SRI SARASWATHI

Prof. VKSN. Raghavan

The name of the goddess "Saraswathi" gives a clue to her archetypal nature. As "the flowing one" she literally personifies an ancient riverine conception of reality which sees all nature in flux, and hails as essential that which is normally perceived as most ephemeral and fleeting. All things fluid are celebrated in her name. And that name first became associated with a river, the legendary Saraswathi. In due time the name came to be applied to the goddess, by then associated with speech (no doubt in reference to the flowing nature of words) and with other phenomena featuring fluidity like music, chants, and mantras. Eventually the name was extended in meaning to call to mind the image of not only the nature of those things fluent which originate in her but also the final consequence when all coursing energies collect in her, hence her name also calls to mind pools, lakes, reservoirs. Thus Saraswathi was later to be equated with a luminous pool of wisdom, a veritable lake of letters welling with words and writing, a reservoir of accomplishments in words, speech, song and all expressions comprising the fine arts. So it is that today the Hindu deity Saraswathi is hailed as Goddess of Wisdom, Patron of Science, Inventor of Letters, Mother of the Vedas, Mistress of Music, Inspirer of Poetry, and advocate of the Arts." 

Her picture is often displayed in libraries, in the Hall ways of Educational institution, in the lobbies of theaters, in the offices of publishers on the frontispiece or lead-page of scholarly tracts etc. 

Thus, once a year (a nine day) Dassarah period is observed in October and November, during which the goddess Durga is honoured in three, three day cycles of worship addressed respectively to her manifestations as Lakshmi, Parvati and Saraswathi. It is during the third of these, three day cycles, especially on the mornings of 7th, 8th and 9th days of Navaratri, that Saraswathi receives elaborate pooja honors. 

The main feature of these is that the eldest married male of the family supervises the efforts of all in the family to collect in one place books they are using and, if mastery be the object, musical instruments they play and there, before an image or picture of the lady of learning, the mistress of music, to offer homage to them. The elder will himself recite stotras addressed to the goddess, and the intention of all is that Saraswathi may bless them all with access to the grace she represents. 

                                            "Hail to goddess of Learning".