Maa Saraswati is considered to be the Hindu goddess of wisdom, music and learning. She is also considered to be the goddess of speech in the Indian religious culture.
People worship Saraswati as the goddess of learning in the Jainism religion and some of the Buddhist sector. The Hindu people have a religious belief of offering their prayers to her for getting wisdom and knowledge.
9 Facts About Maa Saraswati
Given below are some of the unknown and interesting facts about Saraswati Devi:
- She is pictured as a beautiful and mesmerizing fair goddess who has four arms and is wearing a white colored spotless saree and is seated on top of a white Lotus.
- In Hindu mythology, Saraswati is considered to be the goddess of music, art and knowledge.
- She is considered to be the helper of Lord Brahma and also referred to as his Shakti.
- Saraswati Devi is also famous by the name of Sraosha, which in Zoroastrianism means the guardian of the earth.
- She is considered to be the power who guides the souls of the deceased to the right path in the afterlife.
- The symbolic animal of Saraswati Devi is the peacock.
- Saraswati Devi is also referred to as Durga as she helps in fighting off the drug.
- Saraswati Maa is also famous by the name of Guardian deity in Buddhism because it is believed that she holds all the teachings of Gautama Buddha.
- In the regions of Bihar and West Bengal, Saraswati Maa is considered to be the daughter of Durga and Lord Ganesh is considered to be her brother.
Origin and History
The word Saraswati has originated from Saras, which means to flow and Wati, which means she is the one who has.
So the combined meaning becomes she who has the flow or can also be interpreted as she who knows. That is why Saraswati is considered as a symbol of knowledge and wisdom.
She is considered to be similar to a river which keeps on flowing and the knowledge increases at every step.
Saraswati Devi has her own set of festivals. The major festival is Saraswati Puja which is held every year on the first day of spring.
During the time of this festival, all the devotees and worshipers wear yellow colored dresses which are considered to be a symbol associated with prosperity and wisdom.
The Statue of Saraswati Devi is covered with yellow colored silk saree and the devotees pray for their prosperity and blessing using their books, pens and other musical instruments.
Lord Brahma and Saraswati Devi
The Hindu mythology considers Saraswati Maa as the wife of the great god Brahma. But some people believe that she was first the wife of Lord Vishnu. Lord Brahma is rarely worshipped by the people on the earth.
This has been explained as a result of a curse which was given by Maa Saraswati. This curse was given by Saraswati Maa to Lord Brahma because he replaced her with a new wife named Gayatri.
Majority of the Hindus believe in the fact that all the life forms and creatures on the earth are a result of the union of Lord Brahma and Saraswati Maa. They both gave birth to the first man named Manu.
Saraswati Devi’s son Rishi, was able to withstand the great drought which the Hindu mythology has seen and thus survived in the definite repository of the Vedas sacred text.
Saraswati Maa Folklore
The Hindu mythology and religions are a mix of various diverse cultures and consists of various types of arts and written forms.
Saraswati Maa has been depicted as a very graceful lady with fair skin. She is portrayed sitting on a Lotus wearing a spotless white colored saree which has a blue border.
She is considered a symbol of purity as rarely we can see her wearing any kind of jewellery or appealing material.
She is also seen riding her Vahana, which is a Swan or a Goose. She is very frequently represented in various figures in a lot of temples present in India.
She is either accompanied by the peacock or her husband.
Just like the majority of the Lords and Goddesses are depicted in Hindu mythology, Maa Saraswati is also depicted with four arms. She is seen holding a symbolic object in every arm.
In the upper right hand, she can be seen holding a white coloured lotus flower while in the lower right hand she is performing the typical Mudra of Varada, which means the gift-giving technique or gesture in the Hindu mythology.
In the left hand, she can be seen carrying a palm-leaf manuscript and also a ritual water vessel.
Another object which can be easily seen in the hands of Maa Saraswati is Veena, which is a classical music instrument and always reminds the worshipers about the gift of music which she has given to the humanity.
Goddess Saraswati Symbolism
Saraswati Maa can be seen in various photos playing the music of love and life using an instrument known as Veena.
She can be seen dressed in a white spotless saree which is considered to be a symbol of purity and riding a white Swan which symbolizes Sattva Guna, which is a synonym of purity and discrimination.
Maa Saraswati is also considered to be a prominent figure in the iconography of Buddhism – The consort of Manjushree.
Majority of the people not only from India but from various parts of the world worship goddess Saraswati as a symbol and representation of wisdom and knowledge.
They also believe in the fact that only Maa Saraswati can help and guide them to Moksha, which is considered to be the final liberation of the human soul.
Maa Saraswati Prayer
Devotees of Saraswati Devi all around the world worship her by singing the famous Hey Sharde Maa song.
The prayer for the reference is given below:
Hey Sharde Maa He Sharde Maa
Agyanta Se Hume Taar De Maa
Tu Swar Ki Devi Ye Sangeet Tujhse
Har Shabd Tera Hai Har Geet Tujhse
Aaa Aaa
Tu Swar Ki Devi Ye Sangeet Tujhse
Har Shabd Tera Hai Har Geet Tujhse
Hum Hai Akele Hum Hai Adhure
Hum Hai Akele Hum Hai Adhure
Teri Sharan Hum Hume Pyaar De Maa
Hey Sharde Maa Hey Sharde Maa
Agyanta Se Hume Taar De Maa
Muniyo Ne Samjhi Guniyo Ne Jaani
Vedo Ki Bhasha Purano Ki Baani
Muniyo Ne Samjhi Guniyo Ne Jaani
Vedo Ki Bhasha Purano Ki Baani
Hum Bhi To Samjhe Hum Bhi To Jaane
Hum Bhi To Samjhe Hum Bhi To Jaane
Vidya Ka Humko Vardaan De Maa
Hey Sharde Maa Hey Sharde Maa
Agyanta Se Hume Taar De Maa
Tu Swet Varni Kamal Viraje
Haatho Me Veena Mukut Sir Pe Saaje
Tu Swet Varni Kamal Viraje
Haatho Me Veena Mukut Sir Pe Saaje
Mann Se Humare Mita Ke Andhere
Mann Se Humare Mita Ke Andhere
Humko Ujalo Ka Sansar De Maa
Hey Sharde Maa Hey Sharde Maa
Agyanta Se Hume Taar De Maa
Saraswati River
The Saraswati river was one of the major rivers of ancient India. The Glacier named Har-ki-dun which flowed from the Himalayas was responsible for producing the tributaries of Saraswati river.
It also produced Sutlej from the Kailash mountains and Drishadvati from Shivalik Hills.
Finally, the Saraswati river flowed and got merged with the great Arabian Sea at a place known as great Rann delta. The Saraswati river dried up completely around 1500 BC.
Vasant Panchami
The birthday of Maa Saraswati is celebrated as the day of Vasant Panchami. From many centuries, this day is celebrated as a Hindu festival every year on the fifth day of the bright fortnight of the Luna month Magha.
The Hindu people celebrate this festival with a lot of enthusiasm at various places like temples, educational institutes and even their homes.
The children who are in smaller classes are usually given their first lesson in reading or writing on this particular day.
Almost all the educational Institutes present in India conduct a special prayer in the morning of this particular day in the honour of Maa Saraswati.
Exclusive List of 10 Saraswati Temples in India
If one wants to please Maa Saraswati, then they can wear yellow coloured clothes on Vasant Panchami and also try to study and increase their knowledge constantly.
Below is a list of exclusive Saraswati Maa temples in India.
| S No. | Name of the Saraswati Temple | Place in India |
| 1 | Gnana Saraswati Temple | Telangana |
| 2 | Saraswathi Devi Sakthipeeth | Jammu and Kashmir |
| 3 | Shringeri Sharadamba Temple | Karnataka |
| 4 | Panachikkadu Temple | Kerala |
| 5 | Koothanur Saraswati Temple | Tamil Nadu |
| 6 | Sri Vidya Saraswati Temple | Telangana |
| 7 | Dakshina Mookambika Temple | Kerala |
| 8 | Kaleswaram Maha Saraswathi Temple | Telangana |
Conclusion
Saraswati Maa is considered to be the symbol of knowledge and wisdom in Hindu mythology and is also the goddess of music and art.
The students worship her every day for getting her blessings and improving in their field. The goddess also acts as the guide for the human soul for attaining liberation in the afterlife.
People Also Ask (FAQs)
From where can we trace the first reference of Saraswati Maa?
The first reference of Maa Saraswati was found in the Rigveda, which mentioned that she was a significant figure during the time of Vedic period and was the pioneer of many Hindu festivals.
Who is the husband of Maa Saraswati?
Lord Brahma is the husband of Saraswati Maa.
What is the symbolism of the Veena played by Goddess Saraswati?
The Veena played by Maa Saraswati is the symbol of the eternal and ever-growing knowledge about music and the full control over the body organs and senses.