Hindu Feasts, Fasts and Ceremonies/Chapter 14
14. The Sarasvati Puja
SARASVATI in Hibdu mythology 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—Navaratri—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 Na@vaimi, 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 Madhvas and the Vaishnavas 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 Vishnu. 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, distribute 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 his puja 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:—
In the Kritayuga there lived a famous King named Suketu. He was well versed in politics and his only pleasure was to attend to the welfare and comfort of his subjects. The name of his queen was Suvedi. She was young, beautiful and much attached to her lord. It so happened that Suketu was defeated by his enemies and compelled to fly for his life with his queen. The royal pair wandered in a forest for several days without food and, unable to bear the exhaustion, fell ill. Suvedi carried her weak lord on her shoulders and was trying to find her way out of the woods when she was met by the sage Angiras who said: "Who are you that have ventured alone into this deep forest? You seem to be much afflicted. Relate your history and I shall try my best to relieve you." Suvedi related her history and Angiras was extremely moved on hearing it. The sage at once recommended to Suvedi, a pilgrimage to Panchavati and the worship of Durga there, during the Navaratri days. The queen with Suketu reached Panchavati and worshipped the goddess Durga very devoutly. First Suketu was restored to perfect health; then she gave birth to a son whom Angiras named Suryapratapa. This prince in due course became very powerful. He defeated his enemies and got back his kingdom and reinstated his father in it. The current belief is that every one will attain his object by the Sarasvati puja, as Suvedi did by the observance of this puja.
By the non-Brahmans, this puja is called the Ayudha puja—the worship of the implements by the artisans—or the tool-feast. Thus the Brahman worships his books and the artisan his tools.
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