Saraswati Stava

Sarasvatī is the deity governing speech, virtue, truth, and creativity. On the one hand, she is Brahmarūpiṇī, of the nature of absolute Brahman, and therefore formless and nameless. On the other hand, she assumes forms for inspiring the virtuous ones towards self-realization. In this prayer, Sarasvatī is invoked in both her formless true nature as well as her enchanting manifest form. In her transcendent form, she is of the character of pure being and consciousness, transcending all guṇas, above speech, and identical to the self. In her manifest form, she shines with the glow of the moon or of snow, and she carries a lute and book, indicating her mastery of music and learning. Sarasvatī inspires all living beings and protects wisdom, as she is the one who destroys the demon of delusion. While she is realized in the form of Brahman, she is also invoked in the seed mantra aim, and in her manifest form she carries a goad and rope. She also assumes the form of Nīla Sarasvatī and expels all tamas from the hearts of her devotees. Some worship the goddess in her essential form of pure consciousness that assumes the form of I-am, the initial ground for the rise of difference. Others worship her in the form of speech, manifest in the triadic form of three Vedas. But she is also a loving mother and nourishes her devotees with her nectar as they approach her with childlike devotion. Even when you have all offerings prepared and are ready to worship, you may be overcome with devotion, and your body will be frozen, you will not be able to speak words, you will be filled with tears, and all you can do is to surrender to her. Sarasvati Stava ज्योत्स्नाभां हैमवर्णामुपमितिरहितां कल्पयित्वा कथञ्चित्। तन्त्रीं वा पुस्तकं वा कथमपि दधतीं नादबिन्द्वादिभूताम्॥ वाग्देवीं वागतीतामपि सकलगुणातीतसच्चित्स्वरूपाम्। वन्दे निर्भिन्नरूपामपि मम हृदयं नित्यमाह्लादयन्तीं॥ Even though there is nothing parallel, by managing to imagine her as having the glow of the moon or of the color of the snow, even though she is beyond sound and expressed forms, imagining her as carrying the lute or the book, I praise the goddess of Speech Sarasvati who, although is beyond speech and beyond all qualities, is conceived as pure being and consciousness, who is in fact not separate from me but nonetheless always repletes my heart with bliss. सत्त्वानां चोदयित्री धियमवतु सदा पावका वृत्रहन्त्री। चेतन्ती जीवितानां सुकृतिभिरनिशं प्रार्थिता ब्रह्मरूपा॥ ऐं ऐं ऐं वाग्भवाख्या नवजलदनिभा पाशहस्ताङ्कुशाढ्या। लोकानां भूतिदा स्यान्निखिलभयहरा भारती नीलवर्णा॥ May Sarasvati, the remover of all forms of fear, in her blue hue of the color of new clouds and carrying goad and rope grant prosperity to the entire world. May the one of the forms of the Brahman, the one who is always praised by the noble ones, the one who grants living beings the ability to feel, the one who kills Vritra and inspires the virtuous ones, the one called vāgbhava as Aim Aim Aim, protect our wisdom. केचिच्चिन्मात्ररूपामहमि परिणतामादिमां भेदभूमिम्। अन्ये वाणीस्वरूपां प्रणवपरिणतामृग्यजुःसामभूताम्॥ विद्यां ध्यायन्ति धन्याः परमकरुणया राजतेऽस्मत्कृते सा। वाग्देवी मातृरूपा शिशुहठवशगा नित्यपीयूषवर्षा॥ Some worship Sarasvati, the goddess of wisdom, as the character of pure consciousness. Others worship her as transformed into 'aham' the first foundation for the manifestation of difference. The virtuous ones worship her in the form of speech and as Rg, Yajus, and Sama that are the transformation of Om. Out of compassion, the goddess of speech manifests for us in the form of a mother, surrendering to the stubborn play of a child, constantly soaking with nectar. कस्तूरीं शुभ्रपद्मान्मलयजममृतं दीपवर्तिं प्रकल्प्य। त्वां स्तोतुं रम्यशब्दैः स्तुतिरपि रचिता शारदे भक्तिपूरा॥ रोमाञ्चैः स्वेदपूरैर्विगलितवचनैरश्रुभिर्बद्धदृष्ट्या। स्तब्धोऽहं वाङ्मयी त्वं वितरतु करुणां त्वं यतः पूजिता स्याः॥ Sharada! I collected the musk and beautiful white lotus, sandalwood incense, sweets and lamp. I even composed prayers with beautiful words replete with devotion so that I can praise you. However, I am stupefied being filled with goosebumps and sweat, I have lost speech and also my eyes are filled with tears. Please extend your compassion so that you are worshipped. Composed by AcharyaJi Dr. Sthaneshwar Timalsina Vocals - Vidushi Sivasri Skandaprasad Flute - Vidushi Varijashree Venugopal Sitar - Vidushi Shruti Kamath Veena - Vidushi Pushpa Kashina Keyboards - Pt. Praveen D Rao Tabla - Pt. Gurumurthy Vaidya Mridangam and creative percussions - Vidwan Sai Vamshi Original music score by Pt. Praveen D Rao Recorded at Prabhath Studios, Bangalore by Rangaswamy Mixed and Mastered by Ashwin Prabhath Original YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czaV-VqtZcE This presentation is part of the Sarvāmnāya Oral Tradition Archive. Vimarsha Foundation. (2025). The Sarvāmnāya Oral Tradition Archive [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15188107