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Sarasvati: The Goddess of Learning: Orissa Review # February-March - 2005
Sarasvati: The Goddess of Learning: Orissa Review # February-March - 2005
Sarasvati, the Goddess of Learning occupies a takes the three forms of Mahalakshmi, Mahakali
distinct position among the Sakta goddesses and Mahasarasvati. In her manifestation as
of Hindu pantheon. Due to the wide prevalence Mahasarasvati, she is of representing
of the worship of Shakti or the female energy Sattoguna. She is associated with the
in India from a very early period among almost destruction of the demons Sumbha and
all the different ethnological elements Nisumbha.6 She is the colour of white and the
comprising the vast mass of Indian population, most beautiful of all beauties. As indicated in
goddess Sarasvati became more popular the Pradhanika-rahasya, She is four arm
among the followers of Shaktism. According holding a rosary, a goad, a vina, and a
to David Kinsley, goddess Sarasvati is one of manuscript. In the Vaikritika-rahasya, where
the few important goddesses in the Vedas who She is said to have been born from Gauri with
has remained significant in later Hinduism, eight armed and holds an arrow, spear, chakra,
though today she is in particular, worshipped conch,bell, plowshare, and a bow. 7 A similar
description appears in the Sritattvanidhi,
by children and students as the patron Goddess
where She is described as the slayer of
of Learning throughout India.1 She is popular
Sumbha, with the eight ayudha.8
not only as a Hindu goddess, but also popular
with the Jains and the Buddhists.2 The word Regarding the origin and development
Sarasvati is derived from the words Sarah and of Sarasvati, interesting accounts are recorded
Vati which means 'one possessing a vast sheet in different Puranas. The Devi Mahatmya9
of water'.3 Goddess Sarasvati is known to us section of the Markandeya Purana refers three
in various names like Vani, Vagdevi, Vac, principal forms of female principle, i.e.
Sarada, Bharati, Pusti, Vagisvari, Vinapani etc.4 Mahalakshmi, Mahakali and Mahasarasvati.
According to the Brahmavaivartta Purana,10
In the Rig Veda the earliest reference the Brhadaranyaka Upanisad,11 the Matsya
about the goddess Sarasvati is to be found as Purana, 12 the Devi Bhagabat Purana, 1 3
the manifestation of a river, on the bank of goddess Sarasvati is stated to have been born
which most of the Vedic hymns were composed from the mouth of Paramaatma, Krisna as his
and the Vedic culture developed. The river thus Shakti. The Matsya Purana14 and the Vayu
appears to have played an important role in Purana15 describe Sarasvati as Visvarupa and
the formation of her concept. About the origin Brahma created her. In the Matsya Purana She
of the goddess Sarasvati, in the Pradhanika- is conceived as wife of Brahma, while in the
rahasya, as summarized by J.N. Banerjea,5 it Vayu Purana, She is described as the daughter
is stated that the unmanifested Mahalakshmi of Brahma.
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Orissa Review # February-March - 2005
According to T.A. Gopinath Rao,16 the is called the 'impeller of true and sweet speech
three forms of Mahalakshmi, Mahakali, and and awakener of happy and noble thoughts'.22
Mahasarasvati divided their bodies into two As evident in the Tantrasara, where Sarasvati
halves, i.e., one male and the other female. has more dhyanas, in compare to other
Accordingly, Mahalakshmi created Brahma and goddesses. Her name is Varnesvari, which
Lakshmi, Mahakali created Siva and Sarasvati, means 'goddess of letters'. She is also
and Mahasarasvati produced Vishnu and described as Varnajanani, the meaning of
Parvati. All came into action forming their
'mother of letters'. 23 The other epithets of
union with their male counterparts. Sarasvati
married to Brahma, Laksmi married to Vishnu Sarasvati included in different literature as
and Parvati married to Siva and they were Jihvagravasini (dwelling in the front of the
engaged for creation of the universe, tongue) and Kavijihvagravasini (She who
preservation of the universe, and destruction dwells on the tongues of poets), etc.24
of the universe respectively. 1 7
Trigunamayee Mahalakshmi
Mahakali Mahalakshmi Mahasarasvati
(tamas) (rajas) (sattvas)
Siva Sarasvati Brahma Lakshmi Vishnu Parvati
married to married to
married to
18
In the Krishna Yajurveda, Sarasvati
came to be identified with the Vedic goddess Like Lakshmi, Sarasvati is also
Vac (speech personified), who appears in the associated with many male deities. As an
Rig Veda as the vehicle of knowledge, while individual goddess She is closely associated
in the Aitreya Aranyaka19 She is called the with Brahma. The Brahmavaivartta Purana
mother of the Vedas. In the Rig Veda Sarasvati states that Visnu has three wives, who
is very often invoked with Ida and Bharati. Ida, constantly quarrel with each other, so that
Bharati and Sarasvati are the three eventually he keeps only Lakshmi, giving
manifestations of Agni and are known as Ganga to Siva and Sarasvati to Brahma.25
Yajnuagni (sacrificial fire). On account of their In the early stage of evolution, Sarasvati
close intimacy, these three goddesses are was associated with different Vedic gods, such
called three Sarasvatis.20 Goddess Sarasvati as Indra, Maruta, Asvinis, etc. In the Veda
is also depicted as the annihilator of demons. Sarasvati was the goddess of rain and the
She destroyed Vrtra and other demons. counterpart of Indra. She was believed to be
Utasya nah Sarasvati ghora in charge of rain. 26 Goddess Sarasvati's
Hiranyavartanih / Vrtraghni vasti sustuition//2 1 association with Ganesha is clear from the fact
With the passage of time Sarasvati's that, they are often juxtaposed, one next to the
association with a river and fertility gradually other in Orissan sculptural art particularly in
decreases and She increasingly becomes a motifs involving teaching. According to
goddess associated with speech, learning, Sarada-tilaka Tantra and other texts, as Pusti,
wisdom and culture. Even in the Rig Veda, She She is the consort of Ganesha.27
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Orissa Review # February-March - 2005