Saraswathy Mahatmyam part-4

June 26, 2007

Dear Sanketh and all, See, Sanketh how your question has benefitted all! sari ekkada aapenu last time?(where did I stop last time?)...ah1 Saraswathy panchakam Ok,this posting will concentrate on this. Saraswathy panchakam(you asked whether this is a sholka...i expected it, well sorry to disappoint you, it is a combo of

herbs!) Braahmi Shankapushpi Shataavaram Gorakhamundi Meetibaccha (All in equal quanitites) These 5 herbs when collected with herb awareness and then grinded together and then pured into a thin muslin cloth(Vastrakhalitam) and then taking the fine powder which falls from that and collecting it in a container and closing the lid tightly after doing this to seal from moisture and then taking 1/2 teaspoon of

this powder or 1 teaspoon of this powder for children and adults respectively with plain hot water or with tea-infusion and taking this "mishrana" in the morning or evening daily will improve concentration(cure ADD syndrome and stuff like that). The keysto success in any study venture are just two things 1. Concentration 2. Persistence(by way of revision and tenacity of leanring new things) The above powder helps in the first aspect-ie.,concentration. Any one can tak this powder.This powder is called "Saraswathy panchakam" I do not know if any ayurvedic shop is selling this. If they are selling it then one can consume it after testing for any allergies one might have for any one or all of the herbs and taking the advice of a certified and good ayurvedic practitioner. On wednesday one can chant Saraswathy chalisa with great shraddha and then fast that day alone and then drink it next day(thursday) and continue chanting Saraswathy Chalisa. This will gaurantee students of great success in their exams.Ofcourse they have to study lessons also. Saraswathy devi will not appear all of a sudden and say "Vatsa! Iam granting you

success in your IITJEE exam" No, such things dont happen! We have our own buddhi,vivekam and vichara, use this discriminative faculty first and then seek Saraswathy devi's help for augmenting this. Wednesday by the way is great to do "Akshara upasanaShwetambara Saraswathy" like white color very much. So wearing white clothes,a pearl mala,white lotus, white mandahaasam(simhasanam) prefarbly made of devadaaru and cool atmosphere are all symbolic of Saraswathy Devi. One who does the "Akashara Upasana vrata" must wear white clothes during the vratakalam.This is the deeksha vastram. Having a pure mind and doing this vrata(I have

given details in one earlier part) for whole life will make the person "Saraswathy putra/putri". If one cannot do it for lifetime, atleats if one does for 21,31,41 days for each wednesday and doing japa in a vidhikrama daily and on sankalpa dinam(wednesday) if one is able to feed 11 kanyas with paramanna(jaggery rice) and offer them white fruit(Banana or chilakadadhumpa/sweet potato-inner portion is white). and some dakshina tambula and then considering the 11 kanyas as 11 rupas of saraswathy devi. 11 amsas of saraswathy are: 1. Braahmi 2.Vedamaatha 3. Hamsini 4.

Veenaadharini 5. Pustakadhaarini 6. Kaladevi 7. Mayuraarudini 8. Gnaanadaayini 9. Vaikahari 10.Paravani 11.Gaanapriya Saraswathy symbolism: The Sanskrit word "Sara" means "essence"

and "swa" means "self." Thus Saraswathi means "the essence of the self." Saraswathi is also regarded as the guardian of the truth. She is also called Smirtishakti (power of memory), Jnanashakti (power of knowledge), Kalpanashakti (power of forming ideas) and so on. Today, however, she is predominantly worshipped as a goddess of knowledge-Gnaanadevi Saraswathi is always represented as a goddess of dazzling white complexion draped in a white sari and seated on a white lotus. She is usually depicted with four arms . She holds a book and a rosary in Her rear two hands, while the front two hands are engaged in playing the Veena. Her right leg is shown slightly pushing against Her left

leg. She uses a swan as Her vehicle. There is a peacock by Her side gazing at Her. By sitting on a lotus, Saraswathi signifies that She is Herself rooted in the Supreme Reality, and symbolizes supreme knowledge. The white color symbolizes purity and knowledge. The white sari that the Goddess is wearing denotes that She is the embodiment of pure knowledge. The four arms denote Her omnipresence and omnipotence. The two swans are depicted on the left side of the Goddess. A swan(paramaHamsa "annakili") is said to have a sensitive beak that enables it to distinguish pure milk from a mixture of milk and water. A swan, therefore, symbolizes the power of discrimination, or the ability to discriminate between right and wrong or good and bad. "The Hamsa represent perfect union, balance and life. A constant

repetition of the word "hamso" changes it to "Soaham", which means "That I am". Hence the hamsa is often identified with the Supreme Spirit or Brahman. The flight of the Hamsa also symbolizes the escape from the cycle of samsaara. The bird also has special connotations in the monistic philosophy of Advaita Vedanta - just as the swan lives on water but its feathers are not wetted by water, similarly an Advaitin tries to live in this material world full of Maya, but is unsoiled by its illusionary nature."-wikipedia source-Greco-Buddhist art A peacock sits next to

Saraswathi anxiously waiting to serve as Her vehicle. A peacock depicts unpredictable behaviour, as its moods can be influenced by the changes in weather. Saraswathi uses a swan as a vehicle and not the peacock. This signifies that one should overcome fear, indecision, and fickleness in order to acquire true knowledge. This indicates that one must acquire and apply knowledge with discrimination for the good of mankind. Knowledge that is dominated by ego can destroy the world. (Saraswathy veena) The Goddess playing on the Veena, denotes mind and intellect. This symbol conveys that the seeker must tune his mind and intellect in order to live in

perfect harmony with the world. String instruments represent the letter O in Ohm, and stand for creative unfolding of every thing. Such depictions for harmonious living enables the individual to utilize acquired knowledge for the welfare of mankind. Next posting I will cocnentrate on other issues like shayamala dandakam and braahmi lehyam. For now I will stop as I have some homework to do for the College and I myself can do with some "Saraswathy Kataksham" for a small quiz we have today evening on Currency options! Yours yogically, Shreeram Balijepalli

Purity, Powers, Parabrahmam...

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