Saraswati

Sarasvati (Sanskrit, f, सरस्वती, Sarasvati, " the Flowing " ), is an Indian goddess of wisdom and learning and one of the most popular Hindu goddesses. In Tantra it enjoys as blue or dark Sarasvati worship. She is said to have evolved from the Vedic language goddess Vac.

Saraswati is considered to be feminine force ( Shakti ) of the god Brahma, the Hindu mythology presents them as his daughter, creation and wife dar. This seems subordinate; in religious practice, however, the worship mainly applies her while the worship of Brahma is largely extinct. As Vac ( " word ", " logos "), then another name, it embodies the personified word, the perfect speech. Other epithets are Mahavidya ( " the great wisdom " ), Brahmani ( " wife of Brahma " ) and Jagaddhatri ( " mistress of the world "). With it, you often also identifies the goddess Gayatri. Saraswati is the goddess of learning, language, science, the arts, poetry, literature, writing, of wisdom, of dance, song and music. It is regarded as the "mother of the Vedas ", the inventor of the Sanskrit alphabet and the Devanagari script. She is highly respected by school children, students, philosophers and intellectuals. In an important book of the worshipers of the Goddess, the Devi Mahatmyam, makes it as an eight-armed Maha Saraswati ( Sarasvati large ) along with Maha Kali and Maha Lakshmi one of the female Trimurti.

Sarasvati in the Vedas

In the Apri- songs ( āpriyas ), a text form of the Rig Veda, Sarasvati forms with Ida and Bharati ( Mahi ) a trinity. Originally, it was described as a natural and river goddess, so you get them even today with pure water, and the mythical Soma in combination. She embodied the sacred river Sarasvati which have originated in heaven and by all the three worlds ( Triloka ) should be run and who is now dried up and was primarily a goddess of fertility. Her voice was the waterfall and they had to break the power of mountains. Also, they should be replaced by Indra the Vritra demons have defeated or at least have helped.

Iconography, symbolism and myths

The iconography shows Sarasvati middle of a lake, the primeval waters, which is interpreted, among others, as a symbol of the beginning of creation. It has thus, like her husband Brahma as the creator of the universe. As a beautiful young woman, often with four arms, she wears as the most prominent characters Vina ( ancient, still played string instrument); also a mala (rosary ) and a book, the Vedas and a water pot. Or you can provide, with the two arms is, with Vina and various mudras (hand gestures), particularly the gesture of argumentation. Also found occasionally more emblems such as wheel, mace, conch or bell, hourglass and skull cup. Your companion animal ( Vahana ) is the goose or a swan (Hamsa ), in the southern Indian representations of a peacock. The beautiful and spirited goddess stands or sits on a lotus, as well as characters for their beauty as for their wisdom. They also regarded as the embodiment of purity, which is also the characteristic color of their clothing, a bright white, expresses. Often it is also dressed in yellow. Even with the goddess Lakshmi there is overlap, both are regarded as Vishnu's wife and she is said to have a strained relationship (often philosophically interpreted as irreconcilable contrast between wealth and wisdom). The Hindu mythology, Sarasvati was born from Brahma. This had the desire to bring about the creation, and went into meditation. Then his body divided into a male half and a female - Sarasvati. According to other versions, it sprang out of his head. Brahma was united with her, and it was Manu, the progenitor of mankind. It is often told, Sarasvati comes of the mouth of Brahma and was created when this created the world through his creative speech. As Sarasvati was later not present at an important ritual, but a woman was needed, Brahma created out of himself his second wife Gayatri to perform the ritual. As Sarasvati came back and found out about it, they condemned her husband to be worshiped only in a single day in the year.

In another, less popular myth the goddess of Krishna arises. This was divided into male and female, spirit and matter, Purusha and Prakriti, to create the world. The female half took the form of five dynamic forces or goddesses, one of whom was a Sarasvati.

Holidays

The most important holiday of the goddess, Vasant Panchami, Saraswati Puja also called, will take place in the spring. In schools and universities provide images of Hindu goddess, before books, writing utensils and musical instruments, and worship is the goddess. You, the patron saint of learning is sacrificed especially before exams, important exams and the school. Throughout the day there are cultural programs and processions. In the south of India honoring Sarasvati especially in the fall to Navaratri, while in other parts of the goddess in the form of Durga is the focus of worship.

Outside of Hinduism

Not only in Hinduism Saraswati is worshiped, but also Jainism, and Buddhism. After Myanmar Sarasvati might have come with the spread of Mahayana Buddhism. Your name appears in inscriptions from the 11th century. Murals in the temples of Bagan from this period can be interpreted as representations Sarasvatis. In Buddhism it is considered as goddess of learning and instruction, and as a woman of the Bodhisattva Manjushri, the bodhisattva of wisdom. In Japan, it is one of the seven lucky gods. There it is known under the name Benten or Benzaiten.

Sarasvati in the Rigveda is also a tributary of the Indus.