THE SARASWATI PUJA By PANDIT NATESA SASTRI_সরস্বতী পূজা

THE SARASWATI PUJA
By PANDIT NATESA SASTRI

SARASWATI in Hindu Mytho-logy is the goddess of speech and learning and represented as the wife of Brahma, the creator or the supreme spirit. The ninth day of the month of Avani, corresponding to October, is considered most sacred in the year to this goddess. Generally the first nine days Navqratri of the bright half of this month is considered sacred either to Durga, Lakshmi, or Sarasvati, and throughout India worship on a grand scale is performed to these goddesses. Though these days are thus sacred to one goddess or other, the last 3 days, from the 7th to the 9th of the Navaratri, are specially sacred to the goddess of learning, and the last of these festive days, the Navami, closes the ceremony by, the worship of Sarasvati. During the Navaratri days all the toys available in a Hindu household are displayed in fanciful arrangements in a large hall with the goddess Durga, Lakshmi, or Sarasvati in the middle, and this display is supposed to represent the penance of these goddesses. The Madhvasand the Yaishnavas would call this the penance of Lakshmi, and would point out to the grand feast at Tirupati during this period as their authority. In the Tirupati hills there is a Brahmotsavam held during this period representing the penance of Lakshmi and the festival closes on this day with Lakshmi s wedding to Yishnu. The Sivites term this Durgapuja, and this name appears to be more correct, as the greatest portion of India regards the Navaratri as sacred to Durga. Durga s hard penance to secure Siva, as her lord is known to every Hindu and is sung by the best of their poets, so that it does not require any special mention here. The Advaitis, in keeping with their school, worship all the three goddesses, on this occasion and commence their puja with salutation to Durga, Lakshmi and Sarasvati.

We have already alluded to the display of toys in every Hindu household. Women and children take great pleasure in collecting during this occasion as many toys as possible. Every evening, during these nine days, they spend an hour or two in singing the praises of these goddesses and after this is over distri-bute pan supari and sweets. This ceremony is confined only to women and children ; male members do not take part in it. It is near this display of toys the Kolu, as it is called in the south of India—that all the available books of a Hindu household are arranged for the day and there the goddess Sarasvati is worshipped. A silver, copper or brass chombu filled with rice to the brim, with a cocoanut over it, serves to represent any goddess. Sometimes a gold jewel serves as an ornament to this vessel. Just at midday the head of the family takes his seat in the middle of the hall to perform the puja and all the children assemble round him. Strict fasting is observed till the worship is over. Young boys, though their mothers may permit them to eat their food, will not touch anything lest the goddess Sarasvati be displeased. When the head of the house finishes hispuja all the others assembled there stand up with flowers in their hands reciting the praises of Sarasvati to the dictation of the master and offer the same to the goddess. Thus concludes the Sarasvati puja and a sumptuous feast in honour of the goddess follows. People who are rich present clothes on this occasion to married women. The origin of this ceremony is to be found in the Skanda Purana. It runs briefly as follows’ : —