Birth of Svaha
Narada said-0 Narayana, О Mahabhaga, О Lord, no one is comparable to you in beauty, quality, glory, tejas and lustre. You are the best of all the intellectuals, siddhas, yogis, mendicants the sages and the best of the people well-versed in the Vedas. I have listened with great devotion, to the auspicious story of MahalaksmI as told by you. Now you kindly tell me some other deep story which may be quite secret, beneficial to all as told in the Puranas, with the background of the Vedas and is quite religious.
Narayana said—О Brahma, there are several types of stories brought out in the Puranas. The Vedas also contain several such secret stories which are difficult of access for all.
Out of these stories you intend to listen to those which happen to be the essence. Which one of them would you like to listen to? I shall surely speak out the same.
Narada said—In all these religious deeds relating to the goddesses, Svaha is considered to be the most important one, besides the performing of charity and home. For the rites which are to be performed in favour of the manes, Svadha happens to be the foremost but the glory of daksina is considered to be the best. Therefore, you kindly let me know the story of each one of them including their birth, the merit one derives from their adoration. I would like to listen to the same from your mouth since you are the best of those who are well-versed in the Vedas. Therefore you kindly tell me the same.
Sauti said—On hearing the words of Narada, Narayana the best of the sages, smiled for a moment and then started narrating the old stories of the Puranas.
Narayana said—In the earlier times, the gods while searching for food reached Brahmaloka which is difficult to reach by others and is quite pleasant. О sage, reaching there, the gods prayed to Brahma for their food. Brahma listening to their request promised to fulfil their desire and started adoring at the feet of lord Vishnu.
Lord Vishnu then appeared in one of his rays as yajna. Whatever offerings were made in the yajna, Brahma did everything for the sake of the gods. О best of the sages in the yajna, all the Brahmanas and Ksatrlyas made all the offerings with devotion, but the same could not reach the gods.
Feeling disturbed in their minds, the gods again went to Brahma and enquired of him about the reason for their not getting the food.
Brahma then listened to their words and devoting his mind towards Lord Krishna adored his Prakrti.
Thereafter taking to the fonn of the supreme salcti, the same Prakrti with one of her rays turned herself into the form of fire flames and was then called herself as Svaha.
She was putting to shame the lustre of the sun of the mid-day during the summer season. She thus possessed a charming, attractive and beautiful figure.
Wearing a serene smile on her face, she showered her blessing on her devotees. Moving towards Brahma she said to him, “O bom of the lotus, you ask for a boon. ”
On hearing her words Brahma became nervous and started speaking to her.
Brahma said—You become the spouse of god Agni as his burning instinct, possessing all the beauties. Because without you the god of fire is unable to burn anything dropped in the fire.
By reciting your name after all the mantras, whatever offerings are made in the fire will delightfully reach the gods.
O mother, you are the riches of Agni, the torm of glory, the treasure of the house and will be adored by the gods and the humans for all times to come.
Thus hearing the words of Brahma, the goddess was upset in her mind and she expressed her feelings to Brahma thus.
Svaha said—О Brahman, I shall achieve Lord Krishna after performing tapas for a long time and shall adore him always because nothing is beyond him and whatever there it is like a dream.
By whose grace you happen to be the creator of the universe Siva has been victorious over the death, Sesa preserves the universe and Dharma stands as the witness to all.
Ganesa happens to be adorable by all and became the leader of the gartas by whose grace Prakrti emerged and was adored by all.
And by serving him all the sages and mendicants became graceful, I always adore at the lotus-like feet of the same lord.
Thus speaking to Brahma, who was bom out of lotus, Svaha moved towards the tank of lotus flowers and seated on a lotus she started performing tapas. Svaha performed tapas there fore a lakh of years standing on one leg. After this period she had an audience with Lord Krishna who is beyond Prakrti.
The beautiful damsel casting a glance on the immensely beautiful lord Krsna became passionate and fainted.
But the all-knowledgeable Lord Krishna could understand her desire and he took her into his lap who had grown quite lean and thin because of performing tapas and said to her.
Sri Krsna said: “O damsel during the time of the incarnation of Varaha you wolild be bom of my ray in the house of the king Nagnajita as a daughter named NagnajitI and become my spouse. О beautiful one, currently you become the wife of Agni and take to burning. With my grace you will always form part of the mantras and also remain sanctified. The fire god taking you as his wife will adore you with devotion and shall always remain with you pleasantly. О Narada, Lord Narayana thus speaking to her, disappeared from the scene and with the permission of Brahma, the god Agni getting terrified reached there. With the recitation of Samaveda, dhyanam the fire god adored the mother of the universe offering prayers to her. Thereafter reciting the mantras, he received her hand. Thereafter, proceeding to a pleasant and secluded place which was most suited for the physical union, he enjoyed her company for a divine hundred years. She was then conceived with the tejas of the god of fire and the conception remained intact for twelve years. Thereafter three sons named Daksinagni, Garhapatya and Ahavanlya were bom who were quite beautiful. Thus all the sages, the mendicants, Brahmanas, started mantras with the suffix of Svaha while performing the yajnas. О Brahmana, whosoever recites a mantra with the suffix of Svaha, meets with success with the mere recitation of the same. As a serpent without poison, a Brahmana without the knowledge of the Vedas, a woman deprived of the serving of her husband, a person without the learnings, a tree without the branches and the fruits, are deplorable; similarly the mantra without Svaha is of no consequence. Thus all the Brahmanas felt satisfied with the recitation of the mantras suffixed with Svaha. All the gods started receiving the offerings and all their deeds met with success. Thus I have narrated to you the story of Svaha, which you have heard, which is quite pleasant and provides pleasure and salvation. What else do you want to listen to from me?
Narada said—О best of the sages, О lord you kindly let me know the method of adoring Svaha, her dhyanam, stotra and her prayer of the fire gods after performing pQja and her stiili. You kindly tell me all this.
Narayana said—О Brahman, I am speaking out the method of adoration of the goddess and her stotra as spelt out in the Samaveda. You listen to it attentively. At the beginning of all the yajnas, Sdlagrama and Svaha should be adored for achieving good results.
As a part of the mantra, the fonn of the success of mantra, bestower of success, such a type of Svaha is adored who bestows the results of the good deeds on men. I adore Svaha. After performing this dhyanam the basic mantra should be recited offering prayers to her as a result of which a person meets with all the success. О sage, now I am telling you about her basic stotra.
Reciting this mantra the Goddess should be adored to achieve success.
Vahni said—О Svaha, you are the ray of Prakrti, a part of mantra and tantra and the bestower of the fruits of mantras. You are the one who bears the entire universe, a chaste woman, bestower of success, the one who bestows success on all the people and the bunting instinct of the god of fire, loved by him more than his life, the essence of the universe, the one who redeems the entire universe, the life of the gods and the one who feeds them. The one who recites these sixteen names of Svaha, meets with success in the present as well as future life.
He is not deprived of any limb and he always becomes successful in his life. The one without a son gets a son and the one without a wife gets a wife.
