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Saraswati is a Hindu goddess of learning. She is the goddess of speech (Vac), the Flowing-One. She
represents the union of power and intelligence from which organized creation arises. Saraswati posseses all the
learnings of the the Vedas, scriptures, dancing, musical power and poetry. She revealed language and writing
to man. Her origin is the lost Vedic river Saraswati. This is the source of her profound connection to fluidity in
any aspect (water, speech, thought, etc.). She is wisdom, fortune, intelligence, nourishment, brilliance,
contentment, splendour and devotion. This page is dedicated to this Beautiful Goddess of Intellect.
Origins of Saraswati
The Sarasvati river was one of the major water causeways in northwest India. The river was navigable in the third
and fourth millennium, BCE, from the Gulf of Khambat (Lothal) throughout Surkotada and Kotda (Dholavira,
close to Bet Dwaraka) and upward th rough Nara-Hakra-Ghaggar-Sarasvati channels, right through to Mathura.
It flowed directly through the Marusthali desert, one of the largest deserts in the world. During the third and
fourth millennium BCE, an extensive civilization lived along its banks . Although considered a part of the Indus
Valley Civilization, these groups of people shared a different lifestyle and different religious practices. All of the
sacrifices and worship practices were primarily done on the banks of the river; the river wa s considered the
most pure and auspicious place to do these sacrifices. The river was described in the Vedas as the "Mother of
all rivers."
One such religious practice used the river directly. As each of us live and interact in this material world, where
the majority of our action s are considered unclean and unhealthy, we accumulate residues of these actions
inside and outside of our body. The practice entailed submerging the whole body into the river. As the waters
engulf and surround, the purity of the waters wash away all the foulness from the body, leaving the body fresh
and pure when emerged from the river. Like a clean slate.
This practice is interesting to note when discussing the migration of the civilization and the migration of
religious practices. In the fourth millennium, the Sarasvati River was drying up due to the dryness of the
prevailing monsoon winds, which did not bring enough rain to keep the region moist. Consequently, the
civilization migrated to the Kubha River, where they renamed the river to the Avestan Sarasvati.
This drying up of the river was a turning point in many of the beliefs of the people, and is noted in the
Upanishads. Here, this act is explained in a myth. The Gods wanted someone to transport "fire" or Agni to the
sea. The gods entrusted the Sarasvati River to perform this task. After gaining permission from her father
Brahma, Sarasvati gathered up all her waters, and formed a body. She then carried the fire to the sea. The
myth holds many symbolic meaning to the religious changes that were developing with the emergence of the
Upanishads, as well as the physical changes of the river. The fire in reference, Agni, was the sacrificial fire and
served as the link between hu mans and the gods. Sarasvati's mission was to take this fire and deliver it to the
sea, which can be associated with the ocean of consciousness, an aspect of the absolute. In doing so , the fire
would become extinguished, and at the same time, would be removed form the world of man (the relative). The
gods choose the Sarasvati River as the only one able to perform this task. Due to the purity of her waters, and
the fact that she is water, she is able to accomplish the task.
In this event, Sarasvati has moved from a sacred river, to a goddess; she is a goddess of purity. She has also
deposed of the sacrifice as the sole mode of reaching the gods and the absolute. As mentioned in the
Upanishads, the sacrifice changes from fi re and rituals, to internalizing the process. In pursing knowledge, a
sacrifice of the self is necessary to exit from the karmic world. In this knowledgeable state, the person
becomes liberated through disciplines of the body, breathing, and mind. As a result, from removing the
sacrificial fire and replacing it with a sacrifice of the self through obtaining knowledge, Sarasvati has now
become the goddess of knowledge and learning. Also, the conventional modes of ritual movements as the
concentration o f the sacrifice was extinguished. In its place, sounds, such as the sound OM and mantras
became the most important quality. Sarasvati was given the title of music and speech.
Although the waters of the ancient Sarasvati River are all dried up, one can still ride on the currents and waves
of Sarasvati to become pure. In the pursuit of knowledge and learning and through proper use of sound and
speech, ultimate purity can now be achieved: moksa.
Saraswati and the Gods
The Puranas relate Saraswati to Brahma and Vishnu. Most frequently, she is associated with Brahma. Her
connection with him dates earlier than to any other God. She is portrayed mostly as his wife and occasionally
as his daughter. When Vishnu's popularity in India increased, myths relating Saraswati to him appeared.
Saraswati and Brahma: When Saraswati is pictured as a wife of Brahma, she is usually portrayed as white
complexioned, wearing white or yellow garments, and accompanied by a peacock or/and a swan (symbols of
Brahma).
Origin of Brahma's 5 heads due to Saraswati: Brahma created Satarupa (Saraswati) out of his own body, and
became enamoured with her. He was looking at her amorously. In order to avoid his glances, Satarupa turned
to the right side from his gaze. In order to see her then, Brahma created a second head. As she passed to his
left and his rear, in order to avoid his lustful glances, two other heads of the god successively appeared. At last
she sprang to the sky, and following her, a fifth head of Brahma was also formed.
(From the Matsya Purana)
Brahma's Great Sacrifice:Brahma decided to perform a great sacrifice and for that purpose he and his wife
Savitri (one of the names for Saraswati) went to Pushkara. When all the preparations were made with due rites
and ceremonies for performing the sacrifice, Savitri, detained by some household affairs, was not in attendance.
A priest was immediately advised to call her. But she replied that she had not yet completed her dress, nor
arranged several affairs. Since without a wife no advantage could be derived by performing a sacrifice, Brahma
advised Indra to bring a wife from wherever he could find one. Indra proceeded accordingly and, he found a
milkmaid Gayatri (another name for Saraswati) who was young, beautiful . Indra seized her and brought to the
assembly. Then Brahma told that he would espouse the mikmaid and she would be regarded as the mother of
the Vedas. Thus Brahma was united with Gayatri.
At this time Savitri, accompanied by the wives of Vishnu, Rudra and other gods, come to the place of sacrifice.
Seeing the milkmaid in the bride's attire, Savitri became furious and cursed Brahma and all the other gods and
left. But Gayatri repaired most of the curses by performing proper sacrifices.
(From the Skanda Purana)
Origin of Saraswati and Her Marriage to Vishnu: Once Krishna felt an inclination to create and thus sprang from
him Radha, his shakti. Their union produced the mundane egg, which Radha threw into the numdane waters.
Krishna was incensed at this unmotherly conduct of Radha and cursed her with everlasting youth and
barrenness. At this point, suddently from the lip of Radha sprang forth a lovely daughter Saraswati of white
complexion wearing yellow dress, bedecked with jewels and holding a Veena and a book in her hands. Radha
again parted herself into two and her left half was transformed into Kamala or Lakshmi. At this, Krishna also
parted into two and produced the four-armed Vishnu from the left side of his body. Krishna gave Sarasvati and
Lakshmi to Vishnu as wives.
(From the Brahma-Vaivarta Purana)
Fight Between Saraswati and Ganga: Besides Saraswati, Vishnu married Ganga. One day Ganga was looking
wistfully at her husband, and Vishnu was reciprocating the glances. This was too much for Saraswati who
began to accuse Vishnu of partiality. Vishnu left the place to give Saraswati time to calm herself down. But this
only served to anger Saraswati more. She advanced threatingly to Ganga when Lakshmi intervened. Lakshmi
held Saraswati away from Ganga. Saraswati then cursed Lakshmi. Vishnu, having found out about what
happened, cursed both Saraswati and Ganga with transformation into rivers, and also gave both of them to other
husbands. Saraswati was given to Brahma and Ganga to Shiva.
(From the Brahma-Vaivarta Purana)
Saraswati: Iconographic Symbolism
The river imagery of Sarasvati represents a migration from a world of ignorance or bondage to a shore that
represents enlightenment and freedom. This religious quest represents a state of transition or rebirth in which a
spiritual pilgrim sloughs off his old self and is born again, free and enlightened.
Sarasvatis female form demonstrates the great respect and recognition that women held in the Vedic tradition.
She extols tolerance, as well as moral and spiritual strength. She can withstand roughness and bear pain. She
is the consort of Brahma, so this shows that knowledge and creation are in harmony. Her white complexion and
garments point to her absolute purity. Her four arms represent the four directions, giving the notion that
Sarasvati is all-pervading. The front arms relate to the manifest world, and the back arms to the subjective
world. She also demonstrates the four aspects of the personality-the mana, the buddhi, the chitta and the
ahankara. The book symbolizes the totality of knowledge. Placing it in the left hand means that acquisition and
application of knowledge should be controlled by the softer side of the human personality. The rosary
symbolizes concentration or the meditative process involved in the acquisition of knowledge. The swan
demonstrates the discriminatory power between right and wrong, as well as the real and unreal. It states, live
in the world, but do not be possessed by it. It symbolizes jiva and the prana which manifest through the
inhaling and exhaling processes. The swan floats above the water in a state of samadhi. The peacock
represents mundane knowledge that is unstable and leads to worldly desires. The peacock points to the
chance of ignorant activity taking charge of the human personal ity--the dominates the head and the right side.
Sarasvati as she is represented in the middle demonstrates a need for for a balance between both. The lotus
represents supreme knowledge in activity. It is a symbol of evolution and detachment. It makes its way through
the ocean of life by rising above its surface--it is the path from the outer being to the inner being.
The Veena points to the collective sound of all our thoughts and actions as it is manifest as music in the
cosmic universe; it marks the withdrawal of the senses and the focus needed to attain knowledge. Placing the
left hand on top of the veena closer to the heart shows that knowledge should be used for the good of others.
Placing the right hand on the bottom shows that negative knowledge should be kept under control. The veena
points to the potential for the negative and positive purposes of knowledge--the choice is left to the person as to
which type of knowledge is used.
There is a special type of Veena called Saraswati Veena. The Sarasvati Veena is one of the oldest instruments
of the world. It is a fretted organ which can produce notes in four octaves. Four strings are attached to the main
bridge and three extra strings are used to keep count of the taala or the cycle of beats. The drum to the right
is the sound box, the drum to the left is used for support. The goal is to create a melodious, continuous sound
or taanam which awakens the inner senses. The Veena imparts a vocalized quality, or Gayaki which creates
the feeling that divinity itself is speaking through the flow of music. The Veena is considered the spinal cord,
and the creation of music stirs the invocation of knowledge within the soul.
Saraswati: Connection to Yoga
Sarasvati gives the essence of ones self. She provides us with the mundane and spiritual knowledge of our
lives. She is a representation of the science of life, or the Vedanta, which attempts to unravel the essentials of
human existence and the universe concealed within. She points to the ultimate aim of human life which is to
realize the true nature of the self even if it requires an enormous amount of determination, perseverance and
patience. The knowledge that Sarasvati renders through continual worship, devotion and discipline is one of an
integral vision in which both temporal and spiritual levels of study are meditated upon, practiced and developed.
Therefore, she allows one to exist in the material world while striving for the plane of Brahman. The connection
one forms with Sarasvati is one with words and music, which are the very source of the cosmos, the Brahman.
She is the impeller of true, sweet speech, she is the creative process with the syllable, OM. She is the potent
quality of sound.
Sarasvati is the ocean of understanding, the consciousness which vibrates with different types of knowledge.
She is the cause of all movements, the source of spiritual light, remover of all ignorance and promoter of
knowledge. Students that are here to discover, invent and create a new world fall under Sarasvati's grace, that
is why we must be open and disciplined to acquire the knowledge which she can give to us. Sarasvati shows
that human destiny involves the refinement of nature. Being fully human necessitates molding, enhancing and
refining the natural world to make it habitable. Artistic creation as well as knowledge of the sciences epitomize
human culture; integrated knowledge refines the world into something beautiful and special.
Saraswati: Rituals and Festivals
Ritual worship of Saraswati in the Bengali Tradition:
The idol is in white , symbolizing purity. The sari of the Deity is white or yellow dyed in the natural dye made
from "Shiuli" flowers. The place where the idol is kept for the puja is decorated with Rangoli and the design of a
fish is considered auspicious. A flat low stool made of wood is covered with yellow cloth and the idol is placed
on it, facing East. Then, the face of the idol remains covered till the priest begins chanting the mantras at the
commencement of the puja. A green coconut is placed on an earthen pot with a red checked cotton cloth
called "Gamcha". For the actual puja, flowers are used but the most significant is the Palash or flame of the
forest and marigold flowers. Students place their books in front of the goddess. The offerings to the goddess are
mainly fruits: most significant are Berries from the wild plum tree. Other fruits include tapioca. Sweets must
include puffed rice, jaggery and yogurt. Family members bathe early and dress in yellow attire and assemble in
front of the Goddess. The earthen pot is tied with a string which will be untied only on the next day by the priest
before Bisarjan. A havan puja is done by the priest using special wood, ghee, joss sticks and incense. There
absence of a burnt smell signifies the success of the puja. A diya or lamp is also kept lit along with the prasad.
A handful of flowers particularly marigolds and flame of the forest are given to each devotee to offer to the
goddess as "pushpanjali"--Pushp, meaning flowers and Anjali meaning offering. The offering is done in batches
of devotees who repeat mantras after the priest. Arati is performed by the priest in the morning and again in the
evening. this is done while chanting sanskrit slokas and accompanied by the blowing of conch shells and the
beating of drums. The lit lamp used during the Arati is passed around for each devotee to warm his/ her hand
and touch their heads. Nobody touches books on that day. This signifies that the goddess is blessing the
books placed in front of her that day.
Basant Panchami: is celebrated on the fifth lunar day of the month of Magh, which is between the moths of
January and February. It is also celebrated as Shikshapatri Jayanti. On this day, yellow is the predominant
color as all are garbed in bright yellow clothes. This has to do with the onset of spring and the blooming of
yellow mustard flowers in the fields. There is a great deal of festivity with the flying of colorful kites. It also
happens to be the second most popular festival in Lahore, Pakistan and the incorporation of this traditionally
hindu festival into modern Islamic culture has an interesting story behind it.
Temples Dedicated to Saraswati
There are Saraswati temples in Deupatan, Kamalakshi, Thimi, Bhadrakali and Swyambhu, Neel Saraswati at
Gairidhara, among others in the Kathmandu Valley. Saraswati Temple in the University of Roorkee.
Prthudakeshwara Temples in Pehowa, Haryana. They were built by the Marathas in honour of Saraswati.
Saradamba Temple in Sringeri. Sarada Temple in the Neelam Valley in Kashmir. Basar: Situated 50 Kms from
Nizamabad at Basara ,on the banks of river Godavari, the Sri Gnana Saraswathi Temple is the only temple in
South India dedicated to the Goddess of Learning.
Saraswati: Connection to Other Religions
Sarasvati is well known in a variety of other religions outside of Hinduism. She appears in Jainism and
Buddhism, and has made her way from India to Japan as well as to other places around the world.
In Jainism, Saravsvati has been given many titles, a few of these include: The Dispeller of Darkness &
Ignorance, The Remover of Infatuations, The Destroyer of Miseries and The Bestower of Knowledge. As in
Hinduism, she also stands as a symbol of purity.
In the transition from early (Theravada) Buddhism to Mahayana Buddhism, may elements of Hinduism were
transplanted into Buddhism. In early Buddhist mandalas, various divinities were depicted of Mahayana
Buddhism. In those early Buddhist mandalas, Sarasvati is located in the south-west of the innermost circle,
between Brahma and Vishnu, symbolizing her close connection with these two deities. In Buddhism, Sarasvati
is the Bestower of Knowledge, Intelligence & Memory; and she confers wisdom and learning upon her
worshippers. She possesses many forms within Buddhism, including Vajra-Sarasvati, Vajrana-Sarasvati, Vajra-
Sarada and Mahasarasvati. During a period of Tantric dominance within Buddhism, many of the Mahayana
Buddhist texts were transmitted through the Himalayan passes to Nepal, Tibet, Java, China and eventually
Japan.
In Tibet, she is known as Vajra-Sarasvati and is often depicted as wielding a Thunderbolt (vajra). In Japan, the
goddess Benten is seen as a manifestation of Sarasvati. Her full name in Japanese is Dai-Ben-Zai-Ten or The
Great Divinity of Reasoning Faculty. She is believed to confer power, happiness, riches, long life, fame and
reasoning powers. In later times she came to be regarded as one of the seven deities of good fortune. A myth in
Japan speaks of a hideous pond dwelling serpent that terrorized the villages and devoured the children for miles
around. Benten could not bear to witness such destruction. Therefore she stirred up an earthquake and hovered
above the serpent's lair in the dust clouds. Descending, she called it forth. At first Benten was filled with
loathing. But the serpent king wooed her with soft and tender words until her heart was melted, and--making
him promise to mend his savage ways--she married him. It is interesting to note that Ben-Ten, as goddess of
speech was won by words.
Names of Saraswati
Bharati - eloquence; Mahavidya - transcendent knowledge; Vac - speech; Mahavani - transcendent word; Arya -
the noble one; Brahmi - power of the immense being; Kamadhenu - the wish cow; Bijagarbha - womb of the
seed or womb of the elements of speech; Dhanesvari - divinity of wealth; Vacdevi - divinity of speech; Vinapani -
the one that holds the vina; Sarada - giver of essence; Vageshvari - mistress of speech; Brahmi - wife of
Brahma and Gayatri.
Curtesy of: Vishvarupa.com