Symbols of the tools carried by the Gods

The following is inspired by Devdutt Pattanaik. It is so interesting that I thought I should share it with you....
Read on

Lord Shiva carries a trident and a rattle drum

Brahma is identified by his:
Books, rosary and pot

Vishnu is identified with 4 symbols:
Conch shell, trumpet or shankh, discus whirring around his index finger or chakra
A mace or gadda and a lotus or padma

Vishnu’s Conchshell or Shankh:
It is blown to announce his presence in a battlefield in Vedic times…it is a measure of lung power and mind control…

Vishnu’s Chakra which whirrs around his index finger is a weapon and a symbol.
As a Weapon: It strikes the target and returns to Vishnu’s finger.
As a symbol of life it indicates that what goes around comes around…
The mace or gadda is like a teacher’s ruler to punish those who do not do what they are supposed to do.

The Lotus is born, lives and dies in the water and yet remains untouched by water…The Lotus inspires us of the same mode of conduct in Life. Though we are born in the world, live in the world and die in the world we should be untouched by it!