सुखदं मोक्षदं सारं किं भूयः श्रोतुमिच्छसि । नारद उवाच स्वाहापूजाविधानं च ध्यानं स्तोत्रं मुनीश्वर
It is the essence that brings happiness and liberation—what more do you wish to hear? Narada said: O lord of sages, the method of worship, meditation, and hymn to Svāhā—
सम्पूज्य वह्निस्तुष्टाव येन तद्वद मे प्रभो । श्रीनारायण उवाच ध्यानं च सामवेदोक्तं स्तोत्रपूजाविधानकम्
By which Fire, having been duly worshipped, praised her—please tell me that, O Lord. Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: The meditation, as spoken in the Sāma Veda, and the method of hymn and worship—
वदामि श्रूयतां ब्रह्मन् सावधानो मुनीश्वर । सर्वयज्ञारम्भकाले शालग्रामे घटेऽथवा
I shall tell you, O Brahman, listen attentively, O best of sages: at the beginning of all sacrifices, whether at a Śālagrāma or in a pot,
स्वाहां सम्पूज्य यत्नेन यज्ञं कुर्यात्कलाप्तये । स्वाहां मन्त्राङ्गयुक्तां च मन्त्रसिद्धिस्वरूपिणीम्
One should worship Svāhā with care and perform the sacrifice for the attainment of perfection, invoking Svāhā, who is endowed with the limbs of mantra and embodies the perfection of mantras.
सिद्धां च सिद्धिदां नॄणां कर्मणां फलदां शुभाम् । इति ध्यात्वा च मूलेन दत्त्वा पाद्यादिकं नरः
Meditating on her as accomplished, bestowing success, giver of the fruits of actions, and auspicious, and then, with the root mantra, offering water and other items,
सर्वसिद्धिं लभेत्स्तुत्वा मूलमन्त्रं मुने शृणु । ॐ ह्रीं श्रीं वह्निजायायै देव्यै स्वाहेत्यनेन च
One attains all accomplishments by praising with the root mantra. Listen, O sage: 'Oṃ hrīṃ śrīṃ to the goddess, wife of Fire, Svāhā'—
यः पूजयेच्च तां भक्त्या सर्वेष्टं सम्भवेद् ध्रुवम् । वह्निरुवाच स्वाहा वह्निप्रिया वह्निजाया सन्तोषकारिणी
Whoever worships her with devotion will surely obtain all desired things. Fire said: Svāhā is dear to Fire, the wife of Fire, the giver of satisfaction,
शक्तिः क्रिया कालदात्री परिपाककरी ध्रुवा । गतिः सदा नराणां च दाहिका दहनक्षमा
She is power, action, giver of time, the one who brings maturity, eternal; always the path of men, the one who burns, capable of consuming.
संसारसाररूपा च घोरसंसारतारिणी । देवजीवनरूपा च देवपोषणकारिणी
She is the essence of worldly existence, the savior from terrible transmigration; the life of the gods, the nourisher of the gods.
षोडशैतानि नामानि यः पठेद्भक्तिसंयुतः । सर्वसिद्धिर्भवेत्तस्य इह लोके परत्र च
Whoever recites these sixteen names with devotion attains all accomplishments in this world and the next.
नाङ्गहीनं भवेत्तस्य सर्वं कर्म सुशोभनम् । अपुत्रो लभते पुत्रं भार्याहीनो लभेत्प्रियाम्
Nothing will be incomplete for him; all his actions will be excellent. A sonless man obtains a son, one without a wife obtains a beloved.
रम्भोपमां स्वकान्तां च सम्प्राप्य सुखमाप्नुयात्
Obtaining a beloved like Rambhā, he attains happiness.
स्वधोपाख्यानवर्णनम् श्रीनारायण उवाच शृणु नारद वक्ष्यामि स्वधोपाख्यानमुत्तमम् । पितॄणां च तृप्तिकरं श्राद्धान्तफलवर्धनम्
The narration of Svadhā begins. Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: Listen, O Nārada, I shall tell you the excellent account of Svadhā, which satisfies the ancestors and increases the fruit of śrāddha rites.
सृष्टेरादौ पितृगणान्ससर्ज जगतां विधिः । चतुरश्च मूर्तिमतस्त्रींश्च तेजःस्वरूपिणः
At the beginning of creation, the Lord of the world created the groups of ancestors—four in form, and three in the form of energy.
दृष्ट्वा सप्तपितृगणान् सुखरूपान्मनोहरान् । आहारं ससृजे तेषां श्राद्धं तर्पणपूर्वकम्
Seeing the seven groups of ancestors, pleasing and delightful in form, he prepared food for them, preceded by offerings and oblations.
स्नानं तर्पणपर्यन्तं श्राद्धं तु देवपूजनम् । आह्निकं च त्रिसन्ध्यान्तं विप्राणां च श्रुतौ श्रुतम्
Bathing, oblations, offerings to ancestors, worship of the gods, daily rites up to the three sandhyas, and what is heard in the scriptures for the Brahmins.
नित्यं न कुर्याद्यो विप्रस्त्रिसन्ध्यं श्राद्धतर्पणम् । बलिं वेदध्वनिं सोऽपि विषहीनो यथोरगः
A Brahmin who does not daily perform the three sandhyas, offerings to ancestors, oblations, sacrificial food, and Vedic recitation is powerless, like a snake without venom.
देवीसेवाविहीनश्च श्रीहरेरनिवेद्यभुक् । भस्मान्तं सूतकं तस्य न कर्मार्हश्च नारद
One who is devoid of service to the Goddess and eats food not offered to Shri Hari, whose end is ashes and impurity, is unfit for ritual, O Narada.
ब्रह्मा श्राद्धादिकं सृष्ट्वा जगाम पितृहेतवे । न प्राप्नुवन्ति पितरो ददति ब्राह्मणादयः
Brahma, having created offerings and rites for the ancestors, departed for their sake; the ancestors do not receive unless Brahmins and others give.
सर्वे च जग्मुः क्षुधिताः खिन्नास्तु ब्रह्मणः सभाम् । सर्वं निवेदनं चक्रुस्तमेव जगतां विधिम्
All, hungry and distressed, went to Brahma's assembly; they made their plea to him, the lord of the worlds.
ब्रह्मा च मानसीं कन्यां ससृजे च मनोहराम् । रूपयौवनसम्पन्नां शतचन्द्रनिभाननाम्
Brahma created a mind-born daughter, enchanting in form, endowed with beauty and youth, whose face resembled a hundred moons.
विद्यावतीं गुणवतीमतिरूपवतीं सतीम् । श्वेतचम्पकवर्णाभां रत्नभूषणभूषिताम्
She was learned, virtuous, exceedingly beautiful, pure, of white champaka hue, adorned with jeweled ornaments.
विशुद्धां प्रकृतेरंशां सस्मितां वरदां शुभाम् । स्वधाभिधां च सुदतीं लक्ष्मीलक्षणसंयुताम्
She was pure, a portion of Prakriti, smiling, bestower of boons, auspicious, named Svadhā, graceful, endowed with Lakshmi's marks.
शतपद्मपदन्यस्तपादपद्मं च बिभ्रतीम् । पत्नीं पितॄणां पद्मास्यां पद्मजां पद्मलोचनाम्
Bearing feet placed on a hundred lotus petals, she became the wife of the ancestors, lotus-faced, lotus-born, lotus-eyed.
पितृभ्यश्च ददौ ब्रह्मा तुष्टेभ्यस्तुष्टिरूपिणीम् । ब्राह्मणानां चोपदेशं चकार गोपनीयकम्
Brahma gave her to the ancestors, who were pleased, as the embodiment of satisfaction; he also instructed the Brahmins in a secret manner.
स्वधान्तं मन्त्रमुच्चार्य पितृभ्यो देयमित्यपि । क्रमेण तेन विप्राश्च पित्रे दानं ददुः पुरा
Reciting the mantra ending with Svadhā, it is to be given to the ancestors; thus, in succession, the Brahmins formerly gave offerings to the fathers.
स्वाहा शस्ता देवदाने पितृदाने स्वधा स्मृता । सर्वत्र दक्षिणा शस्ता हतं यज्ञमदक्षिणम्
Svāhā is praised for offerings to the gods, Svadhā is remembered for offerings to the ancestors; everywhere a gift is praised, a sacrifice without a gift is destroyed.
पितरो देवता विप्रा मुनयो मनवस्तथा । पूजां चक्रुः स्वधां शान्तां तुष्टुवुः परमादरात्
The ancestors, gods, Brahmins, sages, and Manus worshipped Svadhā, peaceful, and praised her with utmost reverence.
देवादयश्च सन्तुष्टाः परिपूर्णमनोरथाः । विप्रादयश्च पितरः स्वधादेवीवरेण च
The gods and others, satisfied and their desires fulfilled, as well as Brahmins and ancestors, by the boon of the goddess Svadhā.
इत्येवं कथितं सर्वं स्वधोपाख्यानमेव च । सर्वेषां च तुष्टिकरं किं भूयः श्रोतुमिच्छसि
Thus everything has been told, including the account of Svadhā, which brings satisfaction to all; what more do you wish to hear?