What Does Vishnu Hold in His Hands?

The conch is used to symbolize the "Om", the sound that is believed to be the first sound at the beginning of creation. The discus represents the chakra, or mind. Vishnu's lotus flower represents fertility and creation. In one Hindu creation story, the lotus sprang from Vishnu's naval as he considered the creation of man. The mace that Vishnu holds symbolizes mental and physical strength. The mace also represents the strength of time in the sense that nothing conquers time and, by comparison, nothing that stands against the mace can conquer it.