Why Swaha is added whenever any offerings is made to Deity either through Agni or otherwise?

[Padmanabhan.J]

OM pranaaya swaha
OM Apaanaya swaha
OM Vyaanaya swaha
OM Udaanaaya swaha
OM Samaanaaya swaha
OM Brahmaney swaha


What is the significance of this Mantra and Why Swaha is added whenever any offering is made to any Deity through Agni or oerwise?
Regards

Padmanabhan

[V. Balasubramani]

Re: Why Swaha is added whenever any offerings is made to Deity either through Agni or otherwise?

Sir, I read somewhere that swaha is the name of Agni's Bhagwans Dharmapathni. And Angi Bhawan is more willing to accept whatever the offering made to the Gods thro' the Homam if his dharmapathi's name is recited along with every manthra. I have no authentication to this. Shall try to find the source. With Pranams

[V. Balasubramani]

Re: Why Swaha is added whenever any offerings is made to Deity either through Agni or otherwise?

source: India-Forums - I got this info on the net..from the mahabharat website www.mahabharataonline.com . "As per Narada and Vayu Puranas, Draupadi was composite Avatar of Goddesses Shyamala (wife of Dharma), Bharati (Wife of Vayu), Sachi (wife of Indra), Usha (wife of Ashwinis) and hence married their earthly counterparts in form of Five Pandavas. Enraged at a jest by Parvati and the four goddesses, Brahma cursed them to human birth which the solution Parvati brought about was to be born as one woman, Draupadi and hence share the earthly body for a smaller period of time. Draupadi 's characteristic anger and fight against injustice reflects the Parvati or her Shakti, Kali inhabiting Draupadi 's mortal flesh at times. At other times, Draupadi was docile and even waited to be rescued (as in case of Jayadratha and Jatasura) showing the qualities of other goddesses like Sachi and Usha. Other times, she showed cunning and guile to hide their true identity and still use Vayu putra Bhima to kill Keechaka like Goddess Bharati would. Draupadi was also avatar of Goddess Shree or Wealth who was joint wife to five Indras, aka Five Pandavas. She was to be born several times for imprisoning the Indras. First time was as Vedavati who cursed Ravana (here we find yet another goddess Avatar Swaha, wife to Agni). She then came again as Maya-Sita especially to take revenge from Ravana while Agni hid the real Sita. Third one was partial either Damyanti (whos ehusband Nala was equivalent to Dharma, Vayu, Indra just like the Pandavas) and her daughter Nalayani. She married Sage Mudgala. Fifth Avatar was Draupadi herself. So we find in Draupadi, a composite avatar of Kali, Parvati, Sachi, Shyamala, Usha, Bharati, Shree, Swaha, the eight goddesses."

[Padmanabhan.J]

Re: Why Swaha is added whenever any offerings is made to Deity either through Agni or otherwise?

Dear Sir, Thanks for your valuable reply, i appreciate it.
If members can share their knowledge on the queries raised here, all will be benefited, this is my view.
Coming to the question i have read another view about Svaha which i would like to share with you and others.
Why any offering made through Agni ends with “Svaha’?

Svaha : She is one of the consorts of Lord Agni. When performing a sacrificial fire (hom), at the end of a mantra an oblation is offered after chanting svaha because it is believed that a sacrificial fire bestows benefits only if svaha is uttered in this way. When praying to Agni, Sage Grutsamad says, “O Agni deliver the oblation offered through the fire amidst chanting of the word svaha to deities” (Rugveda 2.3.11).
Svaha is the daughter of Daksha and Prasuti and the consort of Agni. She acquired the ability to deliver food to deities because of Her austerities. She gave birth to four sons namely the three fires Pavak, Pavaman and Shuchi and Svarochish Manu (Brahmavaivarta Puran 2.40).
The Devibhagvat narrates Her story as - Lord Vishnu manifested in the form of a sacrificial fire so that deities would get food. Brahmans began to offer oblations in that sacrificial fire. However Agni would not deliver that part of the oblation to the respective deity. Hence the deities approached Lord Brahma once again. Then He meditated upon the female deity (devi) and She manifested Herself in the form of a woman. Lord Brahma named Her Svaha and instructed Her to deliver oblations which were offered in the fire amidst chanting of Her Name to the deities. She accepted the task. Then Agni married Her and She bore three sons, their names being Garhapatya (the fire worshipped in the home), Dakshinagni (the fire placed in the south) and Ahavaniya (the sacred fire lit for a specific spiritual purpose). Since then Brahmans began to offer oblations suffixing svaha to the mantra and deities began to receive their share of oblations. When offering an oblation the Name of the deity is chanted along with the dative case. For example ‘Indraya svaha’ means ‘I offer this oblation to Indra’. It is said that Svaha should be worshipped with the mantra “Om rhim shrim, vahnijayayai devyai Svaha’
Source:hindujagruti.org

[R.Varadarajan]

Re: Why Swaha is added whenever any offerings is made to Deity either through Agni or otherwise?

While performing such sacrificial acts and yajnas, the expression, Swaaha, is used. Yajnas are pure, auspicious, sacred acts. This exclamation Swaaha, used while offering oblations or reciting the Veda, is full of significance. Kesavaaya Swaaha, Praanaaya Swaaha, Indraaya Swaaha: the expression is used in this manner. The meaning generally given is " Let this be duly consumed. May these materials we are now placing in this holy fire be fully accepted and consumed, so that through this Fire they can reach the Deity for which it is intended - kesava, Prana, Indra." Doubts may arise--why pray to Fire for something which is inevitable, because it is the very nature of Fire to burn all that is put into it. But the scriptural meaning is different. Kalidasa in the poem Kumara Sambhavam describes the Himalayas as Devathaatma (Divine Souled), that is to say, the Embodiment of the Divine. The scriptures distinguish the Divine Body and the Material Body, which each entity and being possess. The Divine Body of every one cannot be cognised by the senses. When an oblation is given to it, it becomes sanctified. The Aahuthi is trans-substantiated into Havis.

The oblation or Aahuthi is thus described in the Veda. The offering and offeree become one through the acceptance. (The Attha and the Adya). Who in this case is the offeree, the acceptor? It is Agni, the Divine Power inherent in Fire, in the Sun, in the warmth of the vital air that sustains life. When with the recitation of the appropriate ceremonial formulae, material oblations are placed in Agni with the phrase Swaaha, it is not a mere exclamation; it is expiation; it is realisation of the prayer, which the ritual represents.

For detailed information like the one above, you may visit the site "Modes of worship", using the link given below:

http://www.saidarshan.org/baba/docs/modes.html
Hope this answers your query to some extent,
Varadarajan

[Padmanabhan.J]

Re: Why Swaha is added whenever any offerings is made to Deity either through Agni or otherwise?

Dear Sir

Appreciate your explanation; i wish more such interaction between members when questions are posted. I still have some unanswered questions pending clarifications; i expect detailed answer like yours, not one line answer some member give here as if everyone is born in Vaidheega Family.

[soundararajan50]

Re: Why Swaha is added whenever any offerings is made to Deity either through Agni or otherwise?

The link for Modes of worship its treasure Thank you verymuch