Sarasvati

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bodhi_mindisfree

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Last semester in Eastern Religions (a college course), I began to study Hinduism. While I'm a Buddhist at heart, I began to read about Sarasvati, the Goddess of Wisdom, Music, the Arts, and the Vedas. Whilst I was at school, I would imagine her sitting on top of the school meditating, and I began a sort of Saraswati worship (I was confused with my religion). I began making A's and doing great in class. It was a pretty good experience.
My question is this, where is she mentioned in Hindu text? I can't find it anywhere. Any discussion of Saraswati is welcome here.

Also, does anyone believe it is possible that Abraham and Sarah in the jewish Tanakh (Christian Old Testament) is a reculturized Brahma and Sarasvati? I found it on one website, and it seems quite interesting.
 
Om Namo Saraswati Ya

Can anyone translate this? Plus, that link didn't really help me any...it just led to a picture. I appreciate it though.
 
bodhi_mindisfree said:
Om Namo Saraswati Ya. Can anyone translate this?
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Namaste Bodhi,

I will post something on the meaning and relevance of Sarasvati in Hindu Dharma later.

But, as to the above question: Om is obviously AUM (in Hinduism, the tri-syllabic holy Word or bija mantra), and Namo or Namah translates roughly to "salutions to" or "obeisances to". Ya, I'm not sure, but I think it may be a suffix attached to the name Saraswati in this case. The Saraswati mantra we use in Sanātana Dharma is: AUM Aim Sarasvataye Namah.

I came across a website recently which provided equivalent names of Sarasvati, which may help you in your search:

Sanskrit: Sarasvati (Saraswati)
Tibetan: Yang Chenmo
Mongolian: Keleyin Ukin Tegri
Chinese: Tapien-ts'ai t'iennu or Miao-Yin Mu
Japanese: Benten

You can check it out here.

AUM Shanti,
A.
 
I used the mantra Om Hrih Mahamayange Mahasarasvatyai namah while meditating during this phase of my life. Could you possible tell me what it means?
 
bodhi said:
Om Hrih Mahamayange Mahasarasvatyai namah while meditating during this phase of my life. Could you possible tell me what it means?
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Hrih - is probably derived from Hreem, a bija (seed) mantra associated with the Divine Mother, particularly as Tribhuvaneshvari (Goddess of the Three Worlds).

Mahāmāyānge - Mahāmāyā means Great Māyā, which is another name of the Divine Mother. Māyā in this sense means form. And, ange means body.

Mahāsarasvatyai - to Great Sarasvati.

So, together it could be translated into something like this:
"AUM Hreem, Obeisances unto the Great Sarasvati, the embodiment of Mahāmāyā."

This mantra essentially identifies Sarasvati as a form of the Divine Mother. In Sanātana Dharma, Sarasvati, Lakshmi, Parvati, Durgā, Kāli, etc. are all forms of the Divine Mother (Parāshakti), the all-pervasive Divine Consciousness, which gives rise to all form.

AUM Shanti,
A.
 
Namaste Bodhi,
“Bodhi” said:
You are helpful, but where is she mentioned in Hindu text?
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 Now, now Bodhi, we must be patient! In Hindu Dharma answers come painfully slow in a process we refer to as unfoldment. :) ;)
My question is this, where is she mentioned in Hindu text?
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 Sarasvati is first mentioned in the Rigveda. She is mentioned in many hymns here and there. Here’s the most famous lines about Sarasvati:

May Sarasvati, the Purifier, rich in wealth – the intellect Her treasure – desire our sacrifice.
Inspirer of the truthful, Rouser of the noble-minded, may Sarasvati accept our worship.
Sarasvati, mighty ocean, She rouses up with Her light and brightens all intellects.
(Rigveda I.3.10-12)

The name Sarasvati is derived from saras which means river or lake, and implies flow. So, in the Rigveda, Sarasvati is the name of both a river and Goddess. The Sarasvati River once flowed in north-western India, and some believe dried out between 3000-2000 BCE. It is thought that the River Sarasvati or at least one of its tributaries originated in Tibet from Lake Mānas (Lake of the Mind).

So, what does this have to do with Goddess? Well, Sarasvati is also known as Vāk (Word) or Vāgdevi (Goddess of the Word). Just as words are manifestations of thoughts that flow from the mind, so Sarasvati (Vāk) is a manifestation of the flow from the cosmic mind (Prajāpati-Brahmā). Sarasvati represents thought which leads to creative action. This is why Sarasvati is called the Goddess of knowledge, wisdom, music, arts, Vedas, education, etc. In the Veda, actually, Sarasvati has three forms: Gāyatri (Mind), Sarasvati (Word), and Sāvitri (Deed).

In Tantric Hinduism, Sarasvati is identified with the Divine Mother. She is the second of the ten Mahāvidyā forms of Divine Mother, known as Nila (Blue) Tārā. So in Tantra, Sarasvati is also called Nila Sarasvati.

Some links on Sarasvati:
Sarasvati on Wikipedia
Sarasvati on White Moon Gallery
Sarasvati on KOAUSA
A Shrine of Sarasvati Devi

Also, does anyone believe it is possible that Abraham and Sarah in the jewish Tanakh (Christian Old Testament) is a reculturized Brahma and Sarasvati? I found it on one website, and it seems quite interesting.
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Well Bodhi, if you search the internet you will come across Hindu websites that say Abraham and Sarah are derived from Brahmā and Sarasvati, and there are non-Hindu websites that say Brahmā and Sarasvati are derived from Abraham and Sarah. I’m personally not convinced because apart from the names, I don’t see any other similarities.

AUM Shanti,
A.
 
er, sarasvati also appears in- the sutra of golden light, which is buddhist, but not "conventional"... dunno if u can google for it...
 
Namaste All,

In case anyone is interested in listening to a Saraswati Mantra online, you can visit this website.

AUM Shanti,
A.
 
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