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.
श्राद्धकाले स्वधास्तोत्रं यः शृणोति समाहितः । स लभेच्छ्राद्धसम्भूतं फलमेव न संशयः
Whoever listens with concentration to the hymn of Svadhā at the time of Śrāddha surely obtains the fruit arising from Śrāddha—there is no doubt.
स्वधा स्वधा स्वधेत्येवं त्रिसन्ध्यं यः पठेन्नरः । प्रियां विनीतां स लभेत्साध्वीं पुत्रगुणान्विताम्
Whoever recites 'Svadhā, Svadhā, Svadhe' at the three junctions of the day will obtain a beloved, virtuous, faithful wife endowed with the qualities of a good son.
पितॄणां प्राणतुल्या त्वं द्विजजीवनरूपिणी । श्राद्धाधिष्ठातृदेवी च श्राद्धादीनां फलप्रदा
You are as dear as life to the ancestors, the very embodiment of the livelihood of Brāhmaṇas, the presiding goddess of Śrāddha, and the bestower of the fruits of Śrāddha and related rites.
नित्या त्वं सत्यरूपासि पुण्यरूपासि सुव्रते । आविर्भावतिरोभावौ सृष्टौ च प्रलये तव
O virtuous one, you are eternal, the embodiment of truth and virtue; your manifestation and withdrawal occur at creation and dissolution.
ॐ स्वस्तिश्च नमः स्वाहा स्वधा त्वं दक्षिणा तथा । निरूपिताश्चतुर्वेदैः प्रशस्ताः कर्मिणां पुनः
Oṃ, Svasti, Namaḥ, Svāhā, Svadhā, and Dakṣiṇā—you are thus established by the four Vedas and praised by those who perform rites.
कर्मपूर्त्यर्थमेवैता ईश्वरेण विनिर्मिताः । इत्येवमुक्त्वा स ब्रह्मा ब्रह्मलोके स्वसंसदि
These were created by the Lord solely for the fulfillment of rituals; having thus spoken, Brahmā remained in his own assembly in Brahmaloka.
तस्थौ च सहसा सद्यः स्वधा साऽऽविर्बभूव ह । तदा पितृभ्यः प्रददौ तामेव कमलाननाम्
Then, suddenly, Svadhā appeared there; at that time, he gave her, with a lotus face, to the ancestors.
तां सम्प्राप्य ययुस्ते च पितरश्च प्रहर्षिताः । स्वधास्तोत्रमिदं पुण्यं यः शृणोति समाहितः । स स्नातः सर्वतीर्थेषु वाञ्छितं फलमाप्नुयात्
Having received her, the ancestors rejoiced; whoever listens with concentration to this auspicious hymn to Svadhā, having bathed in all holy waters, attains the desired fruit.
इति श्रीमद्देवीभागवते महापुराणेऽष्टादशसाहस्र्यां संहितायां नवमस्कन्धे नारायणनारदसंवादे स्वधोपाख्यानवर्णनं नाम चतुश्चत्वारिशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the forty-fourth chapter, named 'The Description of the Story of Svadhā,' in the dialogue between Nārāyaṇa and Nārada, in the ninth book of the great Purāṇa, Śrīmad Devī Bhāgavata, comprising eighteen thousand verses.
दक्षिणोपाख्यानवर्णनम् श्रीनारायण उवाच उक्तं स्वाहास्वधाख्यानं प्रशस्तं मधुरं परम् । वक्ष्यामि दक्षिणाख्यानं सावधानो निशामय
The Description of the Story of Dakṣiṇā. Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: The account of Svāhā and Svadhā has been told, excellent and supremely sweet; now, listen attentively as I narrate the story of Dakṣiṇā.