Saraswati: the Goddess of Speech
Saraswati (Main figure)
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(Top to bottom): Saraswati and Dorje Shugden.
Deity: Saraswati (Sanskrit)
Alternative names: Yangchenma / Yangchen Drolma (Tibetan); Goddess of Song and Music (English)
Saraswati is a well-known deity in both the Hindu and Tibetan Buddhist traditions. In both religions, she is considered by many great masters to be the goddess and patron of the arts, music, language, literature, poetry, philosophy, and for all those engaged in creative endeavours.
Within Tibetan Buddhism, Saraswati is known as the Buddha of music, wisdom and learning. She is widely regarded as both the emanation of Tara as well as the consort of Manjushri, the Buddha of Wisdom, to whom she is deeply connected with due to her wisdom-bestowing nature. While she is depicted here in her leisurely peaceful form, she also emanates in a more wrathful form known as Vajravetali (Sanskrit) or Dorje Rolangma (Tibetan) who is the consort of Vajrabhairava (Yamantaka), a wrathful form of Manjushri whose practice belongs to the Highest Yoga Tantra classification. In the form of Vajravetali, she is said to have revealed the Vajrabhairava Tantras to the great Indian master Lalitavajra who consequently spread the practice.
Furthermore, Saraswati was the yidam or personal meditational deity of the 14th Century Tibetan master Je Tsongkhapa who founded the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. He composed a beautiful devotional poem titled “Prayer to Saraswati” based on the pure visions that he had of her. Saraswati is believed to have frequently appeared to Je Tsongkhapa on his travels, offering counsel and inspiration throughout his years of study and contemplation.
In the Hindu tradition, Saraswati is part of the female trinity (Tridevi) together with Lakshmi and Parvati. This trinity assists their consorts Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva respectively to create, maintain and destroy the cyclic systems of the universe. In Hinduism, Saraswati’s name means ‘She Who Possesses Speech That Purifies’. As such, she is a celebrated female deity with powers of healing and purification. The earliest mentions of her occur in Rigveda, the oldest of the Hindu scriptures. In it she is said to be the “best of mothers, best of rivers, best of goddesses, Sarasvati”.
Like her Buddhist counterpart, the Hindu version of Saraswati also manifests in wrathful forms who are propitiated in the practice of Tantra. One of her most well-known is Nila Saraswati or ‘Blue Saraswati’. In this form, she is said to be part of the 10 Mahavidyas or Knowledge-Holders who are 10 aspects of the ultimate divinity in the form of goddesses. Her ferocity is said to be second only to Kali, the most wrathful of all Hindu goddesses. Her wrath is said to be the manifestation of her loving-compassion, like a mother who scolds a child to protect them from playing with fire and hurting themselves.
Prayers to Saraswati are usually recited at dawn for a spiritually-fulfilling day or the beginning of academic or creative endeavours for a successful project or school day.
Deity: Dorje Shugden (Tibetan)
Alternative name: Vajra Bhagawan Rudra (Sanskrit)
Dorje Shugden is recognised to be an emanation of Manjushri and arose from a long line of incarnated lamas who strove to proliferate and protect the teachings. He is a protector of recent origins, arising 350 years ago, and due to his strong affinity with beings of this time, he is widely renowned to be efficacious and powerful in overcoming our obstacles and creating favourable conditions for our spiritual practice.
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Wow ….beautiful art painting of Saraswati who is the Goddess of Speech with Dorje Shugden. Saraswati is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, arts, wisdom and nature. Well-known deity in both the Hindu and Tibetan Buddhist traditions. Good read to know more of the deities .Its truly beautiful piece of painting.
Thank you for this sharing.