Jai Satchitanand friends,
We have all come across Goddess Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, learning and speech. Don't we all start our school day with a prayer to Goddess Saraswati? Let's learn more about Goddess Saraswati and also find out where we can find this live goddess.
Pictures of Goddess Saraswati show a beautiful goddess dressed in pure white, seated on a white lotus. She has four arms and is carrying a book, a garland, a water pot and a veena (Indian lute). There is sometimes a peacock next to her in the picture.
Let us understand the significance of these symbols:
•White clothes represent purity and wisdom.
•The lotus represents knowledge and truth.
•The four arms represent four aspects of the 'mind' in learning - sense, intellect, creativity and ego.
•The book represents universal and eternal knowledge, and also all forms of learning.
•The garland represents the power of meditation and spirituality.
•The pot of water represents the power to purify right from wrong.
•The veena represents all creative arts and science.
In Sanskrit, Saraswati means the one who gives the essential knowledge (Sara) of our own self (Swa).
Dadaji says that the speech of the Gnani Purush is the live Goddess Saraswati because the words touch the soul and then flow through the Gnani Purush. This is why we can all understand the speech of the Gnani Purush and our hearts feel soothed.
Students and scholars tend to worship Goddess Saraswati before their exams. Dadaji explained that to keep Goddess Saraswati happy, we should not use our speech improperly - we must not tell lies, make fun of others, insult our friends, cheat others or gossip.
If we do any of these, we must do pratikraman for our mistake, and ask for strength to speak with humility.
Do you wish to know what can be done if you have hurt others by your speech?
Check out this video for the gem that Anuj got
Here's a beautiful prayer song to pay our tribute to Goddess Saraswati..Click her to watch!
