Svāhā in the Yagya: Meaning and Importance

Abstract

Svāhā is the word generally used in the Yagya when an offering is made to the fire. Generally in Yagya offering is made to the deity with deity Mantra; in this procedure, after the mantra is chanted, it is followed by word ‘Svāhā’ and ‘Idam-Na-Mama’. The offering is particularly put in the fire with the word ‘Svāhā’. The present study explored the meaning of Svāhā through Indian Scripture. Description of Svāhā is present in the all types of Indian literature i.e. Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas, Brahmana and well commented by Scholarly works. The study summarized the 3 types of implications of Svāhā i.e. 1) Svāhā is inseparable from Yagya Agni as it is depicted as wife of Agni, 2) Svāhā is essential portion of ritual i.e. Yagya is considered incomplete while offerings made without chanting of Svāhā; as Agni can not avail the offerings to deities, 3) Svāhā teaches how one should made offerings i.e. offerings shall be made with complete surrender, humility and sweetness full of emotions, after establishing oneself in wisdom, without ego, and attachment, and thus, only such offerings through Svāhā can be taken by Agni to the deities for welfare of the individual and society.

Keywords

• Svāhā
• Agni
• Yagya
• Fire