SARASVATI: Goddess of Knowledge

The Vedic tradition of India from time immemorial has given women the highest place of respect and recognition. The Hindu scriptures are referred to as Mother Sruti and the Bhagavad, Gita as Mother Gita. Knowledge itself has been personified as a feminine deity the Goddess Sarasvati. Sarasvati literally means "one who gives the sara essence of sva own Self'.
The goddess Sarasvati is represented as sitting on a Lotus. She holds the sacred scripture in one hand and a lotus in the other. With the third, and fourth hands she plays the vina, Indian lute.

The seat of the lotus indicates that the goddess is firmly established in the experience of the supreme Reality. She is rooted in Truth, which the lotus represents. By holding the lotus in her hand Sarasvati indicates to man the supreme Goal that he should reach in his lifetime, the goal of Self-realisati on. The path of that goal is shown by her other hands. There are two distinct paths taking man to the highest experience, Godhood-the path of knowledge and the path of devotion.

The path of knowledge is shown by the goddess holding the sacred book. It is called jnana marga in Sanskrit. It expounds Vedanta, the philosophy of the Vedas. It is a systematic and scientific presentation of the realities of life. It explains the various layers of matter that man possesses and the core of Reality that lies beneath them. By careful study and reflection the seeker unravels the mystery of his inner life until he reaches the core of his supreme Self. This path is meant for the intellectuals.

The path of devotion is called bhakti marga. This path also leads to the goal of Self-realisation. This is meant for those who are predominantly devotional, who use their heart to sing praises of their Lord. Through music, kirtans or bhajans they maintain a single-pointed devotion to the Lord and thereby attain Godhood. This is indicated by Sarasvafi playing the vina.
The four hands of the goddess represent the four aspects of the inner personality of man namely manas mind, buddhi intellect, ahankara ego arid citta conditioned -consciousness.

Sarasvati is the consort of Brahma. Brahma is the creator. Creation is not possible unless the creator has the knowledge of what and how to create. Knowledge therefore is an essential prerequisite for creation. This idea is sybolised by wedding Brahma and Sarasvati.
During the nine-day festival of devipuja goddess- worships, Goddess Kall (Durga) is worshipped on the first three days, Goddess Laksmi on the next three days and Sarasvati on the last three days. Kali represents the power of destruction. By invoking Kali the devotee is said to draw her mighty power to destroy all his negative tendencies. Thereafter, the worship of Laxml, the goddess of wealth, is meant to cultivate and preserve a person's noble qualities like self-control, tolerance, love etc. These are his inner wealth. Having cleansed the inner personality of the negativities and substituting them with positive qualities the devotee is qualified to receive the knowledge of the Self. The study of the scriptures is futile if one approaches it with an unclean mind. An unclean mind is ever agitated. Such a mind is not fit for study and reflection upon the highest truths of life. A pure mind and an enquiring intellect directed to research of the Self together bring about spiritual awakening. This is symbolised by the devotee worshipping Goddess Sarasvati on the last three days. on the tenth day an effigy is burnt or thrown into the sea to indicate the destruction of the ego, the annihilation of the lower nature of man. That day is the day of enlightenment, Vidyarambha.

LAKSMI: Goddess of Wealth

Laksml is the consort of Lord Visnu. Visnu represents the power of maintenance. In order to manifest this power Visnu must necessarily possess wealth. Even in the world a person who is in charge of maintenance needs wealth. A pauper cannot maintain anything. Visnu is the maintainer of the entire universe, hence is amrried to the goddess of wealth.
Laksmi is said to be svarna hasta, meaning golden- handed. As the name suggests the goddess pours out riches to the community. Where there is Laksmi there is prosperity. Wealth here also includes moral and ethical Values, the nobler aspects of life, the power of the mind and intellect. This kind of wealth has to be acquired by a seeker before his initiation into spiritual knowledge. That explains why Laksmi is worshipped before Sarasvati during the devipuja.

Wealth however does not come to a person by merely begging at the feet of Laksmi. Worship of Laksmi these days has become mere solicitation of material wealth. Man does not realise that when he runs after wealth It moves away from him. The way to command wealth is to leave it alone and to seek the higher values of life. This idia is well brought out in the allegory of the churning of the milky ocean. The ocean of milk represents a sattvika pure mind. When man contemplates with a pure mind on the higher ideals of life he evolves spiritually. By gradual evolutIon he reaches the goalcof Perfection. A man of Perfection gains everything in the world, He commands peace, power and prosperity. Wealth is, at his feet. This is the way to gain wealth, to wIn over Laksmi, Laksmi emerging by the churning of the milky ocean symbolises this truth.

Laksmi is described as being seated on a lotus, She holds a lotus in her hand. This is a common symbol amongst most of the Hindu gods and goddesses. It only means they are well rooted in the supreme Reality. By holding a lotus in their hands they only point out to mankind that the goal of their existence is Realisation of the inner wealth.

GODDESS PARVATl

Parvati is the consort of Lord Siva. Siva represents the power of the destruction. Parvati is also known as Uma. Uma represents Prakrti matter. Matter is destructible. The power of destruction can manifest itself only where there is destructible matter. Destruction ceases to have any meaning without destructible objects, Siva being the Lord of destruction is necessarily wedded to Uma to manifest the power of destruction.

Parvati is also referred to as annapurni which means bestower of food. Anna means 'food', which is to be taken in a wider connotation. To mean food for all-sense organs i.e. all sense-objects.

GODDESS DURGA

The other formis of Parvati are Durga and Kali, which are awesome, and terryfying. In these forms the goddess rides a lion, wields a number of weapons and wears a garland of skulls, holds a severed head in one hand and a lotus in another etc. All these represent destruction of evil and protection of good (lotus). This goddess is therefore invoked by the seeker to destroy all his vasanas desires and unveil his supreme Self.

Man at present is riddled with innumerrable desires, Agitations and sufferings. He is tormented by his own Negative thoughts and feelings such as selfishness jealousy, hatred, greed etc. These are the greatest enemies, in man's bosom, which loot his inner peace and bliss. They have to be totally annihilated for man to reach the abode of everlasting happiness. Even as he destroys a few or his sins more spring up in the same form. They grow and spread like bacteria and destroy his peace and tranquility. There is no room for persuasion or softness in dealing with these archenemies of man. They have to be ruthlessly struck and destroyed. By worshipping Durga this idea of ruthless destruction is invoked to annihilate all the desires and unfold Divinity.