I've mentioned many times that the stories of the Hindu deities are told differently by different sources, and that’s certainly true—but never have I found that so true as the stories about Saraswati and Brahma. There are, in the opinion of many, totally spurious, even scurrilous stories presented by several websites, but there are also sites that present a more philosophical and responsible interpretation of the same scriptures. My conclusion for myself is that I need to be more careful in my languaging about relationships among Hindu deities. Let's learn some basics about Saraswati before we get into the complicated part.
Goddess Saraswati
First mentioned in the Rigveda, Saraswati is the goddess of education, knowledge, language, wisdom, and excellence in the arts. She symbolizes creative energy in all forms, from artistic creation to romantic love. As Shakti, she is believed to embody the experience of the highest reality, the absolute, unknowable truth, the Brahman. In the Upanishads, Saraswati is invoked to encourage readers to meditate on the nature of virtue and virtuous action.
The word Saraswati comes from the word saras, meaning “to flow”, and wati. meaning “the one having”. i.e. “she who has flow or essence.” Knowledge flows like a river. Also, knowledge is supremely alluring, like a beautiful woman. So Saraswati is depicted as a beautiful woman. having four arms, wearing a spotless white sari, and seated on a white lotus, which symbolizes light, knowledge and truth, as well as the Satva Guna or purity. Her four arms depict four aspects of the human personality in learning: mind, intellect, imagination and ego. In addition, these four arms are also symbolic of the four Vedas.
She holds in her hands a book, a pot of water, crystal malas, and a veena that represents her mastery of all arts and sciences. The book she holds is a book of the Vedas that represents the divine, eternal, universal, and true knowledge as well as all learning. The crystal mala represents the power of meditation, spirituality, and inner reflection. The pot of water symbolizes the purifying power to distinguish between right and wrong, the clean and the unclean, and essence from the inessential. In some texts, the pot also represents soma—the drink that liberates one and leads one to knowledge. The veena represents all creative arts and sciences. When she holds it, it symbolizes the expression of knowledge that creates harmony. Saraswati is associated with the love for music, which represents all emotions.
Saraswati is also often shown riding her vahana, a white swan. She is associated with the color white, symbolizing purity, wisdom, and truth. In Hindu mythology, the swan is a sacred bird, symbolizing spiritual perfection, transcendence, and moksha. When it is offered a mixture of milk and water, the swan is said to be able to drink the milk alone. Hence, it represents the ability to discriminate between good and evil, essence from the outward appearance, and the eternal from the evanescent.
Saraswati has remained an important goddess for Hindus from the Vedic period into modern times. Many Hindus celebrate her in the festival of Vasant Panchami, spending the day teaching children how to write in honor of the goddess of learning. Indian tradition still dictates that if you step on a book (a symbol of knowledge and therefore Saraswati), you must perform a mudra of apology with the right hand. And interestingly, though Saraswati is usually shown dressed in white, one site asserts that her favorite color is yellow, so during the religious festivals dedicated to her, her devotees wear yellow robes and eat yellow foods!
Saraswati’s Many Names
Saraswati is known by many names in ancient Hindu literature. Some examples of synonyms for Saraswati include Brahmani (power of Brahma), Brahmi (goddess of sciences), Bharadi (goddess of history), Vani and Vachi (both referring to the flow of music/song, melodious speech, eloquent speaking, respectively), Varnesvari (goddess of letters), Kavijihvagravasini (one who dwells on the tongue of poets). The Goddess Saraswati is also known as Vagdevi, the goddess of speech and sound, Vidyadatri (Goddess who provides knowledge), Veenavadini (Goddess who plays the Veena), Pustakadharini (Goddess who carries a book), Veenapani (Goddess who carries a veena in her hands), and Hamsavahini (Goddess who rides the swan).
Other names include: Savitri, Gayatri, Sarda, Ambika, Bharati, Chandrika, Devi, Gomati, Hamsasana, Saudamini, Shvetambara, Subhadra, Vaishnavi, Vasudha, Vidya, Vidyarupa, and Vindhyavasini. In some interpretations, Sara is translated as "Essence", and Sva is translated to "Self". Thus, the name Saraswati would translate to "She who helps realize the essence of self" or "She who reconciles the essence (of Parabrahman) with one's self”. In Vedic literature, Saraswati is imagined as the purifying water of knowledge.
The Significance of Saraswati
Goddess Saraswati never jewels or paints herself with bright colors. Her white sari is symbolic of purity and serenity. Mother Saraswati embodies a presence that is pure and sublime in nature. The Vedas— Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samveda, and Atharvaveda—were her offsprings. She is also part of the Tridevis: Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Parvati. All three forms help Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva create and maintain this world. Saraswati is the consort of Brahma and considered the sister of Shiva.
Saraswati is one of the most powerful goddesses in the Hindu pantheon. She is also revered by believers of the Jain religion of west and central India, as well as some Buddhist sects. She has the power of purification and bestows the quality of discernment. Her blessing is mandatory when rituals related to education or arts are performed. She is one of the forms of the Supreme Goddess who is worshipped during the 10-day Navaratri festival. On the ninth day of the festival, people perform Saraswati Puja, and mark the day by helping little children learn how to write the letters of the alphabet. She is also believed to bless scholars and students on their first day of school and oversee artistic mastery of all kinds.
Saraswati’s Curse on Brahma
Once Goddess Saraswati arrived late at a vital Yagna that was being performed by her consort, Brahma. The yagna had a ritual that couldn’t be performed in the absence of a wife. By the time she arrived, Saraswati saw that Brahma had already married Gayatri to complete the ritual. She got angry and cursed Brahma before stomping off.
She said ‘You have filled the world with longing and sowed the seed of unhappiness. You have fettered a pious soul in flesh. May there be hardly any temples or any festival of yours.” Due to this curse, there are only two popular temples of Lord Brahma, one in Pushkar, Rajasthan, and the other one in Tamil Nadu.
Origins of Existence
According to Hindu scriptures, the origin of Goddess Saraswati is also significant in the balance and creation of the world. Without her it’s said that life wouldn’t exist in the organized way it is presented today. According to the holy texts, after creating the world, Lord Brahma looked at what he had made, and realized that the world was unformed and utterly lacking in concept. Therefore, he created an embodiment of knowledge to help him with the monumental task of creating form. From his mouth came the goddess of wisdom and knowledge: Goddess Saraswati. She emerged from Brahma and helped him create the Cosmos from the original chaos: the Sun, the Stars, and the Moon were born. The oceans filled and seasons changed.
Many feel that Saraswati was Vishnu’s wife first. To help Brahma in creation her amsha (portion or expansion) became Brahma's wife (along with her Incarnation, Gayatri). They're manasputras (mind children), not biological children.
Here’s where the story gets a bit muddled. In many versions, it is said that Lord Brahma was captivated by the beauty of Goddess Saraswati and decided to make her his bride. She hid in the form of a cow while Brahma followed her in the form of a bull. Brahma became completely infatuated with her. Unable to stop his eyes from following her, he sprouted four heads (and eyes) in four directions, and then a fifth on top, when Saraswati sprang upward to evade his stares and gaze. Brahma’s thoughts disturbed the serenity of the cosmos and created Lord Shiva, who opened his eyes, sensed Goddess Saraswati’s discomfort, and, taking the form of Bhairava, whacked off Brahma’s fifth head as a punishment for showing attachment to his creation. That’s why we only see Brahma with four heads.
In another version, Brahma’s punishment came by way of his losing his powers due to his desire for his daughter. Now powerless to create, he had to appoint his sons to continue the act of creation. Brahma was now free to ‘own’ Saraswati. In this version he made love to her, and from their union the progenitors of mankind were born. Brahma and Saraswati became the Cosmic Couple. They lived together for 100 years in a secluded cave and apparently Manu was their son.
Some say that this one of the most discomfiture-inducing stories in Hindu mythology, and it is promulgated by some sites. As a result there are many westerners who have had questions about Brahma marrying his daughter. But other scholars say that this is one of the biggest myths and lies among Hindus, some of whom proudly preach this story to others without having any idea about the truth of it.
In the alternative, one writer posits that Saraswati began as Vac (Vag), a Vedic goddess of sound. Over time, Vac changed into Saraswati, the Goddess of learning. Vedic religion flourished on the banks of an offshoot of river Śatadru, which in Vedic times was called Saraswati (to associate the Goddess with a natural force). So Saraswati is the Goddess Vac, and was first depicted as a river goddess.
Brahma was not only the creator of the world, he is also believed to be the first author of the Vedas. The Vedas were not written down originally, but were passed down by hearing (sravana) and repetition. Therefore, study of the Vedas requires Vac (Vāni, or voice). Brahma was the author of the Veda and Saraswati (Goddess Vac) was required to render it. Thus Brahma is associated with the Vedic Vac (later Saraswati) and that requirement is changed into story form as Brahma chasing Saraswati. Brahma, Saraswati et al. are celestials and do not have a human body to indulge in intercourse. So much for the incest story.
Another comment on the story of Saraswati being the child and wife of Brahma is this: People think that Saraswati is the daughter and wife of Brahma, but that's not true. Actually Brahma’s wife is Savitri, whose form is Saraswati according to some texts. Maybe the relationship between Savitri and Saraswati is like Lord Shiva and Kaal Bhairav. Kaal Bhairav is a form of Lord Shiva, he is portion of Shiva. Similarly, Saraswati would be the form or portion of Savatri, according to the particular texts which say Saraswati is Brahma’s daughter. But we don't call Veerbhadra or Kaal Bhairav the sons of Lord Shiva. They are portions/replicas/fearsome forms of him. So Saraswati is a form of Goddess Savitri, not exactly a daughter.
According to some texts, Goddess Saraswati emerged from Lord Brahma’s mouth, that's why some people think she is his daughter. But that again is a misconception. Even if Lord Brahma created Saraswati, that does not mean she is his daughter. It depends on the creator how he sees his creation. There's a difference between offspring and creation. The creator may or may not consider his creation as children. It depends on him. If a scientist creates a Robot, it's not necessarily that he would consider the robot as his son or daughter. So even if Brahma created Saraswati, he may not have considered her his daughter. Lord Brahma being the creator, created a wife/helper for himself. Ma Saraswati helps Lord Brahma in his creation. So Brahma is not the father of Saraswati just because he created her. He simply wanted a partner in his creating of the world.
Others say the fake, scurrilous story was created after a particular Vedic mantra that modern scholars did not understand.
Here is the mantra:
प्रजापतिर्वै स्वां दुहितरमभ्यध्यायधिवमित्यन्य आहुरूषसमित्यन्ये । तामृश्यो भूत्वा रोहितं भूतामभ्यैत् । तस्य यद्रेतसः प्रथममुददीप्यत तदसावादित्योऽभवत् ।।
According to western translators, and even some Hindus, this mantra says that Prajapati, or Brahma, had sex with his daughter. But the truth is that this mantra is talking about the sun. The sun is Prajapati and its light is Savita. It says “Rainy clouds are like a father; they make the earth fertile and their water is like semen.”
So the mantra simply says: Prajapati, or the sun, is like my father. It flourishes my mother earth with its light. That’s it. This simple mantra, talking about the sun and its light, which helps make the earth fertile, was turned into some father-daughter fake story. What’s sad is that Hindus themselves spread this fake story. And based on this Vedic mantra, fake stories were made up and added into Puranas.
Another explanation I loved was this one: When a Westerner posed the question, Did Brahma marry his daughter?, Hitesh Mohan answered with this:
Be careful before making such outrageous statements. Saraswati is not a daughter of Brahma or a wife of Brahma. Saraswati is a consort or associate of Brahma, i.e. helper. Brahma is the personification of Creation of the universe and Saraswati is the personification of knowledge of this universe. They are the masculine and feminine forces of Brahman (the supreme consciousness). Just as the way Vishnu and Lakshmi form the masculine and feminine forces to preserve the world, Brahma and Saraswati form the masculine and feminine forces for creation.
To create anything knowledge is required, you can’t create a website without knowledge, you can’t create a nuclear bomb without knowledge. Similarly Brahma requires Saraswati to expand his creation. They always co-exist together and their existence is impossible without each other. They’re inseparable because they’re the expansion of Brahman (the supreme consciousness). Brahma and Saraswati don’t require physical forms like humans; they are always connected to supreme consciousness spiritually.
Brahman, the supreme consciousness, itself expanded into many deities during the creation of this materialistic world and it has its own intelligence for creation (Brahma & Saraswati), to keep equilibrium (Vishnu & Lakshmi) and for annihilation (Shiva & Parvati). All six gods and goddesses are by default connected together due to the nature of the work they do.
Another questioner asked about Gayatri being Brahma’s wife and Amogh Gopinath gave the following illuminative answer:
There are a number of misconceptions in our understanding of deities and their relationships due to an Abrahamic way of thinking. The following points may help in quelling some of these misunderstandings
• The relationship of husband, wife, son, daughter etc. in the Hindu scriptures are not the same as we envision in normal human parlance.
• Any reference to a wife of a deity denotes his shakti, or power. For example, Surya, the solar deity, has two wives, Sandhya and Chaya. Sandhya represents the transition time between day and night and two parts of a day. Chaya represents reflection and shadow. Since these two effects are caused by the sun, they are designated as his wives.
• The iconography of a deity is not to be taken literally. Rather it has to be taken figuratively. For example, Gayatri: Savitri is said to have six stomachs, (Shat kukshi). It does not mean that Gayatri has literally six stomachs. They denote the six vedangas—namely Vyakarana, Chandas, Jyotisha, Shiksha, Nirukta and Kalpa. Since she is Vedamata, she has all the angas, or organs, of the Vedas
• The genders of deities are also not to be taken literally. For instance, many mantras refer to deities as tat, in neuter gender.
Coming to the question about Gayatri, she is not a goddess, but the name of a chandas (Vedic poem). The deity referred to in the Gayatri mantra is the solar deity, Savitri, envisioned as Brahman. Therefore, when some scriptures say Gayatri is the wife of Brahma, it only means that knowledge and intellect are his powers or qualities.
Krishna Kishore explained it this way: Mother Saraswati is the energy form (Shakti) of Brahma. The gurus tell us metaphorically that Brahma is the lamp, and the light emanating from the lamp is Saraswati, just as Mother Lakshmi is the energy form of Vishnu. The Hindu gods are not physical humans, so we should not view their described human relationship (for our comfort) with the prism of human relations. Whatever stories described by the Puranas are symbolic (codified) in nature. It is an abstract description of the encoded hidden message. Only the rishis understand the inner encoded message. For normal people it appears like a story or drama, but its main purpose is to make the encoded message more enduring, and increase its reachability among the masses.
And finally, Jeewan Rawat summed up the whole situation of the three main “couples” of Hinduism this way:
Brahma is the creator of the universe.
Vishnu is the preserver.
And Shiva is the destroyer.
Now—
What do you need to create?
Knowledge
So, yes, Saraswati is with Brahma.
What do you need to preserve?
Wealth
So Lakshmi is with Vishnu.
What do you need to destroy?
Power
So Shakti is with Shiva.
It's not a relationship. It's a need. It's symbolic.
And there you are...
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