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 Saraswati
is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music and all the creative
arts. Saraswati is called the Mother of the Veda's and the
repository of Brahma's creative intelligence. Saraswati is
also called Vak Devi, the goddess of speech. For most Indian artists, all art and all new art traditions originate with Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of art. She is the main muze of every indian artist.
In order to create the world and produce the human race, Brahma made a goddess out of himself. One half was woman and the other half was man. Brahma called the woman Gayatri, but she also became known by many other names such as Saraswati.
Dressed in white, Saraswati holds a mala and a palmleaf scroll, indicating knowledge. Saraswati usually rides a swan and sometimes a peacock, while playing music on a veena.
Students worship Saraswati to perform well in examinations. The
Vilma Vashi temple in Dilwara is dedicated to Saraswati. This sloka (mantra) of Saraswati can be recited
daily to improve memory, power and concentration in studies
:
SARASWATI NAMASTHUBHYAM
VARADE KAMARUPINI
VIDHYARAMBAM KARISHYAMI
SIDDHIR BAVATHUME SADHA Saraswati also stands high in yoga, as the Sushumna channel through which the Kundalini energy may rise upwards. Through breath control, the solar and lunar energies are merged into the neutral Kundalini energy. The lunar energy channel is symbolized as the river Ganga, riding the crocodile. The solar energy channel is the Yamuna goddess and river, while the central neutral channel is Saraswati. The upward flow of Kundalini through the central Saraswati channel then pierces the chakras and brings liberation. This confluence of the 3 rivers called Triveni Sangam actually takes place near the city of Allahabad. Here, every 12 years the biggest human gathering on earth takes place, the festival of the Maha Kumbh Mela.
 Gayatri is another form of Saraswati as the consort of Brahma. She is both a goddess as she is the Gayatri mantra, most sacred of all Hindu mantras. As sister to the Sun god Surya, she fell so much in love with his brilliance that she chose to dissolve herself and become a sacred mantra dedicated to him. Just like this famous Gayatri mantra, the goddess Gayatri is considered to be the veda mata, the mother of all Vedas, the 4 most sacred scriptures of Hinduism. In her hands she holds symbols of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
Yantras are geometrical patterns that produce the energy associated with a deity. Meditation on the Saraswati yantra is usually performed by artists and by students. The overall light-blue colors stimulate serenity and sensitivity. The eight lotus petals represent the eigthfolded nature of the universe, the elements and qualities with which the artists works. The light violet color relates to higher knowledge. The peacock and the swan are both the preferred mounts of Saraswati. The peacock stands for knowledge while the swan represents the creative sense.
The parrot is added also because of the relationship to secret knowledge.
Click here to hear the Saraswati
mantra online.
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