Sarasvati, or Saraswati, means the one who flows. In Hinduism, she is the goddess of knowledge and learning. She is praised in the Vedas as a divinity as well as the sacred river of the same name. She was originally a river goddess. We can deduce from the references in the Rigveda that she was more popular in Rigvedic times than all of the current Hindu goddesses, including Goddess Ganga.
Overview
Sarasvati, or Saraswati, means the one who flows. In Hinduism, she is the goddess of knowledge and learning.
She is praised in the Vedas as a divinity as well as the sacred river of the same name.
She was originally a river goddess. We can deduce from the references in the Rigveda that she was more popular in Rigvedic times than all of the current Hindu goddesses, including Goddess Ganga.
Later, in puranic lore, she was known as Brahma’s consort and the goddess of knowledge and learning.
She has seven sisters and aids the gods by annihilating their enemies. She also eliminates the darkness in our minds.
Saraswati is a Vedic goddess.
The early Vedic people lived along the Sarasvati River.
The river was held in high regard during the peak of the Sindhu Sarasvati civilization, as evidenced by the numerous references to it found in Rigveda.
The hymns of the Rigveda frequently extol the river while making no mention of the Ganges. They call her the best mother, the best of goddesses, the hero’s consort, the mighty flood, the balmy one, the all-surpassing one, who illumines every pious thought, grants progeny, perfects worshippers’ devotion, and protects them from storms and foes. They implore her to come to the sacrificial altar from the highest heaven and the highest mountains.
The river used to flow through what is now the Thar desert in western India. It eventually dried up due to climate changes.
Symbolism
Saraswati literally means “one who flows.”
Saraswati is a river of knowledge that flows in Brahma’s highest heaven and descends into our minds through the doors of learning to become ingrained in us as knowledge and wisdom. In our quest for liberation, she serves as a purifier.
She embodies civilized behavior, refined tastes, and artistic talent in humans. All of the students adore her.
Saraswati bestows wisdom, knowledge, creativity, and intuition in order to flower our minds and refine our character.
Saraswati is Vagdevi, the personification of speech, and is depicted with four hands holding a Veena. Speech is essential to our daily lives and activities here on Earth.
It also sets us apart from the rest of the animal kingdom.
All Sanskrit mantras and religious activities were founded on speech. As a result, one can appreciate the divinity’s significance in the Hindu pantheon.
Saraswati is the goddess of light who, through her grace, dispels our ignorance and inner darkness. Even gods admire her ability to excel in a variety of fields.
Imagery and description
Her devotees address her with various names. Some of her most popular names are Sarada (giver of essence), Vagesvari (controller of speech), Bharathi, Kalavathi, Brahmi (consort of Brahma), and Veenadhari (holder of the Veena).
She is generally depicted in images as a beautiful and graceful goddess in spotless white clothes, with four hands, seated on a lotus seat, holding a Veena, a musical instrument, with one of her hands and resting it on her lap, or with the remaining three holding a book, a rosary, and a lotus. She is typically depicted with water or a river in the background, implying her association with the Saraswati River, and a peacock standing nearby.
These objects change from time to time, but they all represent her connection to learning and knowledge. Her vehicle is usually a swan or a peacock.
The swan represents beauty, grace, and wisdom, while the peacock represents these qualities as well as the ability to deal with desires and ignorance (snakes).
Attributes of Sarasvati Maa
| Adobe | Satya Lok, Manidvipa |
| Weapon | N/A |
| VAHAN (Vehicle) | Swan, Peacock |