Saraswati is goddess of wisdom, music, art, intelligence and obviously of education. On the basis of Sarawasti Puja or Vasant Panchami the very day is celebrated with earnest solemnity. In India, there is no poet who has not gone for praising the Holy Mother of Knowledge. In the Northern part of India, Odisha, West Bengal, Nepal and in Bangla Desh tremendous enthusiasm is noticed. The Buddhists and in western and middle India the Jains also pray to the Goddess of wisdom. As a deity of wisdom, music and fine arts outside India, in Japan, Vietnam, Bali (Indonesia) and even in Myanmar there is the custom of worshipping Mother of Knowledge Ma Saraswati.
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Ma Saraswati is basically a Vedic goddess. In Vedas we find Saraswati as the goddess of rives. Saras is the word that denotes ‘water’. Hence Saraswati means full of water or river. Brihaspati is the deity of knowledge, later on Saraswati was worshipped as the goddess of wisdom and knowledge. With the change of time the entity of Saraswati was limited with the sphere of wisdom, music and fine arts. According to scholars of India, the Saraswati that was once a River later on turned into a goddess.
While imagining the stature of the goddess, the features that flash before the eyes are the Devi is too fair to express, seated on a white lotus, wearing a necklace of pearls. She possesses lotus like eyes holding on books and the veena (a musical instrument) in her hands. An epitome of divinity, she sits on a white goose.
Who is Devi Sarswati?
According to Hindu scriptures, Devi is the daughter of Devi Durga and Devadidev Mahadev. She is the one of the siblings of Laxmi, Ganesha and Kartikeya. The King of Mountains, Himalaya is the grandfather of Ma Saraswati. Shastra says Holy Mother is the consort of Lord Brhma, the Creator of the universe. Along with the consort of Lord Vishnu, Ma Laxmi and the consort of Maheshwara, Parvati, she is renowned as Tridevi too. These Tridevi helps Brahman, Vishnu and Maheshwara to create, nurture and destruct the Universe.
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Saraswati in Different names
Ma Saraswati is the goddess of leaning, Gyandayini (deliverer of wisdom), Beenapani, Kulapriya, Palashpriya, Bagdevi, Sarada, Shotarupa, Mahashewata, Bharati etc.
The Vasant Panchami Tithi importance
The Devi is worshipped on Panchami Tithi of the Indian month Magh in Shukla Paksha. The Tithi is known as Vasant Panchami or Sri Panchami.
The moment you notice the mustard plants dangling their heads in the field, you must have to see yellow all around, keep in mind that Vasant Panchami is on the offing. It falls on the fifth day of the Hindu luni-solar calendar month of Magha and marks advent of the spring. According to Hindu calendar, this Vasant Panchami ( Saraswati Puja) 2023 falls on 25th of January.The festival is celebrated round the corners of Indian subcontinent and brings with it many great festivals such as Makar Sankranti, Holi, the Sikh festival Baisakhi and many others. On Vasant Panchami, Hindu devotees worship Goddess Saraswati. Saraswati Puja is one of the topmost rituals, performed for a very auspicious coming year.
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Saraswati Puja 2023 Date And Time (Vasant Panchami Muhurat)
Vasant Panchami, Saraswati Puja: 2023
Day: Thursday,
Jan 25, 2023
Saraswati Puja Muhurat:
- From 07:12 AM to 12:34 PM
- Vasant Panchami will stay for 5 Hours 21 Minutes
- Midday Vasant Panchami Moment is from 12:34 PM
- Vasant Panchami Tithi starts on Jan 25, 2023 at 12:34 PM
- Vasant Panchami Tithi will end on January 26, 2023 at 10:28 AM
All about Vasant Panchami
Vasant Panchami falls generally between the months of February and March, during the arrival of the spring. The term Vasant refers to Spring. While Panchami refers to the 5th day. So, one should only go for Saraswati Puja on Pancham Tithi, as per the Hindu calendar.
On this day, devotees dedicate themselves to Ma Saraswati and seek blessings from her. People pay respect to Ma and perform different rituals. Some Indians and sages also call Vasant Panchami as Abujha day, signifying a great start to respective works. Therefore, people in various corners of India and sometimes in abroad consider Vasant Panchami muhurat to begin their important tasks or go on purchasing luxurious items.
Why are we going to celebrate Saraswati Puja on Vasant Panchami?
As Saraswati is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, art, wisdom, and obviously learning in many parts of India, the Tithi is considered auspicious for children to initiate their studies on the very occasion of this Tithi. People go on performing different rituals and pujas at homes, temples, and different Alma Maters to appease the Goddess and offer their sheer gratitude.
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If one, a devotee of Ma Saraswati, is planning to do Saraswati Puja then she/he should never forget to remember the color code and the specific theme of the festival. She/he must keep it in mind that it is yellow that is associated with this day or Tithi. What one may do is to offer yellow saris, sweets, and flowers at the altar of Ma Saraswati. It is believed by wise men round every corner of India and perhaps of any other place where Hindu people live, that those who worship Ma Saraswati on the very Vasant Panchami Tithi never fall short of wisdom.
Astrological Significance of the Vasant Panchami (Saraswati Puja).
Saraswati Puja performed by an astrologer and particularly on the Vasant Panchami Tithi reduces the malefic effects of Moon, Jupiter, Venus, and Mercury to a great extent. The Puja and the offerings are especially beneficial for people undergoing Mahadasha, Antardasha of Moon, Mercury, Jupiter, and Venus planets. Individuals who are facing the malefic retrograde effects of Moon, Mercury, Jupiter and Venus in their horoscopes or charts must go for Saraswati Puja after proper consultation with an expert Vedic astrologer.
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Ingredients needed for Puja
There are the things one must keep at hand before offering flowers at the feet of Ma Saraswati. These are meager but essential to appease the Goddess of learning and art and culture. One should brood over the ingredients before the very imitation of the Puja. These are:
- Idol of Maa Saraswati
- Mango leaves
- Haldi
- Kesar
- Akshat
- Tilak
- Gangajal(Ganges Water)
- Pitcher (Kalash)
- Naivedya (cut fruits and rice)
- Saraswati Yantra
- Durva Grass
How to Perform Saraswati Puja?
On the very day of the Puja , the devotees should wake up early, clean their respective residences , make preparations for puja, and then dip into water. According to the pundits one should put a paste of neem and turmeric on his/her body before taking the bath as yellow/white is the favorite hues of Ma Saraswati and the color code of the revered festival. The first thing one must keep in mind is to place the Saraswati idol on the platform previously made. Beside Saraswati idol one should place the idol of Ganesha as He is considered to be another wise God. One should place a book or a musical instrument, a notebook or all sorts of elements needed for creativity at the close proximity of Ma Saraswati before worshipping. If one wants to go for proper Puja, it is always best to seek a professional person either a pundit or a priest who has proper knowledge how to do puja prolifically.
In some cases, one him/herself performs puja after his/ her own liking. When such moment comes one should keep in mind that he/she should take a plate and decorate it with kumkum, haldi, rice, flowers. Thereafter it should be his/her first duty to offer it to Saraswati and Ganesha to show gratitude and seek their blessings. If one has to go for Vasant Puja (Saraswati Puja) and recite mantra aarti, she/he should do it honestly, uttering every mantra with perfect elegance. Then it should be the duty of the devotee to gather the family and spend the day with kids.
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She/he should encourage kids to write something actually creative and inspire them to play or learn a musical instrument with ardent spirit. Gala poetic and musical get together should be held in many communities to pay respect to Goddess Saraswati. The devotee should always visit the nearest temple to perform Saraswati Puja on the very auspicious day of Vasant Panchami. The devotee should recite the famous Saraswati Stotram, one of the most chanted prayers by pundits, priests and astrologers round the globe on this very auspicious day of Vasant Panchami (Saraswati Puja).
To promote peace and prosperity in life one should go for Saraswati Puja.
The Vasant Panchami Tithi brings a dramatic change in everyone’s health lifting the gloomy moods. It seems a very auspicious day for shopping and financial moves. Moreover, one should go for a new activity like plunging into new ventures, learning any art, crafts and obviously music and other creative performances.
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