ ॥
tad-aṅga-prabhavaṁ śaṅkham ādāya ratham āgamat tataḥ saṁyamanīṁ nāma yamasya dayitāṁ purīm
Lord Janārdana took the conchshell that had grown around the demon’s body and went back to the chariot. Then He proceeded to Saṁyamanī, the beloved capital of Yamarāja, the lord of death. Upon arriving there with Lord Balarāma, He loudly blew His conchshell, and Yamarāja, who keeps the conditioned souls in check, came as soon as he heard the resounding vibration. Yamarāja elaborately worshiped the two Lords with great devotion, and then he addressed Lord Kṛṣṇa, who lives in everyone’s heart: “O Supreme Lord Viṣṇu, what shall I do for You and Lord Balarāma, who are playing the part of ordinary humans?”
The conchshell the Lord took from Pañcajana, which is called Pāñcajanya, is the same one He sounded at the beginning of the Bhagavad-gītā. According to the ācāryas, Pañcajana had become a demon in a way similar to that of Jaya and Vijaya. In other words, though appearing in the form of a demon, he was actually a devotee of the Lord. The Skanda Purāṇa, Avanti-khaṇḍa, describes the wonderful things that happened when Lord Kṛṣṇa sounded His conchshell:
FAQs
In this episode, Krishna goes to Yama’s abode to recover His teacher Sāndīpani Muni’s lost son, showing His protection of devotees and reverence for the guru.
The conch, taken after the earlier encounter, becomes a divine emblem used by Krishna to announce His presence and uphold dharma.
It teaches responsibility and gratitude toward one’s teachers and dependents—acting decisively to correct wrongs and protect others.