Symbols Related to Lord Krishna and Lord Vishnu

1)   Conch(shankha) stands for the five elements and eternity. These elements are Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Aether. Lord Vishnu issued the Omkara or the primordial sound Aum through His conch.

2)      Discus (Sudarshana Chakra) it means a wheel or force field.It is also the symbol of the mind. It was made by Lord Shiva and gifted to Lord Vishnu as a token of love. The story of Lord Vishnu's most excellent devotion to Lord Shiva is relayed in a story where Lord Vishnu offered a thousand lotuses to Lord Shiva every day. One day in order to test the sincerity of Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva hid one of the lotuses. When Lord Vishnu discovered that He was one lotus short, in order to complete his vrata he plucked one of his eyes out and offered it to Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva became highly pleased and gifted Sudarshana Chakra to Lord Vishnu.

3)      Mace (gada) symbolizes power.

4)      Lotus () is the symbol of the cosmos. It is also the symbol of purity & transcendence. Lotus rests on water but it does not touch it.

5)      Primal Serpent (Sheshanag) Lord Vishnu sits on the shesh-naag which represents the desire of consciousness in humankind.

6)      Garuda is Lord Vishnu's Vehicle.

7)      Flute (murali) symbolizes divine music. It is the call from the Lord, inviting every creature to His abode. Lord Krishna is the ideal of divine love, the God of love. The flute also sysmbolizes a human heart, which is made hollow (ie. free from wordly thoughts). Only such heart qualifies to become a flute for the God of love to play upon. When the heart is not empty, ie. it is occupied with thoughts pertaining to worldly pains and pleasures, there is no scope for divine love.

8)      Peacock's feathers (Mor-pankh) are a symbol of beauty and knowledge.