Shraddha

Shraddha (Śraddhā) is the personification of faith, devotion, and trust, regarded as an essential quality for spiritual progress in Hindu dharma. The term appears in the Rigveda (10.151) as a hymn to Śraddhā, where she is invoked as the power that inspires offerings and sustains the gods. In the Upanishads, particularly the Chāndogya Upanishad (7.19-20), Śraddhā is described as the foundation of truth and the means to attain the Self. The Bhagavad Gītā (17.2-3) classifies faith according to the three guṇas, stating that a person's faith shapes their being.

In Purāṇic literature, Śraddhā is sometimes considered a daughter of Daksha and a wife of Dharma, as in the Mahābhārata (Ādi Parva 66.12-13), where she is listed among the daughters of Daksha who become mothers of various beings. Iconographically, Śraddhā is depicted as a serene woman holding a lamp, symbolizing the light of faith that dispels ignorance, or a lotus, representing purity and spiritual awakening. She may also be shown making an offering, signifying the trust in divine grace. As a goddess, she is worshipped in some traditions, particularly in rituals that emphasize devotion and surrender.

In Hindu cosmology, Śraddhā is the inner attitude that enables one to receive knowledge and grace; without it, even the study of scriptures remains barren. Regional traditions, especially in South India, honor Śraddhā in household rites and temple festivals, where she is invoked as the mother of all virtuous qualities. The Skanda Purāṇa (Kāśī Khaṇḍa 11.12) extols her as the consort of Śiva in his form as Śraddhādhara, the bearer of faith. Her role is central in the path of bhakti, where faith is the key to liberation.

The mantra 'Om Śraddhāyai Namaḥ' is used in meditation to cultivate unwavering trust in the divine.

Depicted as a serene woman, often holding a lamp or lotus. Represents the power of faith.