Swaha, Swadha, Dakshina and Phal:

SWAHA AND SVADHA:

Most of us at one or the other time have put ahutis in havan fire. While offering ahutis all of us chant SWAHA. In every family somebody has died at some time or other, hence shradh for the departed souls have also been performed in all the the families. While offering things to ancestors during such rituals specific wording AISH SWADHA ASTU is used. Though, we perform these things automatically but most of us do not know the details about it. To share the information from Brahmvaivart Puraan and Garud Puraan, this small article is being produced here.

A. Swaha:

It is said in B.V.puraan that sage Narada questioned Narayan Muni about Svadha and Swaha shaktis which he lovingly explained to him as below in the Prakriti khand. It goes as below:

Once at the start of the cosmic creation all the devtas went to the abode of lord Brahma and requested him to arrange something so that they receive the required food to sustain themselves. Brahma vowed to provide them food and started meditating on Sri Hari to find the best solution. Sri Hari appeared before him through an ansh in the form of Yagya. What ever ahutis were offered in that yagya, Brahma passed on everything to the respective devtas. But what ever yagyas were performed by Brahmins and Kshatriya on earth with devotion, those ahutis were not received by devtas, thus disheartened they accosted Brahma again. On hearing this, Brahma again meditated on lord Krishna and was advised to pray to Moolprakriti. On being propitiated, that Shakti appeared as power of burning in fire by the name of SWAHA. She was beautiful to look at, was dark in colour and ready to give boons to bhaktas. She asked Brahma to seek a boon. Brahma requested her to become wife of Agni dev as Agni is unable to burn the ahutis in her absence. He told her that who so ever will offer an ahuti in fire by attaching her name with it, that ahuti will be received by the devtas easily and all the divine and humans will always pray to her. On hearing all this she became sad as she wanted to meditate on the lord Krishna and be by His side always. She went for tapasya and stood on one foot for a long time. Lord Krishna became happy with her and gave her darshan. On seeing Him she swooned as she was overwhelmed by his beauty. Lord knew her mental stage and lovingly took her in his lap. He told her that in the Vrahkalp she would become His beloved by the name of Nagnajiti and her father would be king Nagnjit. Right now she should become dear wife of Agni and would be totally cleansed by the mantras, saying this the lord disappeared.

Agni dev came and meditated on Bhagwati, performed poojan of the devi and married her. Both of them enjoyed each other for a period of 100 years. Swaha became pregnant with the tej of Agni dev. She kept it inside her for 12  divine years and at the appropriate time gave birth to three beautiful sons by the name of PAVAK(also called Dakshinagni), PAVMAAN (also called Gharpatya agni)and SHUCHI (also called Ahvahniya agni). Pavak is electricity from water, Pavmaan from churning of great ocean and Shuchi came from Sun. Further Pavak gave birth to Sahraksh, Shuchi to Havyavaha and Paavmaan to Kavyavaha. Sahraksh agni was for Rakshas, Havyavaha agni was given to Devtas and Kavayavaha agni was given to Pitras or ancestors. Same has been tabulated below:-

                                                                       Agni+Swaha(gave birth to three sons)
                                                                                |
                                              ----------------------------------------------------              

Sons:->                               1.  Pavak               2.  Pavmaan              3. Shuchi    
Also called:->                       Dakshinagni           Gharpatyagni         Ahvahniyagni
Source:->                       Electricity from         Churning of great     Came from
                                      Water                          Ocean                       Sun
Gave birth to:->            Sahraksh                      Kavyavaha              Havyavaha
Usage:->                       for Demons                  for Pitras/                for Divinities
                                                                           Ancestors    

Ahvahniya agni was divided in to many parts and put in 16 rivers namely Kaveri, Krishnavena, Narmada, Yamuna, Godawari, Vitsata(Jhelum), Chandrabhaga, Eravati, Vipasha, Kosi (Kaushiki), Shatdru(Satluj), Saryu, Sita, Manasvani, Ahladini and Pavana respectively.   

For poojan of SWAHA devi one should use either a Shaligram shila or establish a Kalash and use mantra Om! Hrim Shrim Vahnijayayai Devyai Swaha. According to Agni dev, Swaha has 16 names as Swaha, Adya, Prakritansha, Mantra Tantra Angroopani, Mantra Pahal Datri, Jagatdhatri, Sati, Sidhiswaroopa, Sidha, Sada Nrinaam sidhida, Hutash dahika Shakti, Hutash Prandhik Rupini, Sansar Saar Roopa, Ghor Sansaar Tarini, Dev Jeevan Roopa, Dev Poshankarini. One who prays to her with these 16 names gets a child if he has none and gets a beautiful dear wife.

B. Swadha:

At the start of creation, Brahma created seven kinds of Pitra or ancestor. Out of them four were with form and three were formless. On creating them he apportioned their food through shradh-tarpan offered with devotion by their family members. Though Brahma devised this whole plan but whatever the brahmins offered to their pitras that did not reach them and hence all of them went to Brahma. On hearing everything a Shakti appeared from the Brahma who was extremely young and beautiful and had all the great qualities. She was smiling and she was named SWADHA. She had all the attributes of bhagwati Laxmi. She was sitting on a white lotus and was made wife of the pitras. It was advised that whosoever will offer things with three times chanting AISH SWADHA ASTU, shall be delivered to the pitras. Just by chanting this three times one gets the fruits of shradh, tarpan and bali. One who repeats this sweet chant in his trikaal sandhya gets a dear and obedient wife.  

It was advised that for her poojan either a Shaligram shila or a Kalash should be used. Her mantra should be Om! Hrim Shrim Klim Swadha Devyai Swaha.  

C. Dakshina and Fruit:

In Gaulok, there was a gopi by the name of Sushila who due to some reason was banished from there by Radhaji. Sushila became Daskhina and did great tapsya and entered in to the body of Luxmi. At that time, what ever difficult yajnas were performed on earth no fruit was provided to devtas. So they went to Brahma again and informed him. He again meditated on Sri Hari and received his instructions. Sri Hari took Dakshina out of the form of Luxmi and gave it to Brahma, who further gave it to yagya Purusha, who became extremely happy. He adored her and performed her poojan, stuti and married her. After some time, she gave birth to a son called Fruit or Phal. This is the fruit of yajna which devi dakshina provides to us. Hence it is advised that whenever we get things performed by Brahmins we must give the agreed Dakshina immediately to them. If it is delayed then it keeps growing all the time and also the fruit keeps decreasing and quite possible whole anushthan may become fruitless. Since she appeared from the right shoulder of Sri Krishna, hence was called Dakshina and being Sheel in swabhav  so was  called Sushila. Her mantra is Om! Shrim Klim Hrim Dakshinayai Swaha.

Thus is the explanation of Swaha, Swadha, Dakshina and fruit of yajna. Hope next time when we are sitting in a havan or shradh, we will perform with greater understanding………….Om!

                                         

                                                         **********************