Vasant Panchmi/Saraswati Puja

Vasant Panchmi/Saraswati Puja

Vasant Panchmi/Saraswati Puja is celebrated on the fifth (Panchmi) day of Magh (second) month of Hindu calendar and marks the arrival of spring. Goddess Saraswati the deity of learning, speech, wisdom, music and art was born on this day and people worship her for these attributes. She is part of the trinity (Tridevi) of Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Parvati. She is generally shown to have four arms, holding a book, a mala (rosary), a water pot and a musical instrument called Veena and seated on a white lotus.

Saraswati, is a Sanskrit fusion word of saras (सरस्) meaning "pooling water" (sometimes also referred to as speech), and vati (वती) meaning "she who possesses". Originally associated with the river or rivers known as Saraswati, this means "she who has ponds, lakes and pools of water" or occasionally "she who possesses speech". It is also a Sanskrit composite word of surasa-vati (सरसु+अति) which means "one with plenty of water".

Saraswati Puja is performed on this day when children are encouraged to write their first alphabet in front of her (Goddess Saraswati) idol and seek blessings. Saraswati Vandana is important part of the prayer

Saraswati Vandnana

या कुन्देन्दुतुषारहारधवला या शुभ्रवस्त्रावृता या वीणावरदण्डमण्डितकरा या श्वेतपद्मासना। या ब्रह्माच्युत शंकरप्रभृतिभिर्देवैः सदा वन्दिता सा मां पातु सरस्वती भगवती निःशेषजाड्यापहा॥१॥

Ya Kundendu Tusharahara Dhavala Ya Shubhra Vastravrita Ya Veena Varadanda Manditakara Ya Shveta Padmasana Ya Brahmachyuta Shankara Prabhritibihi Devaih Sada Vandita Sa Mam Pattu Sarasvatee Bhagavatee Nihshesha Jadyapaha॥1॥

Meaning

Salutations to Goddess Saraswati, who wears a garland of white pearls; the one who is dressed in white; the one who holds a Veena in her hand; the one who holds the blessing mudra; and the one who is seated on a white lotus.

Brahma, Vishnu and Shankara hail and worship you, O Goddess Saraswati, bless me and remove all my ignorance.

Vidya Mantra

सरस्वती नमस्तुभ्यम्

वरदे कामरूपिणी

विद्यारम्भम् करिष्यामि

सिद्धिर बावथूम सदा

Saraswati Namasthubhyam

Varade Kamarupini

Vidhyarambam Karishyami

Siddhir Bavathume Sadha

Meaning:

Salutations to Goddess Saraswati, the one who gives boon and grants wishes

As I begin my education, shower me with the knowledge and intellect I need to attain wisdom.

Mustard fields (Kanakmath, Sihoniya, Morena, Madhya Pradesh)

Yellow clothes are worn, homes are decorated with yellow flowers, as it (yellow) is considered auspicious and also represents the mustard fields of Punjab and Haryana.

Dishes usually yellow and saffron in color like sweetened rice (Miṭhē cāvala) are prepared.

Another legend associated with the festival is that after Kalidasa was left by his wife a beautiful princess, he planned to kill himself in despair. When he was about to commit suicide by drowning himself in a river, Goddess Saraswati emerged from the river water and asked him to bathe in it. When Kalidasa took a dip in the river its water gave him wisdom and he became a famous poet.

In Punjab people fly kites to signify freedom and joy. In Maharashtra, newly-weds offer prayers at a temple, wearing yellow clothes, on their first Vasant Panchmi. In Rajasthan, people wear jasmine garlands to celebrate the day. In West Bengal, artists worship their tools in front of Goddess Saraswati.

Students all over the country offer their books to Saraswati, and it is customary to read or write on that day. The day is considered extremely auspicious to start new work, get married or perform house warming ceremony (griha pravesh).