She is the flow of consciousness that breathes life into the universe. She is the deity of dawn who refutes ignorance's gloom. As well as these names, she is also referred to as Bharati, Shatarupa, Vedamata, Brahmi, Sarada, Vagisvari, and Putkari. She is revered not only by Hindus, but also by Jains and Buddhists. She is referred to as Saraswati in northern India and Saraswathi in the south. China, Japan, Burma, Thailand, and other nations worship and revere her in addition to India.
Who is Maa Saraswati?
Since sara means "essence" and swa means "self" in Sanskrit, Saraswati's literal meaning is "the essence of the self." She is viewed as a river, a Vak (speech), and a goddess. Saraswati is thought of as a river goddess in early Hinduism who is connected to the Saraswati River. Because it nourishes the land and fosters fertility, the River Saraswati is regarded as the most feared river in existence at the time, comparable to the Ganga. The purity of the River Saraswati is also symbolized by the cleansing power of flowing water. The River Saraswati is said to bestow both good health and long life, according to the Rig Veda.Saraswati is present everywhere there is speech because speech is an embodiment. Because speech or language is the source of poetry, Saraswati's role as the goodness associated with poetic inspiration, oratory, learning, and art becomes more popular and reiterated, while her role as River Saraswati becomes less popular and asserted. She later identified Brahma, the God of creation, as his divine consort because speech is connected to the creative power. In addition to being a representation of Brahma's shakti, Saraswati also stands for the creative force of Brahma and is essential for the operation of Brahma's power.
She is linked to Vak, the goddess of speech, and is even equated with her later in the Vedic Period. In Hinduism, the value of speech has historically been known. According to the Vedas, the simple mantra OM, that represents the sound of creation, creates Brahman, the spiritual reality at the center of all things. As a result, speech is regarded as the primary power and the source of creation. Speech is also important in Hinduism for invoking deity powers. Reciting and repeating a mantra of a particular deity summons the deity. Saraswati, Goddess of Speech, embodies the power of sound.
What does Maa Saraswati symbolize?
With four arms, a veena, the Vedas, and a kamandalu, Goddess Saraswati is recognisable as a stunning yet stern deity. She is donning a white sari with a blue border, signifying purity. She might be seated on a lotus flower, have a crescent on her forehead, and be accompanied by a swan, both of which are representations of wisdom.White, which stands for the purity of real knowledge, is the color most frequently associated with maa Saraswati. She is occasionally linked to the color yellow, though, which is the hue of the mustard plant's flowers, which bloom during her festival in the spring. Saraswati is depicted as having very modest clothing, perhaps signifying her preference for knowledge over earthly material interests.
A peacock is sometimes depicted alongside the goddess. By using a peacock as her mount, the Goddess demonstrates to Hindus that they should not be concerned with outward appearance and should instead be wise in light of the eternal truth. The peacock is a symbol of arrogance and pride over its beauty.
She commonly has a white swan by her feet. According to legend, the sacred swan can only drink milk when given a mixture of water and milk. Thus, the swan represents separating the good from the evil or the transcendent from the transient. Goddess Saraswati is also known as Hamsa-Vahini, which is Sanskrit for "she who has a swan as her vehicle," due to her connection to the swan.
Why is Maa Saraswati called the Goddess of Wisdom, Education, and the Arts?
Because of her creative abilities, Saraswati is now primarily revered as the deity of knowledge. This is because of her connection with the Omnipotent truth and the true knowledge as a result of her role as the Vak. As the goddess Saraswati, she is still revered more than Brahma today and has continued to hold significance. Saraswati is frequently worshiped by those with an interest in knowledge, particularly students, scholars, and scientists. Many Indian academic institutions, such as universities, have statues of Saraswati throughout their campuses as a source of motivation for students and scholars. At Vasant Panchami, which falls on the fifth day of the Indian lunar calendar's bright fortnight of Magha, Saraswati is especially honored in schools.
Buddhism and Hinduism have long been intertwined in Buddhist cultures such as Nepal, Tibet, Indonesia, and Thailand. Saraswati is also revered by the Newar Buddhists of Nepal's Kathmandu Valley as the consort of the Bodhisattva Manjushree, with the two of them occasionally changing roles during prayers and other rituals of worship. In Kathmandu, it is therefore common to see a Saraswati statue next to a Buddha statue or a shrine.
Saraswati is frequently represented in Hindu art as a graceful young woman with white skin. She usually appears to be wearing a white sari with a blue border which symbolizes purity. She rarely wears jewelry because she doesn't care about material possessions. She might be sitting on a lotus flower with a crescent on her forehead. She may also be portrayed driving a swan or a goose as her vehicle. The goddess, who is frequently depicted in temple sculpture, may be accompanied by her husband or a peacock, her classical assistant. Saraswati is frequently portrayed as having four arms, each of which is holding a symbolic object, as are many Hindu deities.
What are the stories of Goddess Saraswati?
Hindu mythology states that after Lord Brahma created the cosmos, there was a great total chaos that ruled the cosmos. Brahma, however, was perplexed by the fact that his heavenly universe lacked any kind of structure, conception, or arrangement. He made the embodiment of knowledge and creativity. Out of His mouth the Goddess Saraswati appeared.Then, under specific orders, all the celestial bodies, including the sun, moon, and stars, were formed. The seasons began to change on a cyclical basis as the oceans grew. The goddess of speech and sound was given the ecstatic name Vagdevi by Brahma. Brahma endowed the universe with the goddess Saraswati's everlasting well about knowledge in this manner.
In Hindu scripture, there are several legendary tales about Saraswati Devi.
- Her father Brahma was so enamored by Saraswati's radiant beauty and astute intellect that He was resolved to wed His own daughter. Saraswati was enraged by Brahma's obsessive adoration of His daughter, however, to the point where she became anxious to avoid the envious gaze of her father. She was going out from Brahma's line of sight. However, Brahma fashioned three additional visages to simultaneously cover all four corners of His eyesight, rendering all of her attempts ineffective.
A southern face with pallid cheeks, a western face with trembling lips, and a fourth with passionate beauty all appeared to satisfy the urge to admire the erotic beauty of His daughter. Saraswati later disguised herself as several animals. However, Brahma pursued Her while disguising Himself as those animals' male equivalents. Saraswati flew high into the heavens after being unable to find another way to avoid His filthy stares. With a neck long enough to penetrate the heavens and pursue Saraswati with His lusty eye, Brahma next produced the fifth head that lies atop. The goddess was furious at this point and cursed Her father for his show of unrestrained love, which had caused the earth to become overtaken by lust and longing, planted the seeds of sadness, and imprisoned the soul in a cage made of flesh and blood. She chastised Lord Brahma for not being respected and worshiped like Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva.
Lord Brahma, on the other hand, lost sight of His responsibility to establish order and discipline in the creation as a result of fully expressing His concupiscent nature. The cosmos began to descend once more into chaos. Then Lord Shiva appeared as the Lord of Destruction, Bhairava, and severed His fifth head. While acknowledging his error, Lord Brahma also expressed regret.
It was necessary to do a "Yagna" in order to purify His wicked nature. However, the "Yagna" would be useless without a wife. To ensure the universe's safety, Goddess Saraswati was then persuaded to marry Brahma. But in order to calm the uproar brought on by the pervading confusion, Goddess Saraswati picked up Her veena and played peaceful music, resonating it through the air.
Another mythical story, on the other hand, gives a different story. Misunderstanding led to the curse that Goddess Saraswati cast on Lord Brahma.
- Lord Brahma was awaiting the arrival of his wife Saraswati before beginning a significant religious event. The ceremonial ceremony's fortunate moment to be performed was getting extremely close.
Then a new consort called Gayatri was made by the gods' favor. The incarnation of the well-known Gayatri Mantra, a chant from Vedic literature, is Gayatri, who is frequently connected with Savitr, a sun deity in the Vedas. Being furious, Goddess Saraswati cursed Brahma that he would not be worshiped on earth after spotting her husband with some other woman. The curse was carried out. There are just two Brahma temples in our nation, one in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, and the other in Pushkar, Rajasthan.
Worship and Rituals
The meanings of Saraswati's name—"elegant," "flowing," and "watery"—indicate that she was one of the first Aryan boundary rivers. The Saraswati River originates in the Himalaya, just like the Ganges River, and is revered as a sacred source of fertility, good fortune, and purification for those who take a bath in her waters. The holy river then evolved into a personified deity, much like the Ganges.
The goddess celebrates her own holidays, including the Saraswati Puja, which takes place on the first day of spring. Worshipers dress in yellow during the festival because it symbolizes prosperity and wisdom. Additionally, devotees pray for blessings on their writing instruments, books, and musical instruments, and goddess statues are covered in yellow silk. During the festival, children are taught how to start writing for the first time, ancestors are revered, and Brahmin priests are fed fine food. During the nationwide celebration of Navratri, Saraswati mata is revered alongside other important goddesses. She is frequently invoked by musicians before performances as the patroness of music, and by students before tests as the goddess of intellectual pursuits.
When is Maa Saraswati puja?
The festival of Saraswati Puja, also called "Basant Panchami," serves as a reminder that spring, the queen of all seasons. On the fifth day of the Hindu calendar's Magha month, the Saraswati Puja is held. According to the Hindu calendar, this day is commemorated in various ways on the fifth day of the Phalgun month throughout India's various regions. Hindus worship the goddess Saraswati on this day because she is the goddess of wisdom of education, language, and all forms of the arts. The beginning of your children's educational journey is thought to be a holy time during this occasion.How to do Maa Saraswati puja at home?
In order to receive the blessings of the goddess Saraswati, Saraswati Puja is performed. According to legend, she was Lord Brahma's consort and he used her wisdom to create the universe. She has a peacock perched on her side and is seated on a swan. In her hands, she holds a saraswati Veena. The rituals for performing Saraswati Puja are listed below.- In your Puja room, display an image of the Goddess Saraswati or Lakshmi Ganesh Saraswati idols. The idol must be positioned so that it faces west, allowing you to face east when you pray.
- Set a few of your important books, as well as the holy texts Geeta and the Ramayana, by her side.
- Light a Diya before the statue or Saraswati images.
- Deliver the Goddess with offerings of sandalwood paste, new cloth, turmeric, Kumkum, fruits, sweets, grains of rice, betel leaves, and flowers.
- Before a Saraswati photo or idol, the saraswati mantras are recited, and the ritual of saraswati aarti is carried out with devotion.
- In contrast to professionals who strive for excellence and personal advancement, students typically pray for success on exams and ultimately in life.
- Along with parched rice and paddy, the food prepared on this day includes kheer, curd rice, sugar cane, sugar candy, and gingelly balls. It is offered to the Goddess and then consumed by the entire family as prasad.
Conclusion
One of the most well-known Hindu goddesses, Goddess Saraswati is also revered outside the boundaries of the Indian subcontinent. Japan is home to a large number of Benzaiten temples, who is compared to Saraswati the goddess. Between the 6th and 8th centuries, the idea of Benzaiten worship was established.
The Rigveda is where Saraswati first appears. Later religious scriptures credit her as the creator of Sanskrit, and she fittingly bestows pen and ink upon Lord Ganesha. Despite the Bengal Vaisnavas' belief that she was originally the wife of Vishnu, she is also a patron of the fine arts and sciences and the wife of Brahma. In some forms of Buddhism and Jainism, Sarasvati is revered as the deity of learning. If you are considering giving someone a religious festival, buying saraswati paintings online as a gift is the best option nowadays. eCraftIndia has a wide range to select god idols online.