Every conch has a name

pāñcajanyaṃ hṛṣīkeśo devadattaṃ dhanañjayaḥpauṇḍraṃ dadhmau mahāśaṅkhaṃ bhīmakarmā vṛkodaraḥ

Krishna blew Panchajanya, Arjuna blew Devadatta, and mighty Bhima blew the great conch Paundra.

What it means

Sanjaya names each conch, as if introducing characters. Krishna, called Hrishikesha, lord of the senses, blows Panchajanya. Arjuna, the winner of wealth, blows Devadatta, the god-given. Bhima, the wolf-bellied giant of fierce deeds, blows Paundra. Each sound belongs to someone.

The story

In the old stories these conches were not ordinary shells. Panchajanya was won by Krishna, Devadatta was a gift from the gods to Arjuna. By naming them, Sanjaya reminds the blind king who these men are, and what they have survived to stand here.

In your life

Think of a grandmother's ring, a first guitar, a worn running watch. Objects carry our stories. Before a big challenge, it can help to hold something that reminds you who you have already been.