What is Saraswati Pooja? (For Newcomers!)

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Saraswati is the goddess of learning, arts (music, dance, painting,

sculture, etc.) and crafts. According to her different specialities,

She is known by different names like Bakdevi, Biraj, Sarada, Brahmi,

Satarupa, Mahasweta, Sarbasukia, Prithudar, Bagiswari and, ofcourse,

Saraswati. She is the Law of Nature responsible for wisdom,

knowledge, learning, intelligence, success in education, speech, good

memory, right thinking and enlightenment.

 

Her festival is held in the month of Magh. This year, January 26-27,

2004 is the Day of Maha Saraswati. In Vedic tradition, Maha Saraswati

Day is a most auspicious occasion for doing yagyas [grand Vedic

rituals] for the fulfillment of the noble intentions as mentioned

above.

 

Saraswati Pooja is a festival especially celebrated by youth,

particularly students who invoke the blessings of the goddess for

success in learning, arts and crafts. Throughout Bengal Saraswati

Puja is celebrated in schools, colleges, clubs as well as homes.

 

Among all the Hindu deities, Saraswati stands out as the most

controversial. Her origin is shrouded in mystery. Starting from the

Vedas, Puranas, Upanishads to the popular ancient mythology,

Saraswati appears through a veil of mystery.

 

According to the Matsya Purana, Saraswati evolved from the mouth of

Brahma. Such was her beauty and grace that Brahma pursued her. As she

fled in different directions a head appeared and so Brahma is

attributed with five heads, she was the most unique creation of

Brahma. Saraswati is our equivalent of the classical Goddess Minerva

and also the Teutonic Goddess Fira. The moon and the lotus associated

with Saraswati are both symbols of eternal womanhood.

 

Some of the many mythological stories connected with Saraswati have

interesting sociological interpretations. The gods and the demons by

mutual agreement decided to churn the ocean for the Arnrit or the

elixir of life. Mainak mountain was used as the churning rod and

Basuki as the churning rope. when Lakshmi appeared with the Arnrit

kunbha both wanted the elixir. S

 

araswati with her exquisite beauty lured away the asuras. As the Gods

were drinking the Arnrit, Rahu and Ketu, two asuras saw them and

slipped in with the Gods. As they drank the Arnrit which would make

them immortal like the gods, Vishnu detected them. He immediately cut

off their heads. The two enraged asuras, swallowed the sun and moon

but could not retain them as their throats were cut. This led to the

origin of the solar and lunar eclipse. Saraswati, who was

instrumental in helping the Gods to be immortal, was established in

the heavens as the Goddess Saraswati.

 

The Gods and the Gandharvas both wanted the Soma Ras. It was again

Saraswati who with her beauty and grace lured and so exhausted the

Gandharvas that they could not acquire the Soma Ras which naturally

went to the gods.

 

The Aryans fought with the non-Aryan Comi tribes (tribal dominance

among the Aryans) like Nished, Sabar and Pulindar on the banks of the

river Saraswati. At the request of Vishnu, Saraswati disappeared

underground and again reappeared in far off Rajasthan. The tribals

were thus deprived of the life-saving water. They were forced to

abandon the area. In both cases we see the importance of the river

Saraswati in Aryan life and how Saraswati was used to deprive the

weak of water, without which life is impossible. Saraswati is known

as Prithudhar (subjugator of the Aryans).

 

Vashishtha and Vishwamitra, the two sages, were both violently

opposed to each other. Vishwamitra ordered the river Saraswati to

wash away Vashishtha along with all he possessed. Saraswati refused

to comply with his command. To punish Saraswati, he turned the water

of the river into blood. At the behest of Shiva, the two sages became

amicable and once again there was pure water in the river Saraswati.

 

In some areas she is believed to be the daughter of the Sun or Surya

Kanya. In Western India, Saraswati is seen with the lion or peacock.

She is married to Kartikeya. This is really the sun cult.

 

In Eastern India, particularly Bengal, Saraswati has been absorbed

into the Bengali culture. She has been given the mantle of daughter

of Parvati and is treated as a daughter. Vishnu had three wives-

Saraswati, Ganga and Lakshmi. He was tired of Saraswati because of

her superior knowledge and to gave her away to Brahma. Ganga was too

frivolous and so was given to Shiva. Lakshmi quiet and sedate,

remained his wife. These were the three Sris.

 

History tells us that the Aryans came to India through the. Khyber

pass and settled in Punjab, Haryana and North Rajasthan. Saraswati is

one of the seven holy rivers flowing through modern Punjab, Haryana

and North Rajasthan.

 

In the North West along the banks of the river Saraswati. They were a

pastoral people and the river was their means of communication as

well as source of life.

 

Hence Saraswati was highly venerated and is associated with the

fertility cult.

 

The mythological background of Saraswati shows the importance of the

river Saraswati in the life of the Aryans settled along her river

banks. Sociologically the River Saraswati was an important factor in

ancient civilization. She is therefore a part of the fertility cult.

 

The Aryans who lived along the banks of the river were pastoral and

rural.

 

All early development took place on the river bank. Consequently

Saraswati came to be venerated as a symbol of knowledge.

 

It is evident that the upper strata of society used their superior

knowledge and expertise to deprive the ignorant lower half of society.

 

The other name of Saraswati is Prithudhara. It has an important

sociological aspect. The Comi tribes were subdued by being deprived

of the most essential requirement, water. This story influenced

Tagore to write Muktadhara (a play) where Bibhuti the engineer uses

his superior knowledge to deprive the ignorant farmers by

constructing a dam to divert the river water and satisfy the king.

 

The story of Kalidas has been built around Saraswati. There was a

proud and learned princess who rejected all suitors who could not

match her knowledge. The pundits in anger planned to marry her off to

a fool. They saw a man cutting the branch on which he was sitting and

decided he was the ideal fool for the princess. Kalidas was presented

to the princess as a man of wisdom who only spoke in signs. The

pundits answered all the princess's questions by interpreting

Kalidas's signs. The two were married but on the wedding night the

princess realized she had been duped. She kicked Kalidas out of her

bed. He in sorrow and shame went to commit suicide. The Goddess

Saraswati appeared and asked him to take a dip in the river. As he

emerged from the river Kalidas was transformed. He began to recite

verses in praise of the Goddess. Unfortunately for him he began to

praise her beauty not from her feet upwards but from her breasts

downwards. Saraswati in anger cursed Kalidas for his audacity. He

would die in an ignonimous place.

 

This festival is celebrated all over Bengal with great fervour and

gaiety.

 

Sources:

http://www.mantraonnet.com/saraswati-pooja.html

http://www.jyotish-yagya.com/