Who is Saraswati?

Vedic (the river-goddess)

In the Rig Veda, Sarasvati is a mighty river and the goddess of that river. One hymn calls her “Best mother, best of rivers, best of goddesses” (2.41.16). Another describes her flood bursting the ridges of the hills and asks: “May the divine Sarasvatî, rich in her wealth, protect us well, Furthering all our thoughts with might” (6.61.4, Griffith). Griffith notes that the river of the hymns may be larger than the small stream later known by that name.

Sources for this reading

• Rig Veda 2.41.16, in R. T. H. Griffith (tr.), The Hymns of the Rigveda, vol. 1 (Benares: E. J. Lazarus, 1889). Griffith died 1906: public domain. Quoted verbatim from the OCR of the scan. (Book II, Hymn XLI, stanza 16, p. 402)
• Rig Veda 6.61.1–4 with Griffith's notes, in The Hymns of the Rigveda, 2nd ed., vol. 1 (Benares: E. J. Lazarus, 1896). Public domain. Quoted verbatim; checked on the page image. (p. 631 (leaf n641))

Speech (Vak) and the Gita

As goddess of speech, Saraswati is linked with Vak, holy speech. In the Gita's chapter on the divine glories, Krishna names speech among the things spoken of in the feminine in which he is present: “fame, fortune, speech, memory, intellect, courage, forgiveness” (10.34, Telang). Learning, music and clear speech are honoured as her gifts.

Sources for this reading

• Bhagavad Gita, 10.34

Puranic tradition and Vasant Panchami

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana tells that Krishna named the fifth day of the bright half of Magha for Saraswati's worship and was the first to worship her, after which gods, sages and people followed. That day is Vasant Panchami. The same chapter says she is worshipped on books, and also on the day a person begins to learn. Which god she is paired with differs between texts and traditions: this Purana sends her to Narayana (Vishnu) and names Savitri as Brahma's consort, while other texts make her Brahma's wife.

Sources for this reading

• Brahma Vaivarta Purana, Prakriti Khanda, chapter 4, in Rajendra Nath Sen (tr.), The Brahma-Vaivarta Puranam, part 1 (Allahabad: Panini Office, 1920). Summarised in our words, not quoted. Krishna tells Saraswati to wed Narayana and says she will be worshipped on the fifth day of the bright half of Magha, and on the day a person begins to gain knowledge; then he worships her, and Brahma, Vishnu, Siva, the sages, the gods and men follow. Public domain in the US (published 1920); India and UK status not confirmed, because the translator's death year has not been found. (Prakriti Khanda, chapter IV, pp. 95–96 (leaves n103–n104), read on the page images; and the close of the Brahma Khanda, p. 82 (leaf n90): Nature, the primeval Goddess, takes five forms, Radha, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Savitri (Brahma's consort) and Durga)
• W. J. Wilkins, Hindu Mythology, Vedic and Puranic (Calcutta: Thacker, Spink, 1882). Wilkins died 1902. Summarised in our words: Saraswati is Brahma's wife by the standard authorities; the Vaishnavas of Bengal tell that she was once Vishnu's wife; she was first a river goddess and was later identified with Vach, the goddess of speech. (“Sarasvati”, pp. 91–93 (leaves n110–n112))
• Festival guide “Vasant Panchami” in this library, with the Pujadeep calendar rule vasant-panchami.

Sources

• R. T. H. Griffith (tr.), The Hymns of the Rigveda, 2nd ed., vol. 1 (1896), Book 6, hymn 61. Public domain. (p. 631 (leaf n641))
• Learn pages what-are-the-vedas and one-god-many-forms in this library.

More questions

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