Courtesy: Sivasubramaniam
You are familiar with this
picture of the goddess Saraswathi , सरस्वती, on the bank of a river,
adorned by a pure white silk sari with golden borders, holding a book
and beads, playing music on Veena, a peacock by her side admiring her
serene and calm face .This painting is by Raja Ravi Varma, which might
be adoring your mini temple in home. Saraswathi is the Lord of learning,
fountain of arts and culture and the symbol of supreme vedanthic
wisdom. She is worshiped as Sharada ( the presiding deity in the
Sringeri temple), Bharathi, Vani or vagdevi and Kalaivani (in Tamiz ).
You have also been taught the simple Stothram,
सरस्वति नमस्तुभ्यं वरदे कामरूपिणि ।
विद्यारम्भं करिष्यामि सिद्धिर्भवतु मे सदा ॥
saraswathi namastubhyam varadé kāmarūpiṇi |vidyārambham kariṣhyāmi, siddhirbhavatu mé sadā ||
Meaning:
O Saraswathī, my namskarams, humble prostrations for you, O Giver of boons, O Giver of form to desire (full-filler of desire) ,I start my studies; may I achieve perfection. ( bless me to do well ).
saraswathi = O Saraswathī
namastubhyam = namaH tubhyam = salutations, for you. तुभ्यम् / tubhyam= to you.
varadé= o giver (-dA/ -dā) of boons (vara) -da (-dA /dā for feminine) suffix means giver of, like jalada, ambuda (giver of jala/ambu=water, i.e. clouds)
vasu-dA / vasudā = giver of wealth = earth
kAmarUpiNi = o giver of form (rUpa / rūpa) to desires (kAma / kāma). This is a beautiful expression. दायिन् / dAyin giving. dAyini would have served the purpose. But
kAmarUpiNi is lovely.
vidyArambham = vidyA Arambham / vidyā ārambham = knowledge (studying) start . करिष्यामि / kariṣhyāmi = I will do. siddhirbhavatu = siddhiH bhavatu / siddhiḥ bhavatu = accomplishment, मे / mae = mine. sadA / sadā = always
--------------------------------------
And 2.
या कुन्देन्दु तुषार हार धवला या शुभ्रवस्त्रावृता
या वीणा वरदण्ड मण्डितकरा या श्वेतपद्मासना ।
या ब्रह्माच्युत शङ्करप्रभृतिभिर्देवैः सदा पूजिता
सा मां पातु सरस्वती भगवती निःशेषजाड्यापहा ॥
Yaa Kunda-Indu Tushaara Haara Dhavalaa Yaa Shubhra-Vastra-Avrtaa
Yaa Veenaa Vara-Dannda Manndita-Karaa Yaa Shveta-Padmaasanaa |
Yaa Brahma-Acyuta Shangkara-Prabhrtibhir-Devaih Sadaa Puujitaa
Saa Maam Paatu Sarasvatii Bhagavatii Nihshessa-Jaaddya-Apahaa ||
Meaning:
1: (O Mother Saraswati), Who is fair as a Jasmine flower and Moon and White as Snow and Who is dressed in White Garments,
2: Whose Hands are Adorned by the Veena and Staff symbolizing Boon-Giving and Who is Seated on a White Lotus,
3: Who is always Adored by Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and the other deities,
4: Kindly Protect me, and Remove my Ignorance.
Line 1
कुन्द / kunda jasmine flower- इन्दु / indu = Moon तुषार/ tuSAra= snow, dew, camphor हार/ hAra = garland धवल / dhavala = dazzling white.
शुभ्रा / zubhrA crystal वस्त्र / vastra = cloth आवृ / AvR = cover शुभ्रवस्त्रावृता = adoring zubhrA vastram
Line 2
वर / vara = best मण्डित / maNDita = adorned कर / kara = hand दण्ड / daNDa = rod, staff, stick. मण्डित / manditha वीणा वरदण्ड मण्डितकरा = the one with hands adorned with a great Veena and a staff श्वेत / zveta =white पद्मासन / padmAsana = positioned in a lotus =sitting in a lotus.
Line 3
प्रभृति / prabhRti=
beginning with . Brahma-Acyuta Shangkara-Prabhrtibhir-Devaih= by
Brahma, Vishnu, Sankara and other Devas Sadaa Puujitaa= always
worshiped
Line 4
Maam Paatu = Save me सा / sA = she मां/ mAM पातु / pAtu = Protect निःशेष /niHzeSa = complete, जाड्य / jADya=
stupidity, ignorance, absence of intellect, dullness etc . अपह / apaha =
removing Nihshessa-Jaaddya-Apahaa = the one who completely removes
ignorance, illiteracy etc.
Explanation :
The name Saraswathi
is derived from सरस् "saras" (anything flowing, water, pond etc) and
"wathi" (meaning "she who has ...", similar to sowbaagyavahti,
roopawathi), i.e. "she who has flow". Now, knowledge is free flowing.
One might be a great scholar; it has to flow from him to help others.
Books are repositories of knowledge, but that has to flow into our head.
The words saritā (सरिता = river), sarovara (सरोवर = lake), sarī-sṛipa
(सरी-सृप = reptiles), sarpa (सर्प = serpent) all have the same root - to
flow. So, Saraswathi is symbol of knowledge, whose flow (or growth) is
like a river or pond, supremely fascinating like a divine damsel. She is
depicted as a lovely, fair Goddess with four arms, wearing a spotless
white saree and seated on a white lotus. White, for us, is the shade of
purity and everything about Saraswathi , is white, the colour of pure
snow.
The श्वेतकमल or white lotus, which blooms at moon- rise is
her seat . Moon is 'zitAMzu' शीतांशु, the one with white cool rays at
the sight of whom the white lotus blooms. Saraswathi is 'kundendhu
thushara haara dhavaa' and ' subravasthranghitha' She wears white
apparel and white garland and is 'हंसवाह' riding of hamsa, which again
is snow-white in colour.
She is the embodiment of intelligence,
consciousness, cosmic knowledge, creativity, education, enlightenment,
music, the arts, eloquence and power.
You would have observed that
Sarswathi doesn't have any weapons . Annihilation is not her job.
Knowledge is not to harm others. It is to help them. It is to help you
and promote you to a better status. To purify your soul and elevate it
to a high level. The ultimate aim of knowledge is to liberate the soul
about which you will learn when you grow.
Meditation :
Calm,quite,
pure, peaceful and a totally serene feeling you should have when you
meditate on the Goddess whose physical form symbolizes pure knowledge,
which is stainless.
Now, meditate on Goddess Saraswathy to help
you in your studies. Studies know no boundary. It can flow from the
classroom, at home, in the play ground , from your parents and others at
home and also from those outside. The Nature is a best friend and
teacher.The animals, tress, birds, river, ocean all will teach you
something or other
.
Let your ambition to learn good things grow. Let Sarswathi Devi bless you for that to happen.
picture of the goddess Saraswathi , सरस्वती, on the bank of a river,
adorned by a pure white silk sari with golden borders, holding a book
and beads, playing music on Veena, a peacock by her side admiring her
serene and calm face .This painting is by Raja Ravi Varma, which might
be adoring your mini temple in home. Saraswathi is the Lord of learning,
fountain of arts and culture and the symbol of supreme vedanthic
wisdom. She is worshiped as Sharada ( the presiding deity in the
Sringeri temple), Bharathi, Vani or vagdevi and Kalaivani (in Tamiz ).
You have also been taught the simple Stothram,
सरस्वति नमस्तुभ्यं वरदे कामरूपिणि ।
विद्यारम्भं करिष्यामि सिद्धिर्भवतु मे सदा ॥
saraswathi namastubhyam varadé kāmarūpiṇi |vidyārambham kariṣhyāmi, siddhirbhavatu mé sadā ||
Meaning:
O Saraswathī, my namskarams, humble prostrations for you, O Giver of boons, O Giver of form to desire (full-filler of desire) ,I start my studies; may I achieve perfection. ( bless me to do well ).
saraswathi = O Saraswathī
namastubhyam = namaH tubhyam = salutations, for you. तुभ्यम् / tubhyam= to you.
varadé= o giver (-dA/ -dā) of boons (vara) -da (-dA /dā for feminine) suffix means giver of, like jalada, ambuda (giver of jala/ambu=water, i.e. clouds)
vasu-dA / vasudā = giver of wealth = earth
kAmarUpiNi = o giver of form (rUpa / rūpa) to desires (kAma / kāma). This is a beautiful expression. दायिन् / dAyin giving. dAyini would have served the purpose. But
kAmarUpiNi is lovely.
vidyArambham = vidyA Arambham / vidyā ārambham = knowledge (studying) start . करिष्यामि / kariṣhyāmi = I will do. siddhirbhavatu = siddhiH bhavatu / siddhiḥ bhavatu = accomplishment, मे / mae = mine. sadA / sadā = always
--------------------------------------
And 2.
या कुन्देन्दु तुषार हार धवला या शुभ्रवस्त्रावृता
या वीणा वरदण्ड मण्डितकरा या श्वेतपद्मासना ।
या ब्रह्माच्युत शङ्करप्रभृतिभिर्देवैः सदा पूजिता
सा मां पातु सरस्वती भगवती निःशेषजाड्यापहा ॥
Yaa Kunda-Indu Tushaara Haara Dhavalaa Yaa Shubhra-Vastra-Avrtaa
Yaa Veenaa Vara-Dannda Manndita-Karaa Yaa Shveta-Padmaasanaa |
Yaa Brahma-Acyuta Shangkara-Prabhrtibhir-Devaih Sadaa Puujitaa
Saa Maam Paatu Sarasvatii Bhagavatii Nihshessa-Jaaddya-Apahaa ||
Meaning:
1: (O Mother Saraswati), Who is fair as a Jasmine flower and Moon and White as Snow and Who is dressed in White Garments,
2: Whose Hands are Adorned by the Veena and Staff symbolizing Boon-Giving and Who is Seated on a White Lotus,
3: Who is always Adored by Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and the other deities,
4: Kindly Protect me, and Remove my Ignorance.
Line 1
कुन्द / kunda jasmine flower- इन्दु / indu = Moon तुषार/ tuSAra= snow, dew, camphor हार/ hAra = garland धवल / dhavala = dazzling white.
शुभ्रा / zubhrA crystal वस्त्र / vastra = cloth आवृ / AvR = cover शुभ्रवस्त्रावृता = adoring zubhrA vastram
Line 2
वर / vara = best मण्डित / maNDita = adorned कर / kara = hand दण्ड / daNDa = rod, staff, stick. मण्डित / manditha वीणा वरदण्ड मण्डितकरा = the one with hands adorned with a great Veena and a staff श्वेत / zveta =white पद्मासन / padmAsana = positioned in a lotus =sitting in a lotus.
Line 3
प्रभृति / prabhRti=
beginning with . Brahma-Acyuta Shangkara-Prabhrtibhir-Devaih= by
Brahma, Vishnu, Sankara and other Devas Sadaa Puujitaa= always
worshiped
Line 4
Maam Paatu = Save me सा / sA = she मां/ mAM पातु / pAtu = Protect निःशेष /niHzeSa = complete, जाड्य / jADya=
stupidity, ignorance, absence of intellect, dullness etc . अपह / apaha =
removing Nihshessa-Jaaddya-Apahaa = the one who completely removes
ignorance, illiteracy etc.
Explanation :
The name Saraswathi
is derived from सरस् "saras" (anything flowing, water, pond etc) and
"wathi" (meaning "she who has ...", similar to sowbaagyavahti,
roopawathi), i.e. "she who has flow". Now, knowledge is free flowing.
One might be a great scholar; it has to flow from him to help others.
Books are repositories of knowledge, but that has to flow into our head.
The words saritā (सरिता = river), sarovara (सरोवर = lake), sarī-sṛipa
(सरी-सृप = reptiles), sarpa (सर्प = serpent) all have the same root - to
flow. So, Saraswathi is symbol of knowledge, whose flow (or growth) is
like a river or pond, supremely fascinating like a divine damsel. She is
depicted as a lovely, fair Goddess with four arms, wearing a spotless
white saree and seated on a white lotus. White, for us, is the shade of
purity and everything about Saraswathi , is white, the colour of pure
snow.
The श्वेतकमल or white lotus, which blooms at moon- rise is
her seat . Moon is 'zitAMzu' शीतांशु, the one with white cool rays at
the sight of whom the white lotus blooms. Saraswathi is 'kundendhu
thushara haara dhavaa' and ' subravasthranghitha' She wears white
apparel and white garland and is 'हंसवाह' riding of hamsa, which again
is snow-white in colour.
She is the embodiment of intelligence,
consciousness, cosmic knowledge, creativity, education, enlightenment,
music, the arts, eloquence and power.
You would have observed that
Sarswathi doesn't have any weapons . Annihilation is not her job.
Knowledge is not to harm others. It is to help them. It is to help you
and promote you to a better status. To purify your soul and elevate it
to a high level. The ultimate aim of knowledge is to liberate the soul
about which you will learn when you grow.
Meditation :
Calm,quite,
pure, peaceful and a totally serene feeling you should have when you
meditate on the Goddess whose physical form symbolizes pure knowledge,
which is stainless.
Now, meditate on Goddess Saraswathy to help
you in your studies. Studies know no boundary. It can flow from the
classroom, at home, in the play ground , from your parents and others at
home and also from those outside. The Nature is a best friend and
teacher.The animals, tress, birds, river, ocean all will teach you
something or other
.
Let your ambition to learn good things grow. Let Sarswathi Devi bless you for that to happen.
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