My favorite Indian goddess has always been Sarasvati. Sarasvati is the Goddess of Knowledge, Education and Music. She usually wears white and sits on a white lotus with a white swan, all representing purity. She usually has four arms, one or two playing her musical instrument and the other arms holding a book, a sacred garland, and a pot of water representing cleanliness. The swan is her “vehicle” which allows her to move from place to place. The peacock is a eater of snakes and represents the ability to turn poison into beauty. She is usually depicted near a flowing river or other body of water, probably because in early history she was a river goddess.
This lovely invocation to Sarasvati, sung in Sanskrit, is often sung before school starts. In Sanskrit, the words are:
Sarasvati Namastubhyam
Varade Jnaanaroopini
Vidyaarambham Karishyami
Siddhir Bhavatu Me Sadaa
Translation:
Salutations Mother Saraswati, giver of boons, fulfiller of desires
Bless me, so that I begin my studies successfully, may there be accomplishments.
This rendering is so beautiful, sung by an Indian singer KS Chitra, that I want to share this with you!
2 Comments
Add Yours →Thank you for sharing this! I loved reading the words, listening to the song, learning about Sarasvati and what she represents.
The Saraswati prayer/song is sooo beatiful!!!