Greetings to all bengalees on this day of *Saraswati Puja* . On this
auspicious day, bengaleees all over the world pay tribute to Mother
Goddess Saraswati by worshipping her.

Saraswati is the Hindu goddess of learning and speech (Vak). She
represents the union of power and intelligence from which organized
creation arises. Saraswati possesses all the learnings of the Vedas,
scriptures, dances, musical power and poetry. She revealed language
and writing to man. Her origin is traced to the lost Vedic river
Saraswati. This is the source of her profound connection to fluidity
in every aspect. She embodies wisdom, fortune, intelligence,
nourishment, brilliance, contentment, splendor and devotion.

Sara means 'essence' and wati means one who possesses 'it.' in this
sense, saraswati means one who knows the 'essence' or substance and
meaning of everything. She is a goddess of wisdom, arts, and music
and learning . in her iconography, she is represented with four
hands representing four aspects of human personality - n learning:
mind, intellect, alertness and ego. She has sacred scriptures in one
hand (representing the vedas) and a lotus - the symbol of purity and
true knowledge - in the second. With her other two hands she plays
the music of love and life on a string instrument called the Veena.
(lute)She is dressed in white - the symbol of purity - and rides on a
white swan - symbolizing Sattwa Guna or purity and discrimination.
(viveka) Her riding the swan also means she has overcome pride and
passion. a IN some pictures, she is seen holding a rosary (
representing meditation). She is always shown wearing a white saree
(representing purity) and a real pearl necklace ( represennting her
divine origin)

In the rig vedas, saraswati was represented as the FIRST river
goddess. lATER ON the goddesses parvati and lakshmi appeared as Ganga
and Yamuna.

Slowly over time, Saraswati's importance as a river goddess faded -
instead she gained the status as the Mother of all knowledge, wisdom
learning and fine arts.

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Goddess Saraswati manifested herself from the mouth-or tongue to be
precise—of Lord Brahma. IT IS BELIEVED that brahma was so n bewitched
by her beauty and grace, and impressed by her divine attributes, that
all his five heads used to turn in whichever direction goddess
sarswati moved. Brahma wanted Saraswati to be 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. that is why there are very
few temples dedicated to the worship of brahma. (there is also
another legend associated with why brahma is not worshipped- more on
this in another post.) in fact, shiva even punished brahma by
cutting of one of his five heads.

Thus, one will see that goddess saraswatiacquired the status of
an 'independent' goddess and in all temples the idols of goddess
sarswati are installed in her individual capacity. For all those
single women out there, goddess sarswati has come to stand for
independence, freedom and self-reliance. She is a goddess who is
worshipped in her own right- therefore she is not a handmaiden to her
consort brahma. Feminists, please note!

Before the start of any cultural programmes like dance, music or
opening of painting exhibitions, a hymn or prayer to goddess

Goddess Saraswati is specially popular with students, scholars and
men of leaning. In fact, it is said the mooka kavi (the dumb poet
Kalidasa ) when rejected by his arrogant wife was so desolate that
he went and prayed to Goddess Matangi (another form of this goddess)
that she blessed him woth eloquence- out of this , the
famous 'shymals dandakam' was composed. Kalidasa, the shakespeare of
india, composed many famous poetic works of great excellance.

In some traditions, gurus have 'saraswati' at the end of their name
to suggest their great learning faculties- like Swami Dayananda
saraswati , swami vittananda saraswati etc. just like in ramakrishna
order some disciples have 'ananda' after their name like swami
vivekanand, swami brahmananda etc... just a title...

please join me in offering saltations to goddess sarswati !

Om matangayaii namaha!

Amala-kamalaadhivasini

maanaso vaimalyadaayini manoine i

sundara-gaatri susheele

tava charanaambhoruham

narnaami sadaa ii

O Goddess, You live in the lotus of purity,

You make the mind pure, and You are known by the inner mind.

You are beautiful as well as virtuous. I offer my salutation at Your
lotus feet at all times.)

This hymn on Goddess Saraswati, was composed by Sri Shankaracharya.

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p.s. please see posts by blueblackeyes and adi_shakthi16 in our
archives on a description of sarswati puja and its association with
the spring festival of basant panchami.
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i dedicate this post to all devotees of goddess sarswati- specially
to the founder of this great shrine devi_bhakta, who worshps is this
goddess in the form of MATAANGI.

LOVE