Shloka 19

Procedure for the Guḍa-dhenū (Jaggery-Cow) Gift; Ten Dhenu-dānas; Yearlong Gaṅgā Worship and Darśana

Devanagari script

स्वधा या पितृमुख्यानां स्वाहा यज्ञभुजा च या । सर्वपापहरा धेनुः सा मे शांतिं प्रयच्छतु ॥ १९ ॥

Transliteration

svadhā yā pitṛmukhyānāṃ svāhā yajñabhujā ca yā | sarvapāpaharā dhenuḥ sā me śāṃtiṃ prayacchatu || 19 ||

Translation

जी पितृमुख्यांसाठी ‘स्वधा’ आणि यज्ञभाग घेणाऱ्या देवांसाठी ‘स्वाहा’ आहे, जी सर्वपापहरिणी धेनु आहे—ती मला शांती प्रदान करो।

Word by Word

• svadhā: Svadhā (pitṛ-offering formula)
• svadhā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svadhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā (Nom. 1st), Ekavacana (sg.)

• yā: who
• yā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā (Nom. 1st), Ekavacana (sg.)

• pitṛ-mukhyānām: of the foremost Pitṛs
• pitṛ-mukhyānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक) + mukhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Ṣaṣṭhī (Gen. 6th), Bahuvacana (pl.); ‘of the chief among the Pitṛs’

• svāhā: Svāhā (offering formula)
• svāhā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svāhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā (Nom. 1st), Ekavacana (sg.)

• yajña-bhujā: partaker of the sacrifice
• yajña-bhujā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक) + bhuj (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā (Nom. 1st), Ekavacana (sg.); ‘one who partakes of the sacrifice’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-avyaya (conjunction)

• yā: who
• yā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā (Nom. 1st), Ekavacana (sg.)

• sarva-pāpa-harā: removing all sins
• sarva-pāpa-harā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + hara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā (Nom. 1st), Ekavacana (sg.); ‘remover of all sins’

• dhenuḥ: cow
• dhenuḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhenu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā (Nom. 1st), Ekavacana (sg.)

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā (Nom. 1st), Ekavacana (sg.)

• me: to me
• me: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Caturthī (Dat. 4th), Ekavacana (sg.); enclitic

• śāṃtim: peace
• śāṃtim: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śānti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Dvitīyā (Acc. 2nd), Ekavacana (sg.)

• prayacchatu: may (she) bestow
• prayacchatu: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√yam (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (Imperative), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana (sg.), Parasmaipada

Speaker

Narada (as a prayer/śānti-invocation within the Uttara-Bhāga narrative)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Svadhā
• Svāhā
• Pitṛs
• Devas (Yajña-bhuj)

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It identifies the sacred Cow as the embodied power behind ritual offerings—Svadhā for ancestor rites and Svāhā for divine offerings—thereby portraying her as a universal purifier who bestows śānti (inner and outer peace).

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

Bhakti appears here as reverent surrender: the devotee prays for peace by honoring sacred, dharma-sustaining principles (yajña, pitṛ-tarpaṇa, purity), seeing the Divine order reflected even in ritual mantras like Svadhā and Svāhā.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual application (Kalpa-Vedāṅga): the correct usage and intent of the mantras Svadhā (for Pitṛ offerings) and Svāhā (for deva offerings) within yajña and related rites aimed at purification and śānti.