Mother Saraswati: Her Significance in Hinduism and Buddhism
Saraswati is the primary Goddess in Hinduism. But she is highly revered in other religions as well. She is referred to as Bharati (eloquence), Shatarupa (existence), Vedamata ('mother of the Vedas'), Brahmi, Sarada, Vagisvari, and Putkari. Sara in Sanskrit means 'essence,' and Saw represents 'self.' The Rigveda is where Saraswati first appears. Later religious scriptures credit her as the creator of Sanskrit, and she fittingly bestows pen and ink upon Ganesha.
In Tibetan, Saraswati is renowned as Yang Chenmo or Piwa Karpo when her musical element is highlighted. She is known as Keleyin ukin Tegri in Mongolia, Tapien-ts'ai t'iennu or Miao-yin mu in Chinese, and Benzaiten in Japan. In Buddhism, Saraswati is revered as Yidam with her role as the personification of virtues of all kinds, particularly cultural ones like education and the performing arts, especially music. Her mythology also has a significant purification element. She has a lot of traits in common with White Tara.
Hindu Goddess Saraswati
Hindus worldwide worship Saraswati as the Goddess of knowledge, the arts, and music. She is also known as Vak Devi, the Goddess of speech, and referred to as the Mother of the Vedas. The Goddess of wisdom, or Devi, represents the movement of consciousness and knowledge. The "Saraswati Vandana," or chants in her honor, frequently start and finish Vedic teachings. Hindus hold that Saraswati offers humans the capacity for speech, knowledge, and learning.
The universe and the people who live in it are said to have begun to exist because Brahma, the creation deity, is thought to have made a goddess out of him. The Goddess is said to have come from Brahma's mouth on a swan while holding a veena in one hand and holy scriptures in the other. She was also wearing white clothing. One of the primary measures for preventing the anarchy that would arise if there was no wisdom in the world is her capacity to transmit knowledge throughout the human species.
The Saraswati Puja celebrated on the first spring day, is one of the goddess' celebrations. Worshipers dress in yellow during the event because it represents knowledge and wealth. Additionally, yellow silk is used to cover statues of the Goddess, and worshippers pray for protection for their writing implements, books, and musical instruments. During the occasion, children are taught to write for the first time, ancestors are revered, and Brahmin priests are fed exquisite food.
She is revered as a river as well. In early Hinduism, Saraswati was seen as a river goddess associated with the Saraswati River. The River Saraswati, analogous to the Ganga, is considered one the most esteemed rivers at the time since it nourishes the land and promotes fertility. The purifying effect of flowing water is another representation of the purity of the River Saraswati. According to the Rig Veda, the River Saraswati grants both long life and good health.
Saraswati in Buddhism
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In Buddhism, Saraswati is a protector goddess who upholds the Buddha's teachings. She is occasionally referred to as the tranquil manifestation of the protector Palden Lhamo. Her dark blue color, which is the same as Nila Saraswati's dark blue emanation of Durga, the Mahakali of Hindu tantric tradition, maybe the source of this relationship.
Because she is white, has one face, and occasionally three eyes, Yangchenmo is frequently compared to White Tara. Buddhists revered her as a guardian deity who preserves Buddha's teachings by offering protection and support to devotees. She transitioned from being Brahma's consort to Manjusri's consort. She is essential in both Tibetan and Sino-Japanese Buddhism. She replaced Prajnaparamita, holding a book and a lotus in her left hand, and rosary beads in her right hand, with the benediction gesture (varada mudra) (former Buddhist Goddess of Wisdom).
According to Tibetan Buddhism, anybody who relies on her with faith will see their knowledge growing, and their requests for mental clarity, memory accuracy, and other things will come true.
One's voice will become majestic and beautiful, one will have debating skills that allow them to persuade anybody, and others will listen to and accept what they say once they have achieved spiritual union with Sarasvati.
Je Tsongkhapa, a Tibetan teacher who established the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism in the 14th century, also venerated Saraswati as his particular meditational deity or yidam. Based on his pristine views of her, he wrote a wonderful devotional poem titled "Prayer to Saraswati." Throughout his years of study and reflection, Saraswati is thought to have regularly visited Je Tsongkhapa when he was traveling and providing advice and inspiration.
Depiction of Saraswati
She is frequently depicted as a beautiful woman clad entirely in white, and she is commonly seen sitting down on a white lotus, which stands for light, wisdom, and truth. Typically, sculptures of Saraswati include white features, such as dresses, flowers, and swans; this is because white represents purity, discriminating for actual knowledge, insight, and wisdom. She is also seen holding four hands, which stand for the four learning-related personality traits of mind, intelligence, awareness, and ego.
Goddess Saraswati is a well-known example of a beautiful but stern deity. The color most usually associated with Maa Saraswati is white, representing actual knowledge's purity. However, she is sometimes associated with the color yellow, which is the hue of the blooms of the mustard plant, which opens out during her celebration in the spring. Saraswati is shown as wearing extremely modest attire, probably indicating that she values knowledge over worldly material concerns.
The 4 arms of Saraswati stand for the 4 aspects of the learner's personality: the mind, intellect, alertness, and ego. The four arms are also symbolic of the four Vedas, the holy writings of Hinduism. She holds s a book (prose), a rosary of crystal beads (poetry), and a vina in her hands (music). The pitcher of holy water in her other hand symbolizes the purity of these three arts and their capacity to purify human intellect.
Frequently, she is accompanied by a white swan. According to folklore, the sacred swan can only consume milk when fed a solution of water and milk. The swan, therefore, stands for the division of good from evil or the transcendent from the fleeting. Due to her relationship with the swan, the goddess Saraswati is also known as Hamsa-Vahini, which translates to "she who has a swan as her chariot" in Sanskrit.
Sometimes the Goddess is shown with a peacock. The Goddess reveals to Hindus that they should not be bothered with external beauty but instead be smart in light of the everlasting truth by utilizing a peacock as their ride. The peacock is a representation of conceit and pride in one's appearance.
Saraswati sits on Lotus, which signifies that she originates from supreme purity and offers divine knowledge. Her white sari denotes that she is the embodiment of pure knowledge.
Saraswati Gayatri Mantra
"Om Aim Vagdevyai Vidmahe Kamarajaya Dhimahi।
Tanno Devi Prachodayat॥"
Meditation on Saraswati Yantra is considered to be much beneficial for artists and students. The Goddess is framed playing a musical instrument, Veena. It conveys that a human must properly tune his mind and intellect to live in perfect harmony with the world. There is a great festival called "Saraswati Puja," celebrated during Vasanta Panchami (in January/February), dedicated to her divine knowledge of Sanskrit and Music.
Sarasvati is one of the Seven Fortunes Deities in Japan. She resides in the Great Eloquent Divine Effect Natural Bright and Clean Heaven. She dwells in the Supreme Heaven of Eternal Immutability among Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. She has a very high divine position since she is a bodhisattva of the ninth ground who will soon become a Buddha.
