A write-up on Goddess Saraswati (Goddess of Wisdom) as flashed on the f.b. on Jan.6,2011.

Bishwa Nath Singh


Can we recollect one who is widely known as the Patron of Knowledge and concert of Our creator Lord Brahama (who is known as the Lord of Creation and as Her Hindu Mythology having four arms holding the holy scriptures in one hand, lotus in another hand and rest two hands playing the musical instrument Veena(Violin? She is none else than Goddess Saraswati who is popularly called Goddess of Wisdom who is adored widely with great reverence.

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( Photo of Goddess Saraswati (Goddess of Wisdom)

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Bishwa Nath Singh :
Goddess Saraswati is known as the Goddess of Wisdom .She is very widely and deeply revered amongst the Hindus. She endows human beings with gracious wisdom, learning and the arts. This patron of knowledge is the consort of Lord Brahma the creator and another powerful wielder of wisdom and intelligence. It is believed that the Vedas the four principal Hindu texts of knowledge were her progeny. Saraswati literally means as the one 'Swa' who gives her own knowledge 'Sara'. Goddess Saraswati is many a time believed to be the creative manifestation of Lord Brahma. Goddess Saraswati along with Parvati and Lakshmi forms the Tridevi as the consorts of the trinity of Hindu gods. The four armed goddess holds the holy scriptures in one hand, has a lotus in the other and with her other two hands plays the Veena. In religious texts and Hindu scriptures the goddess is depicted in a pure white attire and is often seated on a white lotus but actually her mount is the swan. The goddess is associated with the color white which is a symbol of purity and serenity. This in turn reflects the clarity of knowledge and the arts in her. The goddess is not at all influenced by the material world. As seated on the lotus the symbolism which emerges is that just like the lotus Goddess Saraswati is rooted in supreme reality. The Goddess Saeaswati is also known as Vakdevi the Goddess of speech. The word Saraswati is of Sanskrit origin and etymologically, it denotes a person or being of the feminine gender. This name has different connotations which, in the final analysis, are all related with water bodies such as Sarrita in Hindi meaning stream and river and Saras in Hindi as lake and pool .. In a figurative manner it is of common belief that all things that are fluid or free-flowing in nature have had their associations with Saraswati..We find reference that a river bearing the name Saraswati could be found in the Vedas and other Hindu scriptures of yore. The Rig Veda says that the River Saraswati originated in the Himalayas, flowed westwards and joined the Arabian Sea. At Prayag in Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh State of India, the rivers Ganga and Yamuna are believed to be joined by a third river called Saraswati, which is invisible. One who taks the name of Saraswati, in addition to the Ganga and Yamuna, while they take a dip in any river held sacred by them. Thus, it can be inferred that the name Saraswati in itself has a purificatory significance.As per Vedic lore, Goddess Saraswati manifested herself from the mouth or tongue of Lord Brahma. Having been bewitched by her beauty and grace, and impressed by her divine attributes, the Creator God decreed that Saraswati should become his consort and provide him assistance in his task of creation. Since Brahma was responsible for the creation of Saraswati, he was by logic her father. His act of marrying Goddess Saraswati was, therefore, regarded as a transgression of accepted norms of behavior and so Vishnu and Shiva uttered a curse that henceforth Brahma would cease to be worshipped as a God by faithfuls. Even to this day, this curse seems to be holding true since there are only a few temples dedicated exclusively to Brahma, whereas there are hundreds of thousands of temples and shrines dedicated to Vishnu and Shiva. In this background, Goddess Saraswati traditionally has come to be worshipped in her individual capacity as the patron goddess for all knowledge and wisdom without her being associated with Brahma. Idols of Goddess Saraswati are installed in temples and shrines dedicated to her exclusively or sometimes find a place with other gods and goddesses of the Hindu pantheon in Vishnu, Devi and Shiva temples. Such temples are more in number in the southern and eastern parts of the country.Basant Panchmi is marked as the festival associated with the birth of the goddess of knowledge. The color yellow holds special significance on this day, the goddess wears a sari of this color on Basant Panchmi. This day holds special connotation for students and hence Saraswati Puja is usually organized in educational institutions. The day of Basant Panchmi is also a signal for heralding of the spring season. People yearning for spiritual enhancement also attach great reverence to Goddess Saraswati.Let us join to pay our humble obeisance to the lotus feet of Goddess Sarawati and seek her bliss to give us wisdom to be good and to do well to others!

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f.b.
January 6,2011