Tales of the Goddess Part 2 - Saraswati

 

Saraswati

Saraswati is the aspect of the Goddess epitomized as Knowledge; Wisdom; the Patroness of the Letters, Sciences, and Music; and Mother of the Vedas.

She is represented clad in white garments, seated on a white lotus, and with a swan as her vahana. In her four hands she holds a rosary, the Vedas and the veena. The name ‘Saraswati’ is from sara (essence) and swa (self). White symbolizes purity – the purity of the Supreme Self untainted by anything that is false. The word for swan is Sanskrit is hamsa. Hamsa also means soul. Though oftentimes a peacock may be depicted in the background in the imagery of Saraswati, it stands for the magnificence of scholastic or artistic attainment. 

But the peacock is also representative of vanity and fickle-mindedness. That’s why it’s the white hamsa (pure soul) which is the true vehicle of Saraswati. 

The rosary stands for contemplation and the meditative mind. The Vedas stand for knowledge. The Veena is representative of the sacred pranava as well as harmony in thought, speech and action (trikarana shuddhi).

The Shringeri Sharadamba Temple in Karnataka is one of the famous temples dedicated to Goddess Saraswati.

Shringeri Sharadamba Temple, Karnataka

North Indian Traditions - Panchami

Presiding Devi: Skanda Mata

Presiding Graha: Budha

Bhog (sacred offering): Banana

Mantra:

Om Devi Skandamatayai Namaha

Stotra:

siṃhāsanagatā nityaṃ padmāśritakaradvayā |
śubhadāstu sadā devī skandamātā yaśasvinī ||

South Indian Traditions 2 - Panchami

Presiding Devi: Sri Saraswati

Durga Saptashloki

Gnaninamapi chetamsi devi bhagawatee sadaa

Baladaa krushya mohaya mahamayaa prayachchathi ||1||

Durgesmrita harasi mathi mashesha jantho

Swasthai smrita mathi matheeva shubhaam dadasi

Daridrya dukha bhaya harini kathwadanya

Sarvopakara karanaya sadarthra chittha ||2||

Sarva mangala mangalye shive sarvartha sadhike

Saranye thriyambake gauri narayani namosthuthe ||3||

Saranagatha deenartha paritrana parayane

Sarvasyarti hare devi narayani namosthuthe ||4||

Sarvaswarupe sarveshe sarva shakti samanvithe

Bhaye bhyasthrahi no devi durgedevi namosthuthe ||5||

Rogaana seshana pahamsi tushta rushta thu kaamaan sakalana bheeshtan

Thwama shrithanam navipanna raanaam thwama shrithahya shrayatham prayanthi ||6||

Sarvabhadaa prashamanam thrailokyasya akhileshwari

Evameva thwaya karyamasmath vairi vinashanam ||7||

Saraswati Ashtottra

Om Sarasvatyai namah

Om Maha-bhadrayai namah

Om Maha-mayayai namah

Om Vara-pradayai namah

Om Sree pradayai namah

Om Padma-nilayayai namah

Om Padmakshmai namah

Om Padma-vaktri-kayai namah

Om Shivanu-jayai namah

Om Pustaka-stayai namah (10)

Om Gynana-mudrayai namah

Om Ramayai namah

Om Kama-rupayai namah

Om Maha-vidyayai namah

Om Maha-pataka-nashinyai namah

Om Maha-shrayayai namah

Om Malinyai namah

Om Maha-bhogayai namah

Om Maha-bhujayai namah

Om Maha-bagayai namah (20)

Om Maho-tsahayai namah

Om Divyamgayai namah

Om Sura-vandi-tayai namah

Om Mahakalyai namah

Om Maha-pashayai namah

Om Maha-karayai namah

Om Mahamkushayai namah

Om Peetayai namah

Om Vimalayai namah

Om Vishvayai namah (30)

Om Vidyunma-layai namah

Om Vaishnavyai namah

Om Chandri-kayai namah

Om Chandra-lekha-vibhu-shitayai namah

Om Bhoga-dayai namah

Om Savitryai namah

Om Surasayai namah

Om Devyai namah

Om Divya-lankara-bhushitayai namah

Om Vagdevyai namah (40)

Om Vasudayai namah

Om Teevrayai namah

Om Maha-bhadrayai namah

Om Maha-phalayai namah

Om Gomatyai namah

Om Bharatyai namah

Om Bhamayai namah

Om Govimdayai namah

Om Jati-layai namah

Om Vindhya-vasayai namah (50)

Om Chandi-kayai namah

Om Vaishnavyai namah

Om Bramhyai namah

Om Bramha-gynanaika-sadhanayai namah

Om Soudaminyai namah

Om Sudha-murtayai namah

Om Subha-drayai namah

Om Sura-puji-tayai namah

Om Suvaa-sinyai namah

Om Suveenayai namah (60)

Om Vini-drayai namah

Om Padma-lochanayai namah

Om Vidya-rupayai namah

Om Vishalayai namah

Om Bramha-jayayai namah

Om maha palayai namah

Om Traeimurtyai namah

Om Traeikalanjyai namah

Om Traeikalanjyai namah

Om Shastra-rupinyai namah (70)

Om Shumbha-sura-pramadhinyai namah

Om Shubha-dayai namah

Om Sarvatmi-kayai namah

Om Rakta-beejani-hantrai namah

Om Chamundayai namah

Om Ambikayai namah

Om Munda-kambi-katai namah

Om Dhumra-lochana-mardhinyai namah

Om Sarva-devastu-tayai namah

Om Soumyayai namah (80)

Om Sura-sura-namaskrutayai namah

Om Kala-ratryai namah

Om Kala-dharayai namah

Om Vagdevyai namah

Om Vara-rohayai namah

Om Varahyai namah

Om Varijaa-sanayai namah

Om Chitrambarayai namah

Om Chitra-gamdhayai namah

Om Chitra-malya-vibhushitayai namah (90)

Om Kantayai namah

Om Kama-pradayai namah

Om Vindyayai namah

Om Rupa-soubhagya-daeinyai namah

Om Shweta-sanayai namah

Om Neela-bhujayai namah

Om Sura-puji-tayai namah

Om Rakta-madhyayai namah

Om Neela-jamghayai namah

Om Niranja-nayai namah (100)

Om Chaturana-nasamrajyai namah

Om Chaturvarga-phala-pradayai namah

Om Hamsa-sanayai namah

Om Bramha-vishu-sivatmi-kayai namah

Om Sarva-mangalaya namah

Om Vedamathre namah

Om Saratayai namah

Om Sri Saraswatyai namah (108)

Saraswati Stotram 

saraswathi namastubhyam sarva devi namo namaha
shaantarupe shashidhare sarvayoge namo namaha
nityanande niraadhare nishkalayai namo namaha
vidyadhare visalakshi shuddhagnana namo namaha

shuddha sphatika rupayai sukshmarupe namo namaha
shabdabrahmi chaturhaste sarvasiddhyai namo namaha
muktalankrita sarvangyai muladhare namo namaha
mulamantra svarupayai mulashaktyai namo namaha

manomani mahayoge vageeshvari namo namaha
vagbhyai varada-hastayai varadayai namo namaha
vedyai vedarupayai vedantayai namo namaha
gunadosha vivarjinyai gunadiptyai namo namaha

sarvagnane sadanande sarvarupe namo namaha
sampannayai kumaryai cha sarvagne te namo namaha
yoganarya umadevyai yoganande namo namaha
divyagnana trinetrayai divyamurtyai namo namaha

ardha chandra jatadhari chandrabimbe namo namaha
chandraditya jatadhari chandrabimbe namo namaha
anurupe maharupe vishvarupe namo namaha
animadyashta siddhayai anandayai namo namaha

gnana vignana rupayai gnanamurte namo namaha
nanashastra svarupayai nanarupe namo namaha
padmada padmavansha cha padmarupe namo namaha
parameshthyai paramurtyai namaste papanashini

mahadevyai mahakalyai mahalakshmyai namo namaha
brahmavishnushivayai cha brahmanaryai namo namaha
kamalakarapushpa cha kamarupe namo namaha
kapali karadiptayai karmadayai namo namaha

Saraswati Gayatri Mantra

Om. Vaakdevyai cha Vidmahe

Vrinji Pathni cha Dheemahi

Thanno Vaani Prachodayaath

South Indian Traditions 1 - Panchami

Presiding Devi: Vaishnavi

Flower Offering: Paarijaatham and Mullai

Fruit Offering: Pomegranate

Neivedyam: Thayir Saadham (Yogurt Rice)

http://www.ranjaniskitchen.com/creamy-curd-rice-thayir-sadam/

Thithi: Panchami

Kolam: Bird Rangoli made of Besan Flour

Raagam: Panthuvarali

e.g. 'Amba Manam Kaninthu' in Panthuvarali composed by Paapanaasam Sivan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GmM4XnGVR8

Shlokam: 

Om. Shyaama-varnaayaa Vidmahe

Chakra Hasthaaya Dheemahi

Thanno Vaishnavi Prachodayaath