MOTHER SARASWATI & HER TREASURES

I have to admit Mother Saraswati is my favorite Hindu goddess. This is because I identify with all Her treasures and gifts She gives to the world. When I was five years old, I learned how to read and write. By the age of 14 I was playing the guitar, composing and singing songs. Much later in life I was dancing, involved with presenting presentations and kathas (story telling and teaching). Because I loved Mother Earth (Mother Bhumi), I became a nature photographer. Even psychic and intuitive abilities manifested within me over time. She was very generous in giving me Her gifts and treasures.

Mother Saraswati is a goddess connected with the inner person: the heart, the mind and intuition. She is the goddess of knowledge, wisdom, the arts, the sciences, music, truth, intelligence and the psychic realm. She is part of the Tridevi of Lakshmi, Parvati and Saraswati. Lakshmi is the consort of Vishnu (the Savior). Parvati is the consort of Shiva (The Destroyer) and Mother Saraswati is the consort of Brahma (The Creator). She was originally mentioned in the Rig Veda. Her festival and appearance day is Vasant Panchami or Saraswati Jayanti and is celebrated on February 10th this year. The Jains of Central India and even some Buddhist sects reverence and honor Her.

There is a river in ancient times which bears her name. The Rig Veda (2.41.16) is the text which mentions the Saraswati River: "Best of mothers, best of rivers, best of goddesses, Saraswati." In fact She is called the Mother of the Vedas. Her murti (statue) is found all over Southeast Asia, Indonesia and Japan. In Japan She is known as Benzaiten. In Buddhism She is known at the consort of Manjushri, The Buddah of Wisdom.

In the Devi Mahatmya She is described this way: "Wielding in her lotus-hands the bell, trident, ploughshare, conch, pestle, bow and arrow; her lustre is like that of a moon shinning in the autumn sky. She is from the body of Gauri and is the sustaining base of the three worlds."

In Sharada Peeth, near the Kishanganga River, there is an abandoned Hindu temple which is probably the oldest Saraswati temple in the world. It was at one time one of the great centers of Hindu learning. Great scholars such as Kalhana, Adi Shankara, Vairotsana, Kumarajiva and Thonmi Sambhota studied here. Sharada script is named after Sharada, Mother Saraswati. This is the script of Kashmir, an Indian region near Tibet.

She is worshiped on Vasant Panchami all over India and all over the world. In Bihar and Jaharkhand, India the celebration is called Saraswati Puja. Schools, colleges, temples and other educational institutions present music, dance and cultural programs. Students worship Her in a tent called a pandal. Some regions use soil to form a murti of Mother Sarawati. Peas, carrots and Indian plums are used for prasad (food offerings). She is often immersed in water as part of the celebration. In Kerala and Tamil Nadu She is worshiped the last three days of the Navarati Festival in Saraswati Puja. Books are taken out on the third day of the festival. Children write for the first time on this day.

It is amazing that She is even worshiped in Myanmar and called Thurathadi, which is the protector of the Buddhist scriptures. In Japan She is called Benzaiten and holds the biwa, which is a traditional Japanese lute. She is found in numerous shrines in Japan: Enoshima Island in Sapami Bay, Chikubu Island in Lake Biwa and Itsukushima Island in Seto Inland Sea.

In Southeast Asia She is honored among the Cambodians at Angkor and praised by the Khmer poets as the goddess of "eloquence, writing and music." In Thailand She is also respected and worshiped by the Hindus and Buddhists. Many old Thai wats have Her image. You will see amulets with Saraswati and Her peacock. In Indonesia She is worshiped on Watgunung, the last day of the pawukon calendar. Reading is not allowed on this day. In Bali She is also celebrated on Saraswati Jayanti, the close of the 210 day year in the pawukon calendar.

In Tibet She is called Yang Chem Ma (Singing/Music goddess) and is the consort of Manjuhsri, the Buddah of Wisdom. She is one of the 21 Taras (Devis). The 14th century Tibetan Buddhist monk, Je Tsongkhapa, meditated to Her daily. She is believed to have had numerous conversations with him. He really had a deep connection to Her.

What is very interesting is She is found all over the world in various forms and names. Sophia, Wisdom in the Bible, is feminine. The goddess of Truth in Greece is Athena. She is also a high priestess, along with Vesta and Juno. Vesta is the goddess of Home and Hearth and Juno is connected with partnerships and womankind. Juno is the high priestess in the Tarot Deck. All of these goddesses are connected with the concept of wisdom and truth. We all use Her great abilities and creativity every day. We tap into Her wisdom to find truth in our every day lives . I want to encourage you to celebrate Her greatness every day and on Vasant Panchami. Happy Saraswati Jayanti!

Jai Shri Saraswati! Jai Shri Ma! Jai Shri Wisdom!

Radhapriestess