The Biography of Nang Kwak - Nang Supawadee
The Biography of Nang Kwak - Nang Supawadee
The Well revered Deity of Sales who is so adored in Thailand.
The Thai Legend of Nang Kwak is the helper of all shop owners and merchants. Revered, as the patron Saint of Business owners, is always seen beckoning customers with her right hand raised. She is one of the best-known legends in Thailand.
Mae Nang Kwak is represented as a beautiful woman wearing a red dress (not always, but more often than other colors) fashioned in Thai. She also wears a golden crown on her head. Nang Kwak sits in a kneeling position with her right hand raised in the way of beckoning to the customer, with the palm pointing downwards. Her left hand was holding a bag of gold or resting on her lap.
The legend of Nang Kwak originates from India, where she was known as Nang Supawadee, the daughter of a small merchant during the dawn of Buddhism about 2500 years ago. At that time, Supawadee parents were small merchants who earned just enough to support their small family. One day, as Supawadee was helping her parents sell in a neighboring town, she was fortunate to hear a sermon delivered by Phra Gasabatera (an Arahant). Upon hearing the Buddhism teachings, she was so convinced that she took refuge in the Triple Gem immediately and became a devout follower of Buddhism.
When Phra Gasabatera saw her faith and devotion, he summoned his wills and concentration of an Arahant and bestowed blessings of great fortune and luck in salesmanship on Supawadee and her family. In addition, Phra Gasabatera gives a particular boon to Supawadee, for she will be blessed extraordinarily if she attentively all teachings of the Dhamma every time. Fortunately, on their business trip to another town they went to, Supawadee was lucky to have the opportunity to listen to the preaching of Phra Sivalitera, which happened to be around the teaching of Dharma taught by Lord Buddha Sakyamuni.
Supawadee received good teachings from this master and thus became well-versed and knowledgeable in Dharma. Phra Sivali bestowed blessings of Metta (loving-kindness) upon her for her diligent efforts in the study and practice of Dharma. Remember the boon that is granted to her earlier by Phra Gasabatera. With Phra Sivali's teaching, Supawadee's luck and Metta increase more rapidly. When she sets her heart on the practice of Dharma. As a result, Phra Sivali is endowed with extreme psychic powers. When he concentrated all his mental strength and efforts to bestow the Metta blessing upon Supawadee, the result was an especially strong effect of the gift.
Due to the excellent blessing from these two saints, whenever Supawadee accompanied her parent on their business trips, sales were fantastic; they will sell all their goods in no time. No matter when, if Supawadee did not follow them to the market’s place, the sales were pretty meager. So her parents decided that their transactions would be best if they bought their daughter Supawadee with them on their sales trips because they believed that the sales increase was due to the blessings and merits granted to her.
Supawalee had brought great fortune to the family; they became extremely wealthy merchants in a short time in a short time. Supawalee father was very well-liked because he was known to be kind and generous. He would always offer and ask people he met along his way if they were going the same way and wished to hitch a ride-along. Many peoples who got to ride with him noticed the extreme power of Metta Maha Niyom of his daughter Nang Supawadee, whose blessings had caused her parents to become successful and wealthy merchants.
From then, people began to reverence her as a cause of good fortune in selling and businesses. After many years, Supawalee parents became old and passed away, leaving their blessed daughter Supawalee behind; Supawadee continued the sales, earning people's love and devotion. Eventually, Supawalee grows old and passes away at the end of her life, but she remains in the human world with her heart to help people.
The Statue of the Supawadee image and Phayant (cloth talisman) were made after her death, and offerings caused to her, which she believed to be a saint. However, her legend lives on in the heart of many people who adored her as the patron saint and guardian angel of all merchants. Many continue to pray to her and make offerings to her image to increase merit and receive high sales in business dealings. When Supawadee passed away, people believed that if they prayed to Supawadee, their businesses would be more successful than before.
The legend of Supawadee spread to Thailand at the time. Buddhism and the Hindu Brahmin faith spread into Siam, as Thailand was then called. The Brahmins brought statues of Supawadee in the form of a young girl sitting on a cart. Changing the name to Nang Kwak and the state of the figures into a lady sitting with her right hand raised and beckoning to customers and with her left hand holding a bag of gold or resting on her lap. Thai people noticed that the Bhramins appeared to be more successful in business and quickly adopted Supawadee for the prayer of worship offered.
Today nearly every shop and house in Thailand believes that good business will come to those who worship her. Anyone who wishes good luck in their sales would seek out an image or statue of Supawalee and make offerings to her, inviting her spirit to come and reside in the figure to bring them luck in their sales. The name Nang Kwak in Thai “Nang” means lady, and “Kwak” says wave and beckoning. Nang Kwak is a spirit supposed to bring money to you. If you want to improve your finances and increase sales, then Nang Kwak will always offer assistance. Pay due reverence to the Goddess of Wealth and repeat the Katha. Your generosity and good deeds in making merit will be rewarded.
