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Saraswati

All Hindu goddesses are represented as the subordinate powers or energies of their husbands. So Saraswati [less frequently, Sarasvati], whose husband was Brahma, the Creator, is renowned as the goddess of wisdom, possessing qualities of Invention and Imagination which may be fairly termed creative. Vach, Brahmani, Savitri are all names for Sarasvati. She is called "the Mother of the Vedas," and is honoured as the inventor of the Devanagari character and of the Sanskrit language. She is the patroness of fine arts, especially of music and rhetoric, and so is styled Vagdevi which means "goddess of speech."

Brahma's wife Sarasvati is the mother of the Vedas, and the inventor of the Devanagari letters. She is represented as a fair^oung woman, with four arms. With one of her right hands she is presenting a flower to her Husband, byjvhose side she continually stands; and in the other she holds a book of palm-leaves, indicating that she is fond of learning. In one of her left hands she has a string of pearls, called Sivamala (Siva's garland), which serves as a rosary; and in the^ other is a damariv, or small drum. She dwells on earth amongst men, but her special abode is with her husband in Brahmaloka.

Sarasvati having been produced from Brahma, was regarded as his daughter; hence her union with him was said to be criminal by the other gods. Sometimes she is called the wife of Vishnu, but this difficulty is explained by a legend. "Sarasvati, by the standard mythological authorities, is the wife of Brahma. The Vaishnavas of Bengal have a popular legend that she was the wife of Vishnu, as were also Lakshmi and Ganga. The ladies disagreed, Sarasvati, like the other type of learned ladies, Minerva, being something of a termagant; and Vishnu, finding that one wife was as much as even a god could manage, transferred Sarasvati to Brahma and Ganga to Siva, and contented himself with Lakshmi alone.

Sarasvati is a goddess of some though not of very great importance in the Vedas. She is celebrated both as a river and a goddess. She was primarily a river deity, and in this capacity she is celebrated in a few separate passages. Allusion is made in the hymns, as well as in the Brahmanas, to sacrifices being performed on the banks of this river, and of the adjoining Drishadvati; and the Sarasvati in particular seems to have been associated with the reputation for sanctity which . . . was ascribed to the whole region called Brahmavartta, lying between these two small streams, and situated immediately to the westward of the Jumna.

Sarasvati means literally "the watery one." It is the ancient name of a stream in the Panjab on whose banks in early times solemn sacrifices to the gods were performed. The flow of its purifying waters was compared aptly enough. As a river goddess Sarasvati was to the early Hindus what the Ganges is to their descendants. The Rig-Veda, x. 17-20, after mentioning Sarasvati, says: "May they (the waters) who purify with butter, purify us with butter; for their goddesses bear away defilement; I come out of them pure and cleansed." And again: "Ye, opulent waters, command riches; ye possess excellent power and immortality; ye are the mistresses of wealth and progeny; may Sarasvati bestow this vitality on her worshipper."—Rig-Veda, vi. 52-6to the roll of eloquent speech, and the music and rhythm ot the repetition of sacred texts and prayers. Hence Sarasvati takes her place as the inspirer of speech, the patroness of science and literature.

In later mythology Sarasvati became under different names the spouse of Brahma. This goddess is regularly worshipped by the student classes all over India, and her image, mounted on her favourite peacock, playing a musical instrument, while in her duplicate hands she clasps a book and holds out a flower to her husband, is found over the principal entrances and gateways of many Hindu Schools and Colleges. Her worship is specially celebrated on the fifth day of Magh (January) either before her image, or before a pen, or an inkstand, or book, which articles are supposed to form a proper substitute for the goddess. The image, or its substitute, is placed on the table either to the west or south of the house. And after the officiating Brahman has read the formulas and presented the offerings each worshipper, whose name has been included, takes flowers in his hands, and repeating a prayer for her favour, presents them to the goddess. After which follow the customary gifts to the Brahmans and feasting. On the day following no Hindu will take up a book or will write, although they carry on their ordinary secular business. They eat only once in the day and avoid fish."'

The last watch of the night is peculiarly sacred to Sarasvati. In Manu's Institutes it is related: "Let the housekeeper awake in the time sacred to Brahmi (feminine of Brahma) goddess of speech, reflect on virtue and virtuous employments, and on the whole meaning and very essence of the Vedas." (Ch. iv., v. 92.)

Brahma, in addition to the learned and beautiful Sarasvati, had a second wife in the milkmaid Gayatri. An interesting story is told in the Skanda Purana of their rivalry and subsequent reconciliation. Shiva addresses his wife Devi (Parvati):

"Listen, 0 Devi, and I will tell you how Sarasvati forsook Brahma, and he in consequence, espoused Gayatri. The Vedas have declared the great advantages which are derived from sacrifice, by which the gods are delighted and bestow rain upon the earth. . . . For this purpose Brahma, Sarasvati, the gods, and the holy sages repaired to Pushkara; but when all preparations were made, with all our rites and ceremonies for performing the sacrifices, Sarasvati, detained by some household affairs, was not in attendance. A priest accordingly went to call her; but she replied, 'I have not yet completed my dress, nor arranged several affairs. Lakshmi, Ganga, Indrani, and the wives of other gods and holy sages have not yet arrived, how therefore can I enter the assembly alone?'

"The priest returned, and addressed Brahma: 'Sarasvati is engaged and will not come; but without a wife what advantage can be derived from these rites?' The god was incensed at her conduct and commanded Indra: 'Hasten, and in obedience to my order bring a wife from wherever you can find one.' Indra passed hastily out and saw a milkmaid, young, beautiful, and of a smiling countenance, carrying a jar of butter. He seized her and brought her in to the assembly, when Brahma spoke thus: '0 gods and holy sages, if it seem good unto you I will espouse this Gayatri.' Whereupon he was united to Gayatri, who was led into the bower of the bride and adorned with the costliest ornaments.

"At this time Sarasvati, accompanied by the wives of Vishnu, Rudra, and the other gods, came to the place of sacrifice. Seeing the milkmaid seated in the bride's bower and the priests engaged in the performance of the sacrifice, she cried out: '0 Brahma, hast thou conceived the sinful intention to reject me who am thy wedded wife? Hast thou no sense of shame, that thus, influenced by love, thou committest so shameful an act? Thou art called the great father of gods and holy sages, and yet thou hast publicly acted in such a manner as to excite the derision of the three worlds. But how can I show my face; or deserted by my husband, call myself a wife?' Brahma replied: 'The priests informed me that the time for the sacrifice was fast passing away, and that it could not be performed unless my wife were present . . . and Indra having brought Gayatri, Vishnu and Rudra gave her in marriage to me. Forgive me therefore this one act and I will never again offend thee !'

"On hearing these words, Sarasvati exclaimed: 'By the powers, which I have obtained by the performance of sacrifices, may Brahma never be worshipped in temple, or sacred place, except one day in the year. And Indra, since thou has brought this milkmaid to Brahma, thou shalt be bound in chains and confined in a strange country.' Addressing Vishnu, she said: 'Since thou gavest her in marriage to Brahma thou shalt be born amongst men, and long shalt thou wander the humble keeper of cattle I' To the priests and Brahmans: 'Henceforth shall ye perform sacrifices solely from the desire of obtaining gifts: from covetousness shall ye attend the holy places.' Having pronounced these curses Sarasvati left the assembly, but Vishnu and Lakshmi, at Brahma's request, followed her and induced her to return, while Gayatri modified the curses which had been pronounced, and promised all kinds of blessings, including final absorption into him, to all worshippers of Brahma.

"When Sarasvati returned, Brahma asked her what she wished him to do with Gayatri, and Gayatri threw herself at Sarasvati's feet. She raised her up and said: 'A wife ought to obey the wishes and orders of her husband; for that wife who reproaches her husband and who is complaining and quarrelsome shall most assuredly when she dies go to hell. Therefore let us both be attached to Brahma.' 'So be it,' said Gayatri, 'thy orders will I always obey, and esteem thy friendship precious as my life. Thy daughter am I, 0 goddess! Deign to protect me !'"'

And so the reconciliation was complete, but the curses pronounced by Sarasvati in her anger are wonderfully fulfilled in the popular Hinduism of to-day.