“Yaa Kundendu tushaara haara-dhavalaa, Yaa shubhra-vastra'avritaa
Yaa veena-vara-danda-manditakara, Yaa
shweta padma'asana
Yaa brahma'achyuta shankara
prabhritibhir, Devai-sadaa vandita
Saa Maam Paatu Saraswati Bhagavatee
Nihshesha jaadya'apahaa”
Many 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."
“Shuklaam Brahmavichaara Saara paramaam Aadhyaam
Jagadvyapinim,
Veena Pustaka Dhaarineem Abhayadaam
Jaadya'andhakaara'apahaam
Haste Sphaatika Maalikam Vidadhateem
Padmasane Sansthitaam
Vande taam Parmeshwareem Bhagavateem
Buddhipradaam Shardam”
I pray to Bhagwati
Saraswati who has a fair complexion, who is the first and foremost divine
energy, who is present in the world in the form of knowledge, who wields a
Veenaa, Vedas, Sfatik rosary in her hands and one of whose hands is raised in
blessing. She is capable of removing ignorance and bestowing intelligence.
When I did the Puja at home today...a sudden image of my child hood comes....of new dress...chanting of mantras...food and the mandatory no study clause.....I look around to find the lost charm of my childhood spent among a lot of friends,cousins who gather around during this time to celebrate Saraswati Puja at home.....my mother cooking our favourite Kanika( Sweet Pulao), Dalma, Bandha Kobi Tarkari( Cabbage Curry), Tamato Khajuri Khata....I feel sad looking at the fragmented nuclear family of today.. Religion and festivities do bring people close to each other....
Vasant Panchami or Sree Panchami is a Hindu festival held on the fifth day of marking the start of Spring season. On this
day Hindus worship Saraswati Devi, the goddess of knowledge, music, art and
culture. The words 'Sree' and
'Basanta' are significant to the festival. 'Sree' is beauty and the
other name of 'Saraswati' and Basanta is spring season which brings beauty
and pleasure to the Earth. Therefore it is a festival to welcome beauty
through worship of the Goddess. The worship of Saraswati is prevalent since
the age of the Vedas.
The first impression
when we imagine Maa Saraswati is the image of her Clad in white, riding a
white swan while playing a veena. In Her four hands She holds a stylus, a book and plays a veena (flute) with two. The stylus and the book signify learning and the veena, music. She is seated on a lotus which signifies beauty and heavenly origin. The swan is the vehicle of Maa Saraswati. White is the sign of her purity. She is the
Goddess of music, poetry, learning and eloquence, indeed, of all the arts and
sciences. Goddess Saraswati is worshiped for spiritual enlightenment, the
greatest wealth to man. Hindu folklore puts the Learned on a higher pedestal
than even the king.
The
celebration brings back memories of my school days when we used to observe
fasting since morning, wear new garments and propitiate the Goddess to bestow
us with learning and eloquence. After 'Puspanjali' (handful of flowers) to
the deity, we used to break our fast. In many educational institutions, Images
of the deity built by traditional clay-modelers, are worshiped. The next day, the images are taken in
procession to nearby tanks or rivers for immersion.
Students
place their books and pen in front of the goddess to seek blessings on this
auspicious day. The most significant part of the Saraswati Puja is, nobody
touches books on that particular day. This signifies that the goddess is
blessing the books placed in front of her that day. Eating vegetarian food is
strictly followed on this day of Saraswati Puja. Young Kids in the family
are asked to write for the first time in life, the alphabets by the priest /
family elder. It suggests the first step being taken in the acquisition of
Knowledge. The next day the children take back their books but stand before
the goddess and read from them or write in them.
The
offerings made to the goddess consist of fruits- most significant being a
special preparation made with puffed
rice, jaggery, ghee and black pepper known as “CHUDA GHASA”.
|
0 comments