| DEVI AND HER ASPECTS | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| INTRODUCTION |
The universe that we see and experience is a bundle of energy, both packed and unpacked.This is the discovery of modern science, which incidentally, has demolished the distinctionbetween matter and enrgy. According to it,there is one basic enrgy behind all forms of matter and enrgy. However, it seems to be still far off from discovering the relationship between matter on the one hand,and, mind and life on the other. Are they also, though apparently poles apart, manifestations of the same basic energy? Could it be that the same energy or matter, at one level of vibration is called 'matter', at another, 'mind', and yet another, 'life'? Modern science or the modern scientists,devoting most of their attention to the manifest material universe may not even be prepared to concede this posibility! Hindu philosophy, based on the VEDANTA and a group of works based on Vedanta and more commonly known as the Tantras* postulates exactly this! The source and sustenance of all creation, wether at the level of matter orlife or mind, is one and one only. It is Sakti (= energy). Brahman (the absolute) of the Vedanta and Sakti or Devi of the Tantras are identical. When that 'energy' is in a static condition, with neither evolution nor involution, when the universse to be created is not even in a seed-form as it were, it is called Brahman. when it starts evolving into this creation, sustains it and withdraws it back into itself, it is called Sakti.If Brahman is the coilwd serpent in sleep, Sakti is the same serpent in motion. If Brahman is likened to the word, Sakti is its meaning. If Brahman is like fire,Sakti is its burning power. The two are inseparable: one in two and two in one. In the Hindu mythological literature, as also in the tantras, this energy is always pictured as a female deity, the Devi, as the consort of its counterpart male deity. Each member of the Trinity has his Sakti or Devi as his consort: Sarasvati of Brahma, Laksmi of Visnu and Parvati of Siva. However, the mother-cult that has evolved over the last few enturies, is predominantly centred round Parvati, the consort of Siva. Mother-worship and mother-cult are not alien to the Vedic religion as some suggest. The concept of Aditi, the mother of gods, personification of nature and the Ambhrnisukta as also the Ratrisukta of the Rgveda clearly contain the origins of Mother-worship. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *Tantras are a vast body of Hindu religious litirature devoted to expoundingthe cult of the Divine Mother. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Sarasvati is the Sakthi, the power and the concert of Brahma the creator. Hence she is the procreatrix, the mother, of the entire creation. Literally, Sarsvati means 'the flowing one'. In the Rgveda she represents a river and dietypresiding over it. Hence, she is connected with fertility and purification. Here are some of the names used to described her: Sarada (giver of essence), Vagisvari (mistress of speech), Brahmi (wife of Brahma), Mahavidya (knowledge supreme) and so on. It is obvious that the concept of Sarasvti, developed by the later mythological literature is already here. The 'flowing one'can represent speech also if taken in an allegorical sense. Perfect speech presupposes power and intelligence from which organized creation proceeds. She is considered as the personification of all knowledge - arts, sciences, crafts and skills. Knowledge is the antithesis of the darkness of ignorance. Hence, she is depicted as pure white in colour. Since she is the representation of all sciences, arts, crafts and skills she has to be extraordinarily beautiful and graceful. Clad in a spotless white apparel and seated on a lotus seat, she hold in her four hands in vina (lute), aksamala (rosary) and pustaka (book). Though these are most common, there are several variations. Some of the other objects shown are: pasa (noose), ankusa (goad), padma (lotus), trisula (trident), snakha (conch), cakra (discus) and so on. Occasionally she is shown with five faces or with eight hands. Even three eyes or blue neck are not uncommon. In this case she is the Mahasarasavathi aspect of Durga or Parvati. Though no separate carrir vehicle is mentioned, hamsa or swan, the vehicle of Brahma, here spouse is usually associated with her also. In popular mythological literature and pictures, a peacock is also shown as her mounted. Coming to the smybology: Being the consort of Brahma the creator, she represents his power and intelligence, without which organized creation is impossible. To show that this intelligent power is stupendous and obsolutely pure, she is pictured as white and dazzling. Her four arms show her unimpeded power in all directions or here all-pervasiveness. Being the dodness of learning, it is but proper that Sarasvati is shown holding a book in here left hand. The book represents all areas of secular sicences. Mere intellectual learning, sentiments and emotions, is as dry as saw-dust. So she holds a vina (lute) on which she actually plays, to show the need for the cultivation of fine-arts. Then there is the aksamala (rosary) held in the right hand. This symbolises all spiritual sciences or yoga including tapas (austerities). Meditation and japa (repetition of the divine name). By holding the book in the left hand and the rosary in the right hand she is obviously teaching us the spiritual sciences are more important than secular sciences. The peacock with its beautifual plumage stands for this world in all its glory. Since the attractions of the world lead the spiritual aspirant astray, the peacock can actually symbolise avidya (ignorance or nescience). On the other hand the swan, which is supposeed to possess the peculiar power of separating milk from water, stand for viveka (wisdom, discrimination) and hence for vidya or paravidya (spiritual illumination) alone can give us moksa (beatitude), avidya signifying secular knowledge-the sciences and arts of the world-need not be and should not be neglected. As the Isavasya Upanisad (11) puts it,* we transcend hunger and thirst through the secular sciences and then alone can obtain immortality through the spiritual sciences. It is to teach this great truth to us that Mother Sarsvati has chosen the two mounts, the swan and the peacock. | SARASVATI | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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