The Goddess of Literature, Poetry and Wisdom - Sarasvati 妙音天女

Who is the goddess Saraswati in Tibetan?

In Tibet, Sarasvati is known as Yangchen Lhamo or Yangchenma, the goddess of literature, poetry, and wisdom. Her Tibetan name became popular in different regions where Tibetan Buddhism spread, including Russia. The Buryat people pronounce her Tibetan name as Yanzhima, and this is how she became popular in the region.

Sarasvati (Tibetan: Yanzhima) is the goddess of knowledge, education, music, poetry, and culture. Her name can be found in the Vedic hymns. In these ancient Indian texts, she is worshipped as the divine power of ritual chants and sacrificial fire, which facilitate communication with the gods. In the Brahmanas, she is identified with the flow of speech and later becomes a goddess of speech (Sanskrit: vac). In the Puranas, she appears as the wife of the god Vishnu, the supreme protector of the universe.

Thanks to her connection with the intellectual abilities that are highly valued in Buddhism, she occupies an important place in the Buddhist pantheon. In this role, she is associated with the goddess of wisdom, Prajnaparamita, as well as with the female bodhisattva Tara. As one of the twenty-one Taras, she is called "Sarasvati, a treasure of intelligence" (Tibetan: lo ter. Yanzhima)

Certain differences can be found in the iconography of her Hindu and Buddhist images. In Hindu art, she is depicted as white with four hands. With two of her hands, she is playing the veena and holding a rosary and a book in the other two. She is depicted in a standing posture or sitting on a lotus or white swan. In Buddhist iconography, she is also white in colour, and in rare cases, mostly in Tibetan art, she is red in colour. Her divine attributes also differ from those of the Hindu goddess.

Sarasvati Literally means the one that flows, or famously known as "the deity of melodious voice." She is a deity of wisdom who bestows knowledge, intelligence, and memory. Sarasvati (Tibetan:Yanchenms) is a peaceful yidam who holds a vina (a sitar-like lute) on her lap; she also sometimes holds a text. She is white-coloured with one face, two eyes, and two arms. Dressed in pure white and seated with ankles crossed and knees raised, often on a swan or a white lotus.

Her body is very spotless white, and her black hair is coiled on her head, decorated with flowers. She is wearing celestial clothes, and the skirt is in five colours. The white colour signifies the purity of true knowledge; her left hand holds a jewel-studded vina, and the right strumming the vina enthusiastically with her fingertips.

 

The music is so sweet that it can touch the hearts of every living creature, both in heaven and in the world. People of ancient times, being deficient in intelligence, prayed to the Buddhas. The power of these Buddhas arose in the form of this goddess.

Saraswati in Buddhism

In Buddhism, Saraswati is a protector goddess who upholds the Buddha's teachings. She is occasionally referred to as the tranquil manifestation of the protector Palden Lhamo.

Who is the goddess of music in Buddhism?

Saraswati is a well-known Indian goddess of music, wisdom, and learning. She is widely regarded as both the emanation of Tara and the consort of Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom. Saraswati is the enlightened embodiment and bestower of awakened eloquence and special insight into the Buddha's teachings.

Different manifestations of Sarasvati

White Sarasvati has one face with a peaceful expression and two hands playing the veena. She sits in a posture with crossed ankles and raised knees (Skt. utkutaksana). Sometimes she is also depicted in a standing position. She wears lavish clothes, ornaments, and precious stones. In the pantheon of the Sakya School, there is an image of a white Sarasvati with four hands. She is playing Veena with two of her hands, and with the other two, she is holding a lotus and a sword.

Red Sarasvati is depicted either with a peaceful or wrathful expression. Usually, she has one face and two hands. Her right hand holds a precious stone (Tibatan: mani) that fulfils devotees’ wishes, and the left holds a mirror (Tibetan. melong) of wisdom. She sits in the royal pose (Sanskrit. lalitasana), and in some cases she is standing. Her body is adorned with silk and jewel ornaments, and rays of light can be seen around it.

 

A rare form of red Sarasvati is Vajra Sarasvati (Tibetan. Dorje yang chenma marmo), which is mentioned in the Krishna Yamari Tantra. The goddess is depicted with three wrathful faces (red, white, and blue) and six hands. The three right hands hold a red lotus with books on it, a sword, and a curved knife. 

The three left are a wheel, a veena, and the head of Brahma. In some images, instead of the veena, she holds a precious stone. Her body is adorned with jewel ornaments and garments of silk. In some group compositions, Sarasvati can be seen depicted above the female wrathful deity Palden Lhamo, who is considered to be her incarnation and one of Tibet’s main protectors.

She is sometimes connected to Palden Lhamo, who may be regarded as Sarasvati in wrathful form. She is the Hindu goddess at the beginning, who was afterwards led into Tibetan Buddhism, also called "the deity of melodious voice". In Tibetan Buddhism, she is emphasised for her association with granting wisdom in writing and teaching. Thus, she is called "Yanchenma 妙音天女" 

As a consort of Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of wisdom, Sarasvati complements his function of giving wisdom. In Tibetan thangkas and murals, both deities are depicted in a union sitting on a lotus or a lion. In some of these images, Manjushri (yellow in colour) holds his usual attributes: a sword in the right hand and a lotus in the left, on which are the sutras "The Perfection of Wisdom." 

Sarasvati is blue in colour and holds a book in her left hand and Veena in the right. In other images, Manjushri is again yellow in colour, but with four hands: in the right, he holds a sword and two arrows, and in the left, he holds a lotus with a book and an arrow. Sarasvati is white in colour and holds a veena with both hands, embracing her partner.

What are the benefits of the Saraswati Mantra?

Chanting the Saraswati Mantra helps us seek Goddess Saraswati's blessings and infuse her qualities in us it represents the purity of the soul, true knowledge, absolute truth, and creativity.

Anyone who relies on her with faith will find their wisdom sharper, and their wishes for clarity of mind, accuracy of memory, and so forth will be fulfilled. By reciting the Sarasvati mantra, one will become proficient in all scholarly treatises, have clarity of mind, mental stability, a brilliant memory, a pleasant voice, and the ability to gladden others. 

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Aspiration for Bodhichitta

For those in whom the precious Bodhichitta has not arisen

May it arise and not decrease.

But increase further and further.

 

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