Swaha (lakshmi mantra)

[Guest guest]

Namaste all,

 

It is not a great idea to rely on simplistic dictionaries. The

meaning quoted by Chandrashekhar ji is too restrictive.

 

Fire doesn't have to be physical fire that we can see. There are

various kinds of fire within our own bodies. For example, it is

the agni (fire) in the digestive system that causes hunger and

also digests food. It is also agni in the brain that makes us

learn and understand things. There are so many fires (agnis)

within the human body. Agni is basically a transforming energy.

Offering is not necessarily made to a material/external agni.

 

In fact, agni is one of the 5 basic elements. One has to correctly

realize the meanings of these five elements. If one thinks that

agni is physical fire, jala is physical water, bhoo is physical

earth and so on, one will be at pains to explain how and why this

whole universe is said to be made of the five elements.

 

A mantra for awakening Anahata chakra is "Kleem Krishnaaya

Govindaaya Gopijanavallabhaaya Swaahaa". This is not necessarily

read while throwing material offerings into fire. This mantra is

meant for surrendering the individual soul, which typically

resides in Anahata chakra, to the Ishta devata (represented by

Krishna). Anahata chakra contains two sparks - individual soul

and ishta devata. This mantra is meant for surrendering to the

ishta devata.

 

There are many such examples that contain "Swaahaa" and do not

involve pouring ghee or something into a fire, even though that

is the standard correspondence many people have in their minds

to the word "Swaahaa".

 

Bottomline:

 

Hum and phat stand for commanding and demanding. Swaahaa stands

for surrendering and offering. Namah is neutral.

 

May Jupiter's light shine on us,

Narasimha

 

> Dear Chandrashekarji,

>

> Svaha is not an exclamation!

>

> Svaha means the Lord's transcendental potency by which everything is

> manifested; through mantra japa, offering of viniyoga and in the

closing

> rites through oblations in the fire.

>

> Mahalakshmi is also referred to as Svaha

> (Padma Purana Section VI Uttarakhanda 186.12-33.)

>

> Best wishes,

> Swee

> www.brihaspati.net

>

>

> Chandrashekhar [boxdel]

> 21 December 2003 22:12

> vedic astrology

> Re: [vedic astrology] Re: lakshmi mantra

>

> Dear Swee,

> The dictionary meaning of "Swaahaa" is " ind. (prob. fr. 5. %{su}

and

> %{ah} ; cf. %{dur-AhA}) hail! hail to! may a blessing rest on!

(with

> dat. ; an exclamation used in making oblations to the gods ; with %

{kR}

> [ind. p. %{-kA4ram} , or %{-kRtya}] and acc. `" to pronounce the

> exclamation Sva1ha1 over "') RV. &c. &c." and " f. an oblation

(offered

>

> to Agni , Indra &c.) or Oblation personified (as a daughter of

Daksha

> and wife of Agni ; she is thought to preside over burnt-offerings ;

her

> body is said to consist of the four Vedas , and her limbs are the

six

> An3gas or members of the Veda ; she is represented also as a wife

of the

>

> Rudra Pas3u-pati) RV. &c. &c."

> You can draw your own conclusions.

> Regards,

> Chandrashekhar.

> Swee Chan wrote:

>

> > Jaya Jagannatha

> >

> >

> >

> > Dear Chandrashekarji,

> >

> >

> >

> > So, if you are submitting yourself to the deity also, you can use

> > swaahaa. Swaahaa is not restricted to a "material" offering.

> >

> >

> >

> > Agree, this is how I am taught.

> >

> >

> >

> > Best regards,

> >

> > Swee

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > ** Chandrashekhar Sharma [boxdel]

> > *Sent**:* 20 December 2003 22:04

> > *To:* vedic astrology

> > *Subject:* RE: [vedic astrology] Re: lakshmi mantra

> >

> >

> >

> > Dear Nasimhaji,

> >

> > Yes your interpretation could be right.My view is that swaha

refers to

>

> > offering of things other than one's ego as in surrender. Like

> > Indraaya swaha, Taxakaaya swaha. Of course I could be wrong.

> >

> > Regards,

> >

> > Chandrashekhar.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > ** pvr108 [pvr@c...]

> > *Sent:* Saturday, December 20, 2003 5:01 AM

> > *To:* vedic astrology

> > *Subject:* [vedic astrology] Re: lakshmi mantra

> >

> > Dear Chandrasekhar ji,

> >

> > Yes, that is a standard convention. Offering something in fire

> > basically symbolizes submission and offering.

> >

> > However, dravya yajna (material fire ritual) is only one kind

of

> > yajna. Sri Krishna teaches that there are other non-material

> yajnas.

> > Material yajnas are only symbolic. A yajna need not be

material.

> >

> > So, if you are submitting yourself to the deity also, you can

use

> > swaahaa. Swaahaa is not restricted to a "material" offering.

> >

> > Atleast, this is my understanding.

> >

> > I will be away during the weekend in New Jersey. Talk to you

all

> on

> > Monday.

> >

> > May Jupiter's light shine on us,

> > Narasimha

> >

> >> Dear Narasimha,

> >> If I am not wrong the second mantra is more likely to be used

when

> > making an

> >> offering to the deity. Especially when the offering is put in the

> > Agnikunda.

> >> Chandrashekhar.