Goddess Saraswati: Who She Is, Her Mantra, Vandana and Puja

Who is Goddess Saraswati?

Saraswati (also Sarasvati, Sharada, Vagdevi) is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, learning, speech, music and the arts. She is among the oldest goddesses in Hinduism: she appears in the Rig Veda, the oldest of the four Vedas, where she is also a sacred river. Saraswati is the consort of Brahma, the creator, and one of the Tridevi, the three great goddesses: Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvati.

Where Lakshmi gives wealth and Parvati gives strength, Saraswati gives understanding. Students, musicians, writers and teachers pray to her before they begin their work.

What does Saraswati look like? Her symbols

• Veena. In her hands she holds a veena, a stringed instrument, showing that she embodies the arts as well as knowledge.
• White swan (hamsa). Her vehicle is a pure white swan, a sign of her purity.
• Lotus. She sits on a white lotus, which symbolizes light, knowledge and truth.
• Book and mala. She often holds a book (the Vedas) and a string of prayer beads.
• White clothing. She is dressed in white, unlike the red of Lakshmi.

Saraswati mantra and Saraswati Vandana with meaning

Below are the 12 mantras and verses to Saraswati in Diya's prayer library, in Sanskrit and in English letters, each with its meaning in plain English. Ya Kundendu Tusharahara is the Saraswati Vandana sung in schools across India, and Saraswati Namastubhyam is the traditional prayer before study.

Mantra (Sanskrit and transliteration)	Meaning in English
Invocation to Saraswati ॐ श्री सरस्वत्यै नमः । oṃ śrī sarasvatyai namaḥ |	Om. I bow to revered Saraswati.
Invocation to Sharada ॐ श्री शारदायै नमः । oṃ śrī śāradāyai namaḥ |	Om. I bow to revered Sharada, Saraswati.
Invocation to Vagdevī ॐ श्री वाग्देव्यै नमः । oṃ śrī vāgdevyai namaḥ |	Om. I bow to revered Vagdevi, the goddess of speech.
Sarasvati Namastubhyaṃ Varade सरस्वति नमस्तुभ्यं वरदे कामरूपिणि । विद्यारम्भं करिष्यामि सिद्धिर्भवतु मे सदा ॥ ५॥ sarasvati namastubhyaṃ varade kāmarūpiṇi | vidyārambhaṃ kariṣyāmi siddhirbhavatu me sadā || 5||	Saraswati, you grant blessings and take any form you wish; I bow to you. I am beginning my studies. May I always succeed.
Yā Kundendu Tuṣārahāra या कुन्देन्दुतुषारहारधवला या शुभ्रवस्त्रावृता या वीणावरदण्डमण्डितकरा या श्वेतपद्मासना । या ब्रह्माच्युतशङ्करप्रभृतिभिर्देवैः सदा पूजिता सा मां पातु सरस्वती भगवती निःशेषजाड्यापहा ॥ १॥ yā kundendutuṣārahāradhavalā yā śubhravastrāvṛtā yā vīṇāvaradaṇḍamaṇḍitakarā yā śvetapadmāsanā | yā brahmācyutaśaṅkaraprabhṛtibhirdevaiḥ sadā pūjitā sā māṃ pātu sarasvatī bhagavatī niḥśeṣajāḍyāpahā || 1||	May Saraswati, the blessed goddess who removes all mental dullness, protect me. She is white as jasmine, the moon, snow, and a pearl garland; wears white; holds a beautiful veena, a stringed instrument; sits on a white lotus; and is always worshipped by Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and the other gods.
Sarasvatī Mahābhāge (Sarasvatī praṇāma śloka) सरस्वति महाभागे विद्ये कमललोचने । विद्यारूपे विशालाक्षि विद्यां देहि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ sarasvati mahābhāge vidye kamalalocane | vidyārūpe viśālākṣi vidyāṃ dehi namo’stu te ||	Greatly blessed Saraswati, knowledge itself, with broad lotus-like eyes, you embody learning. Give me knowledge; I bow to you.
Sarasvatī Stotra 2 दोर्भिर्युक्ता चतुर्भिः स्फटिकमणिनिभैरक्षमालां दधाना हस्तेनैकेन पद्मं सितमपि च शुकं पुस्तकं चापरेण । भासा कुन्देन्दुशङ्खस्फटिकमणिनिभा भासमानाऽसमाना सा मे वाग्देवतेयं निवसतु वदने सर्वदा सुप्रसन्ना ॥ २॥ dorbhiryuktā caturbhiḥ sphaṭikamaṇinibhairakṣamālāṃ dadhānā hastenaikena padmaṃ sitamapi ca śukaṃ pustakaṃ cāpareṇa | bhāsā kundenduśaṅkhasphaṭikamaṇinibhā bhāsamānā’samānā sā me vāgdevateyaṃ nivasatu vadane sarvadā suprasannā || 2||	Saraswati has four arms, shining like crystal, and holds prayer beads, a white lotus, a parrot, and a book. Unequalled in radiance, white as jasmine, the moon, a conch, and crystal, may this ever-gracious goddess of speech dwell always in my mouth.
Sarasvatī Stotra 3 सुरासुरासेवितपादपङ्कजा करे विराजत्कमनीयपुस्तका । विरिञ्चिपत्नी कमलासनस्थिता सरस्वती नृत्यतु वाचि मे सदा ॥ ३॥ surāsurāsevitapādapaṅkajā kare virājatkamanīyapustakā | viriñcipatnī kamalāsanasthitā sarasvatī nṛtyatu vāci me sadā || 3||	May Saraswati always dance in my speech: Brahma's wife, seated on a lotus, holding a beautiful book, her lotus feet honored by gods and asuras, their powerful adversaries.
Sarasvatī Stotra 6 सरस्वति नमस्तुभ्यं सर्वदेवि नमो नमः । शान्तरूपे शशिधरे सर्वयोगे नमो नमः ॥ ६॥ sarasvati namastubhyaṃ sarvadevi namo namaḥ | śāntarūpe śaśidhare sarvayoge namo namaḥ || 6||	Saraswati, universal Goddess, I bow to you again and again. Peaceful in form, bearing the moon and embodying all yoga, again and again I bow to you.
Sarasvatī Stotram 2, verse 10 निरावधिकरुणे निरामये नित्ये निर्मलगुणोज्ज्वले । परमपावनि त्वं मम हृदये भगवति भारति विहर सदा ॥ १०॥ nirāvadhikaruṇe nirāmaye nitye nirmalaguṇojjvale | paramapāvani tvaṃ mama hṛdaye bhagavati bhārati vihara sadā || 10||	Blessed Bharati, Saraswati, your compassion has no limit. Eternal, free of affliction, radiant with spotless virtues, and supremely purifying, please dwell and move joyfully in my heart always.
Sarasvatī Stotra 16 ज्ञानविज्ञानरूपायै ज्ञानमूर्ते नमो नमः । नानाशास्त्रस्वरूपायै नानारूपे नमो नमः ॥ १६॥ jñānavijñānarūpāyai jñānamūrte namo namaḥ | nānāśāstrasvarūpāyai nānārūpe namo namaḥ || 16||	Saraswati, you embody knowledge and deep understanding; you are wisdom itself. You take many forms and embody the many sacred teachings. Again and again, I bow to you.
Sarasvatī Stotram 2, verse 2 श्रीमच्चन्दनचर्चितोज्वलवपुः शुक्लाम्बरा मल्लिकामालालालितकुन्तला प्रविलसन्मुक्तावलीशोभना । सर्वज्ञाननिदानपुस्तकधरा रुद्राक्षमालाङ्किता वाग्देवी वदनाम्बुजे वसतु मे त्रैलोक्यमाता शुभा ॥ २॥ śrīmaccandanacarcitojvalavapuḥ śuklāmbarā mallikāmālālālitakuntalā pravilasanmuktāvalīśobhanā | sarvajñānanidānapustakadharā rudrākṣamālāṅkitā vāgdevī vadanāmbuje vasatu me trailokyamātā śubhā || 2||	May the auspicious goddess of speech, mother of the three worlds, dwell in the lotus of my mouth. Her radiant body is anointed with sandalwood; she wears white, jasmine garlands in her hair, and gleaming pearls. She holds the book that is the source of all knowledge and wears rudraksha beads.

When is Saraswati worshipped?

Saraswati's two main festivals are Saraswati Puja, held on Vasant Panchami, the first day of spring in the lunar calendar (late January or February), and Navaratri, when many regions honor her on the last three nights. On Vasant Panchami families wear yellow, place books and instruments before her, and many children write their first letters in a ceremony called vidyarambham or akshar abhyasam.

A simple Saraswati prayer before study

1. Light a diya and place a book, pen or instrument before her picture.
2. Join your palms and chant Saraswati Namastubhyam (the table above).
3. Ask, in your own words, for a clear mind and good memory.
4. Begin your work.

Diya, the app, has Saraswati's mantras and the Gayatri Mantra to chant along with each day. Diya is available for iPhone. See the Diya app.

Related reading

• Brahma
• Lakshmi
• Gayatri Mantra meaning
• Ya Devi Sarva Bhuteshu
• Hindu gods and goddesses
• Saraswati Chalisa