🍁-: Sri Panchami or Saraswati Puja :-🍁

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“Eyes adorned with deep kohl,
Neck graced by a string of pearls,
Hands beautified by the Veena and the Book,
I bow to Thee, Bhagavati Bharati (Saraswati).
With a pure heart, Goddess Saraswati has arrived,
With gem-studded earrings adorning Her ears.
With a necklace of elephant-pearls around Her neck,
O Mother Saraswati, bestow upon us the treasure of knowledge.”

This puja is celebrated on the fifth day (Panchami) of the bright fortnight (Shukla Paksha) in the Hindu month of Magha. Goddess Saraswati—the presiding deity of knowledge, the giver of wisdom, the one who rides the swan, and the holder of the Veena and the Book—is worshipped and invoked to attain learning. Mother Saraswati is depicted wearing white garments, gem-studded earrings, and necklaces made of pearls and elephant-pearls. She sits on a white lotus in the Padmasana posture, holding a Veena and a book. She bestows infinite grace upon students and practitioners of music.

Significance of the Day
Magha Shukla Panchami is celebrated as Sri Panchami or Basanta Panchami. The king of seasons, Spring (Basanta), welcomes the Goddess of Knowledge with a gentle breeze filled with the fragrance of flowers. The ‘Gupta Navaratri’ begins from the first day of this fortnight, a period when divine energy is at its peak. Saraswati is said to have manifested from the throat of Mother Yogamaya Adyashakti. Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Kali are the three primary forms of the Primordial Power (Adyashakti). On this day, Maha Saraswati is worshipped in Her distinct form. Just as Lord Ganesha is the giver of wisdom and the remover of obstacles, Saraswati is the mistress of knowledge and many other virtues. According to the Puranas, She is the Goddess of all arts, science, wisdom, intellect, logic, and memory.

The Legend of Her Birth
Saraswati is the consort of Lord Brahma. However, since She was created from Brahma’s mouth, the Puranas also describe Her as His daughter. It is said that from Brahma’s heart came Kamadeva (Desire), from His eyebrows came Anger, from His lips came Greed, and from His other limbs came the oceans. Saraswati was born from His mouth. The Brahmanda Purana mentions that when Brahma was in deep meditation at the dawn of creation, the quality of purity (Sattva Guna) manifested within Him, giving birth to a daughter as white as milk. Seeing this exceptionally beautiful maiden, Brahma asked for Her identity. She replied, “I am born of Thee. Therefore, name me and define my purpose.” Brahma replied, “Your name shall be Saraswati. You shall reside on the tip of everyone’s tongue as ‘Vak’ (Speech). Thus, you will be known as Bagdevi (The Goddess of Speech). Scholars will worship you with great devotion.”

The day She manifested was Magha Shukla Panchami, famously known as ‘Sri Panchami’. ‘Sri’ denotes Lakshmi, but it also represents beauty, auspiciousness, wisdom, prosperity, and the spiritual goals of life (Purushartha). Therefore, Her appearance day is celebrated with special rituals.

The Form and Worship
The Vedas, Puranas, Ramayana, and Gita are considered manifestations of Saraswati. Therefore, in the absence of an idol, these sacred texts are worshipped as the Goddess Herself. Just as an idol should never be kept in an impure place, books should never be disrespected or kept in unclean surroundings. As the Goddess of Music, the Veena in Her hand symbolizes Her love for the musical arts.

In the Puranas, She is known by many names. Because of Her brilliance, She is called Suprabha. In the Naimisharanya forest, She appeared as Kanchanakshi before the sages. Her presence at Prayag is world-famous. She has also manifested as rivers in places like Uttar Kosala, Kurukshetra, and the Himalayas, where She is known as Manorama, Surenu, Oghabati, and Vimalodaka. Often depicted riding a swan, She is as white and radiant as the Kunda flower. A sweet smile always graces Her face.

The Unique Form of Goddess Sarala (Jhankad)

“Om, I bow to the Goddess of Speech, Sharada (Sarala), who grants boons and slays the demon Mahisha. Her right foot is placed upon a lion. In Her right hands, She holds the Veena, the Book, the Sword, and the Trident. In Her left hands, She holds the Bell, the Bow, the Shield, and the hair of the demon Mahisha.”

The Goddess Sarala of Jhankad is an eight-armed (Ashtabhuja) form of Mahishasura Mardini. While one foot rests on a lion, the other touches the ground. While She slays the demon Mahisha with Her trident, the most remarkable feature of this deity is that She simultaneously holds the Veena and the Book.

In Indian iconography, deities usually hold either weapons (Shastra) or scriptures (Shaastra). However, Mother Sarala holds both, which is a rare sight not only in Odisha but in all of India. Thus, while She is recognized as the warrior Goddess Durga (Mahishasura Mardini), She is more widely worshipped as the Goddess of Knowledge, Bagdevi.

Mother Sarala is not just the powerful Chandi; She is the wisdom-giving Saraswati. It was by worshipping Her that the humble farmer Siddheswar became the legendary poet Sarala Das. Her shrine is one of the most ancient Shakti Peethas of Odisha. She is considered a manifestation of Mahakali, Mahalakshmi, and Mahasaraswati simultaneously. Uniquely, both Tulsi (sacred to Vishnu) and Bel leaves (sacred to Shiva) are used in Her worship. She is at once the Supreme Vaishnavi and the Eternal Chandi. After Her morning rituals, She is first offered dry Mahaprasad. The rituals include offerings of Biri Pitha and coconut water served in a bronze vessel.

I bow hundreds of times to Mother Sarala, the giver of boons, the slayer of Mahisha, the rider of the lion, who holds the sword of protection and the book of wisdom.

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Divine Saraswati Puja: Celebrating Wisdom and Goddess Sarala.