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?
नारद उवाच स्वधापूजाविधानं च ध्यानं स्तोत्रं महामुने । श्रोतुमिच्छामि यत्नेन वद वेदविदांवर
Narada said: O great sage, I wish to hear the method of worship, meditation, and praise of Svadhā; please tell me, O foremost knower of the Vedas.
श्रीनारायण उवाच ध्यानं च स्तवनं ब्रह्मन् वेदोक्तं सर्वमङ्गलम् । सर्वं जानासि च कथं ज्ञातुमिच्छसि वृद्धये
Shri Narayana said: O Brahmin, meditation and praise, as spoken in the Vedas, are wholly auspicious; you know everything, so why do you wish to learn for further growth?
शरत्कृष्णत्रयोदश्यां मघायां श्राद्धवासरे । स्वधां सम्पूज्य यत्नेन ततः श्राद्धं समाचरेत्
On the thirteenth day of the bright half of autumn, on the day of Maghā, during the Śrāddha rite, one should carefully worship Svadhā and then perform the Śrāddha ceremony.
स्वधां नाभ्यर्च्य यो विप्रः श्राद्धं कुर्यादहंमतिः । न भवेत्फलभाक्सत्यं श्राद्धस्य तर्पणस्य च
If a learned Brāhmaṇa performs the Śrāddha without first worshipping Svadhā, he does not partake of the fruit of the Śrāddha or the offering of libations—this is the truth.
ब्रह्मणो मानसीं कन्यां शश्वत्सुस्थिरयौवनाम् । पूज्यां वै पितृदेवानां श्राद्धानां फलदां भजे
I honor Svadhā, the mind-born daughter of Brahmā, ever youthful and steadfast, worthy of worship by the ancestors and the gods, bestower of the fruits of Śrāddha rites.
इति ध्यात्वा शिलायां वा ह्यथवा मङ्गले घटे । दद्यात्पाद्यादिकं तस्यै मूलेनेति श्रुतौ श्रुतम्
Having meditated thus, whether on a stone or an auspicious pot, one should offer water for washing the feet and other items to her, as prescribed in the scriptures.
ओं ह्रीं श्रीं क्लीं स्वधादेव्यै स्वाहेति च महामुने । समुच्चार्य तु सम्पूज्य स्तुत्वा तां प्रणमेद् द्विजः
Oṃ hrīṃ śrīṃ klīṃ, to Goddess Svadhā, svāhā—having pronounced this, worshipped her, and praised her, the Brāhmaṇa should bow down.
स्तोत्रं शृणु मुनिश्रेष्ठ ब्रह्मपुत्र विशारद । सर्ववाञ्छाप्रदं नॄणां ब्रह्मणा यत्कृतं पुरा
Hear, O best of sages, wise son of Brahmā, the hymn composed by Brahmā of old, which grants all desires to people.
श्रीनारायण उवाच स्वधोच्चारणमात्रेण तीर्थस्नायी भवेन्नरः । मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यो वाजपेयफलं लभेत्
Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: By merely uttering the name of Svadhā, a person becomes as if bathed in holy waters, is freed from all sins, and attains the fruit of the Vājapeya sacrifice.
स्वधा स्वधा स्वधेत्येवं यदि वारत्रयं स्मरेत् । श्राद्धस्य फलमाप्नोति बलेश्च तर्पणस्य च
If one remembers 'Svadhā, Svadhā, Svadhe' three times a day, one attains the fruit of the Śrāddha and the offering to the strong ancestors.