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devotee
09 February 2011, 12:45 AM
Namaste,

Yesterday, Saraswati Puja was celebrated by the students for granting them success in studies.

Some Pictures below :


http://www.migindia.com/festivals/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Saraswati-Puja.JPG



http://yogodyan.net/site/gallery/Photo_Galllery_of_Sri_Sri_Saraswati_Puja_2009/images/Photo%20Galllery%20of%20Sri%20Sri%20Saraswati%20Puja%202009%20(111).jpg

Mantras :

Yaa Kundendu tushaara haaradhavalaa, Yaa shubhravastraavritha|
Yaa veenavara dandamanditakara, Yaa shwetha padmaasana||
Yaa brahmaachyutha shankara prabhritibhir Devaisadaa Vanditha|
Saa Maam Paatu Saraswatee Bhagavatee Nihshesha jaadyaapahaa||

===>

“May Goddess Saraswati,
who is fair like the jasmine-colored moon,
and whose pure white garland is like frosty dew drops;
who is adorned in radiant white attire,
on whose beautiful arm rests the veena,
and whose throne is a white lotus;
who is surrounded and respected by the Gods, protect me.
May you fully remove my lethargy, sluggishness, and ignorance.”

OM

sunyata07
09 February 2011, 02:25 PM
Thanks for the reminder, devotee. May our beloved Maa Saraswati continue to guide us in our thoughts, words and actions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=341-dH_M5vo

http://www.stanford.edu/~keyarp/Saraswati.jpg


Prano devi Saraswati Vajebhirvajinavati
Dhinamavitrayavatu Vagdevyai namah

Salutations to Goddess Saraswati, originator of all vibrations and embodiment of supreme wisdom!
May the Goddess of Sound sharpen our intellect!

Jai Maa!

Om namah Shivaya

Ramakrishna
09 February 2011, 11:49 PM
Namaste,

I have become much more devoted to Saraswati Mata over the past several months, especially as a college student needing her guidance and blessings :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=138CwbWms8U

Jai Maa

sanjaya
09 February 2011, 11:55 PM
I went to a Saraswati Puja this past Sunday. It has reminded me that as an academic, I am always dependent on her as I practice my profession.

PatrickMB
14 April 2011, 08:45 AM
This beej mantra to Ma Saraswati inspires me and calls to mind that most of the "things" I chase after in this world is only illusion. God and my soul are real.

http://youtu.be/G9gNfn2vzuA

PatrickMB
14 April 2011, 09:09 AM
Is this a valid beej mantra to Ma Saraswati? I pray for her guidance to free me from ignorance and lead me to the bliss of God.

http://youtu.be/G9gNfn2vzuA

sunyata07
14 April 2011, 04:56 PM
Is this a valid beej mantra to Ma Saraswati? I pray for her guidance to free me from ignorance and lead me to the bliss of God.

http://youtu.be/G9gNfn2vzuA


Namaste Patrick,

Yes, Saraswati's beej syllable is AIM (somtimes written as EIM). And Her whole mantra is "Om Aim Saraswatye namah". In Sanskrit, this is written as: http://www.rudraksham.com/images/mantra/SagunMantras/M9.gif Aside from chanting the mantra, you could also write down the mantra (best done in the actual Devanagari script) as another form of japa.

The repetitions in the video linked above are valid. I was also greatly drawn to Maa Saraswati very early on in my getting to know about Hinduism. You might find this page useful as a source of bhakti to the Divine Mother as Wisdom Incarnate: http://thedesertofman.wordpress.com/.

Om namah Shivaya

anirvan
15 April 2011, 01:14 AM
Maa saraswati is the key to knowledge, be it technical,literature,formal or be it brahma vidya.

the root cause of brahmavidya is gained meditating on sata dala chakra (100 lotus chakra---the seat of Guru ,just below 1000 lotus sahasrara chakra)...where the hansa (swan) is seated above which written bija matra AIM (of maa saraswati) above which is sitting param gurudev.this way gurudev is meditated along with Maa saraswati.

All my study year i have got all success only by her grace,i always felt confidence of success of exams in april/may after doing saraswati puja in jan/feb.

bless us our beloved Maa :)

PatrickMB
15 April 2011, 08:21 AM
Namaste Patrick,

Yes, Saraswati's beej syllable is AIM (somtimes written as EIM). And Her whole mantra is "Om Aim Saraswatye namah". In Sanskrit, this is written as: http://www.rudraksham.com/images/mantra/SagunMantras/M9.gif Aside from chanting the mantra, you could also write down the mantra (best done in the actual Devanagari script) as another form of japa.

The repetitions in the video linked above are valid. I was also greatly drawn to Maa Saraswati very early on in my getting to know about Hinduism. You might find this page useful as a source of bhakti to the Divine Mother as Wisdom Incarnate: http://thedesertofman.wordpress.com/.

Om namah Shivaya

***************************************************

Thank you for this link. The information it connects to is wonderful! For as long as I can remember, I've longed to refer to God as My Mother, but the patriarcal system I have lived in would not permit it. God seemed distant and inclined to harsh judgements. Under the aspects of Mata Saraswati and Sri Lakshmi, God is loving and gentle and wants me to know her! It is a revelation to me.

Thank you for your kind welcome.

sunyata07
15 April 2011, 01:46 PM
For as long as I can remember, I've longed to refer to God as My Mother, but the patriarcal system I have lived in would not permit it. God seemed distant and inclined to harsh judgements. Under the aspects of Mata Saraswati and Sri Lakshmi, God is loving and gentle and wants me to know her! It is a revelation to me.



It sounds like your devotional leanings will be more closer to Shakta worship and tradition, then. You are not the first among many newcomers from the west who have intimated the same feelings to the Divine Mother (myself included among that many).

If I find any other useful resources on Maa Saraswati and Maa Lakshmi, I'll be sure to post them here.

Om namah Shivaya

anirvan
19 April 2011, 09:01 AM
pranam,

shakta learning is not related with liking the woman aspect of supreme.

worshiping male or women aspect of god can be either shakta way or by bhakti way.

if one love Divine mother out of love,passion with pure heart,it is bhakti sadhna.Laksmi,saraswati sadhna are more of bhakti sadhna.

those who worship divine (may be male/female aspect) as per methods of tantra
shakta. definitely there is also bhakti,but there involves lot of different achar,drabya,abhiseka,japa,dhyana etc. most important is use of draby(materials with miraculous power to invoke divine shakti to be pleased like....sacrifices, flower,soils,sandal,meat,saba etc).

PatrickMB
19 April 2011, 09:35 AM
It sounds like your devotional leanings will be more closer to Shakta worship and tradition, then. You are not the first among many newcomers from the west who have intimated the same feelings to the Divine Mother (myself included among that many).

If I find any other useful resources on Maa Saraswati and Maa Lakshmi, I'll be sure to post them here.

Om namah Shivaya
Thank you, Sunyata07. The pictures of Maa Saraswati on this thread seem to me to reflect her Divine Beauty. I pray that She will help me cut the tangled knots of ignorance and illusion that cloud my soul.

issacnewton
12 July 2011, 11:31 AM
Namaste Patrick,

Yes, Saraswati's beej syllable is AIM (somtimes written as EIM). And Her whole mantra is "Om Aim Saraswatye namah". In Sanskrit, this is written as: http://www.rudraksham.com/images/mantra/SagunMantras/M9.gif

Om namah Shivaya

sunyata , the beej mantr in the youtube link posted is not EIM.

Jainarayan
12 July 2011, 11:48 AM
Sometimes I feel conflicted because, while my Ishta deva is Sri Krishna, I feel an affinity for Maa Saraswati because of my guitar playing. Even before I fully committed to Sanatana Dharma I began keeping her image near where I play. My learning and playing improved greatly after that. I have Her image in my avi with Her mantra because I am still learning, about a lot of things.

sunyata07
12 July 2011, 12:03 PM
sunyata , the beej mantr in the youtube link posted is not EIM.

Namaste Isaacnewton,

I'm aware of this. As I view Saraswati as being the same luminous Being as Mothers Durga/Kali and Lakshmi, I am of the opinion that these beej syllables can be used together freely. Others may view this differently, but then again, this is my opinion. If you want a video with the actual EIM syllable included, here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4AbqzSbBZE.

Om namah Shivaya

sunyata07
12 July 2011, 12:06 PM
Sometimes I feel conflicted because, while my Ishta deva is Sri Krishna, I feel an affinity for Maa Saraswati because of my guitar playing.


Namaste Minotaur,

Why should you feel conflicted? Krishna is not a jealous God. It's my belief that one's affinity to Saraswati is a great motivator for striving for greater knowledge for the Supreme Truth, which in your case is Sri Krishna. She and Ganesha were one of the first Devas that really caught my attention when I first began reading casually about Hinduism. For this reason, They both have a special place in my heart.

Om namah Shivaya

Jainarayan
12 July 2011, 01:02 PM
Namaste Minotaur,

Why should you feel conflicted? Krishna is not a jealous God.

Oh I know, you are right. I'm so silly at times. George Harrison said "the Lord loves the one that loves the Lord". :)


It's my belief that one's affinity to Saraswati is a great motivator for striving for greater knowledge for the Supreme Truth, which in your case is Sri Krishna. She and Ganesha were one of the first Devas that really caught my attention when I first began reading casually about Hinduism. For this reason, They both have a special place in my heart.

Om namah Shivaya

I feel the same way, with the addition of Sri Hanumanji. When I was a serious runner, and then serious strength trainer (which I must get back to), even before becoming Hindu, I always invoked Him for strength.

sunyata07
13 July 2011, 03:15 PM
Oh I know, you are right. I'm so silly at times. George Harrison said "the Lord loves the one that loves the Lord". :)


Nice quote. You're not silly. I went through a similar phase a year ago when I was convinced that by singing Hare Krishna Hare Rama to myself, I was somehow insulting Shiva and Ganesha. I see Sri Hanuman much like I see Maa Saraswati. For me, He is the shining example of a true spiritual aspirant, powerful, courageous and selfless in all actions performed in sacrifice to God, as well as being unswervingly loyal. There is great benefit in saying a prayer to Him when you need the strength to push on.

Jainarayan
13 July 2011, 03:29 PM
Yes, I see the Deva and Devi as "special needs" facets of God.

Btw, The Lord Loves The One (That Loves The Lord) is a song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frNTP7Z8tXQ

I'm going to learn how to play it. :)

sunyata07
13 July 2011, 04:00 PM
Don't forget that Saraswati has long been praised as the giver of the element of Sound (Bijagarbha). Everytime a devotee rejoices in music creatively to praise God, does he not do so through the power of Mother Saraswati?



Btw, The Lord Loves The One (That Loves The Lord) is a song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frNTP7Z8tXQ


I can't believe I've never heard this one! Good luck with learning it. Hey, if and when you've fully mastered the guitar, maybe you could move onto the sitar someday. Imagine sitting on your porch playing one of those 21-stringed babies. :D

Om namah Shivaya

Jainarayan
13 July 2011, 06:50 PM
I always wanted to get my hands on a sitar. Very hard to learn, I understand. Definitely need a teacher.

Eastern Mind
13 July 2011, 07:58 PM
Vannakkam Minotaur; perhaps there are simpler ones from this list: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_musical_instruments

One of my kids friends wanted an Indian drum. "What type?" I asked.

More of the diversity story.

Nice little sampler I found: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOxD77LDUQY There are just so many. My favorite two are nadaswaram and thavil. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tK8QN9MQHIA

Aum Namasivaya

Jainarayan
14 July 2011, 09:42 AM
Oh it's got to be sitar. :D Sarod is just as tough, at least. It is fretless, and the strings are so taut they have to be pressed down with the edge of the fingernail.

I saw a lot of different instruments used in the Arpan performance at The Concert For George. It was really beautiful.

sunyata07
14 July 2011, 04:01 PM
One of my kids friends wanted an Indian drum. "What type?" I asked.


I'm a lover of the tabla, myself. Although I have to admit that thavil performance was pretty insane right there. How do they move their hands so fast??? I can barely shake a tambourine in time to a song.

Om namah Shivaya

Eastern Mind
14 July 2011, 05:03 PM
I'm a lover of the tabla, myself. Although I have to admit that thavil performance was pretty insane right there. How do they move their hands so fast??? I can barely shake a tambourine in time to a song.

Om namah Shivaya

Vannakkam: Each night at the festival here, just before Ganesha goes on parade around the temple, the priest instructs the nadaswaram, then thavil, then the singer (This community is absolutely blessed to have a really really good thevaram singer) to do solo performances. For the nadaswaram, I close my eyes, I find it so full of melancholy and drive within. Same thing for the singer. But the thavil guy (This year's one was particularly good, only 28 years old, addicted to paan, but wow. So everyone just watches his hands move. Ganesha gets a greak from everyone staring at Him. One of my older acquaintances plays mridangam and if you really want to know how good someone is, you ask this guy.) Its really amazing, and incredibly loud if you're sitting close. It brings a whole new meaning to BANG on the drum.

Aum Namasivaya

yajvan
16 July 2011, 07:32 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté

I thought to contribute this to the discussion on sarasvatī


One way of looking at sarasvatī is the following: saras + vatī

saras - abounding in or connected with ponds, pools, water; yet specifically 'anything flowing or fluid'
vatī or vati is rooted (√) in van - to serve , honour , worship , help , aid ; to attract , seek , win. A second derivation is to love or worship.
Yet if we look at this word as vat , it is added to words to imply likeness or resemblance. In this case the resemblance of Her, the flowing or fluid.
We know sarasvatī as She of the stream, flowing movement. We can consider consciousness as flowing and fluid. She is that quality of the Divine associated with eloquence and learning . We know sarasvatī through speech (vācā) communicated vigor to indra ; in the brāhmaṇas she is identified with vāc. We can consider bringing sarasvatī into our active consciousness , this great flood of Truth consciousness.


Let's look at her name in another light : sa + ras(a) + vatī
sa - having or possessing; it is rooted (√) in san meaning procuring , bestowing rasa.

rasa - is taste or , flavor . It is the principal quality of fluids . Some times we call this rasa the essential
juice of the body or of any thing, the essence. When we talk of rasa 6 kinds are called out
( as we find in āyurved as āyus = life, vital power)

madhura - sweet
amla - sour
lavaṇa - salt
kaṭuka - pungent
tikta - bitter
kaṣāya - astringent Now what is not much talked of is the 10 ~tastes~ or character of work , the feeling or sentiment prevailing in it:

śṛṅgāra -love
vīra - heroism
bībhatsa - disgust
raudra - anger or fury
hāsya - ridiculous , funny
bhayānaka - terror
karuṇa - pity
adbhuta - wonder
śānta - tranquillity or contentment
vātsalya - paternal fondness vatī - we discussed above.

Sarasvatī is associated with brahmā the Creator of this universe, so we can consider saraswatī as śhakti (or energy) ; the flow of energy that brings on this universe to manifest or unfold. She is the essence ( rasa) of the Universe and is worthy of worship and honor ( vatī ).
She brings forth or possesses (sa) the essence of (rasa) of creation (va). This va is a name of varuṇa who is described as fashioning and upholding heaven and earth , as possessing extraordinary power and wisdom.

All this lives within the idea of sarasvatī.

praṇām

Mana
17 July 2011, 11:21 AM
Thank you yajvan for a truly inspiring post!

I can only gasp with wonder at the marvels of a language so deeply interconnected. So infused with imagery so rich in philosophy, so Divine.


Pranam

Mana

iksvakave
24 July 2011, 08:28 PM
For as long as I can remember, I've longed to refer to God as My Mother, but the patriarcal system I have lived in would not permit it. God seemed distant and inclined to harsh judgements. Under the aspects of Mata Saraswati and Sri Lakshmi, God is loving and gentle and wants me to know her! It is a revelation to me.

God is always male and GOD (paramatama or parabrahma) is male also.

You seem like a loving soul. Was there ever a time when you fell in love with a god that was not so gentle or loving and wanted to destroy or wanted to teach someone a lesson?

Iksvakave

PatrickMB
25 July 2011, 08:10 AM
For as long as I can remember, I've longed to refer to God as My Mother, but the patriarcal system I have lived in would not permit it. God seemed distant and inclined to harsh judgements. Under the aspects of Mata Saraswati and Sri Lakshmi, God is loving and gentle and wants me to know her! It is a revelation to me.

God is always male and GOD (paramatama or parabrahma) is male also.

You seem like a loving soul. Was there ever a time when you fell in love with a god that was not so gentle or loving and wanted to destroy or wanted to teach someone a lesson?

Iksvakave


I have had the same experience, Iksvakave. The male image of God was cold, distant and harsh. I suppose it's all sense perception. But Lakshmi and Saraswati are love and kindness. They invite me to the loving, intimate relationship with God that I'd always sought. I'm glad that you experince the Divine Mother that way, too.

Jainarayan
01 December 2011, 03:47 PM
Namaste.




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frNTP7Z8tXQ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frNTP7Z8tXQ)

I can't believe I've never heard this one! Good luck with learning it.

I know this is an old thread, but as I was surfing around, I came across it.

Just to let you know, I learned to play the song. It's really pretty easy. ;)

JaiMaaDurga
07 December 2011, 06:33 AM
Namaste,

Since apparently I am not alone in bothering old threads ;) I might as well honor Saraswati Maa (who provides such gifts within gifts in knowledge, learning, language, and music) by providing a link to a performance (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsEiKeZWDs4) by earthly "goddess of veena" E. Gayathri (who has many interesting SD-related blog entries (http://egayathri.blogspot.com/search/label/Gods%20and%20Goddesses)) ...

AUM AIM SARASWATYEI NAMAH

JAI MAA SARASWATI

JAI MATA DI

shian
12 December 2011, 10:15 PM
Vanakkam,

Saraswati Maa is very important,

without Her blessings, we will waste our life time and will never learn to develop our self, then only thinking ourself is great then become cant get many opportunity to learn from whatever happened in our life

anisha_astrologer
12 December 2011, 10:28 PM
Every year Saraswati Pooja is celebrated on the fifth day of Vasant also called Vasant Panchmi. on this day people not only worship Saraswati maa but also celebrate the arrival of Spring season which is called Vasant in hindi.:)