Svaha

In Hinduism and Buddhism, the Sanskrit lexical item "svāhā" (chi. 薩婆訶 " sa po he") is an interjection, approximately "hail!" in mantras indicating the end of the mantra. In the Tibetan language, "svaha" is translated as "so be it" and is often pronounced and orthographically represented as "soha". Whenever fire sacrifices are made, "svāhā" is chanted. Etymologically, the term is probably from "su" "well" and the root "ah" "to call".

As a feminine noun, svāhā in the Rigveda may also mean "oblation" (to Agni or Indra), and as oblation personified, Svāhā is a minor goddess, and the wife of Agni. She was originally a nymphFact|date=February 2007 but became immortal after marrying Agni, with whom, in some versions, she is the mother of Karttikeya. She is considered as a Daughter of daksha. She is taught to preside over burnt offerings. Her body is said to consist of the four vedas and her six limbs are the six Angas of the Vedas. Sometimes she is represented as a wife of rudra [ MW Sanskrit Digital Dictionary v1.5 ]

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