Stotra
सरस्वती वन्दना Sarasvatī Vandanā
The Sarasvatī Vandanā is the most widely recited prayer to Goddess Sarasvatī — the Vedic deity of speech (Vāk), knowledge, arts, music, wisdom, and learning. Sarasvatī is one of the three principal
1
या कुन्देन्दुतुषारहारधवला या शुभ्रवस्त्रावृता
या वीणावरदण्डमण्डितकरा या श्वेतपद्मासना।
या ब्रह्माच्युतशंकरप्रभृतिभिर्देवैः सदा पूजिता सा मां पातु सरस्वती भगवती निःशेषजाड्यापहा॥
या ब्रह्माच्युतशंकरप्रभृतिभिर्देवैः सदा पूजिता सा मां पातु सरस्वती भगवती निःशेषजाड्यापहा॥
She who is white as jasmine, as the full moon, as frost, as a garland of pearls; she who is clothed in pure white garments; she whose hands are adorned with the vīṇā and the boon-bestowing staff; she who is seated upon a white lotus; she who is always worshipped by Brahmā, Acyuta (Viṣṇu), Śaṃkara (Śiva), and all the other gods — may that Bhagavatī Sarasvatī protect me and remove all my dullness and ignorance completely.
2
शुक्लां ब्रह्मविचारसारपरमाम् आद्यां जगद्व्यापिनीम्।
वीणापुस्तकधारिणीमभयदां जाड्यान्धकारापहाम्।
हस्ते स्फटिकमालिकां विदधतीं पद्मासने संस्थिताम् वन्दे तां परमेश्वरीं भगवतीं बुद्धिप्रदां शारदाम्॥
वीणापुस्तकधारिणीमभयदां जाड्यान्धकारापहाम्।
हस्ते स्फटिकमालिकां विदधतीं पद्मासने संस्थिताम् वन्दे तां परमेश्वरीं भगवतीं बुद्धिप्रदां शारदाम्॥
I bow to that Śāradā (Sarasvatī) who is pure white, who is the supreme essence of the knowledge of Brahman, who is the primordial one and who pervades the entire universe; who holds a vīṇā and a book (the Vedas), who grants fearlessness, and who dispels the darkness of ignorance; who holds a crystal rosary in her hand and is seated on a lotus — that Supreme Goddess, the Bestower of Intellect.
3
सरस्वति नमस्तुभ्यं वरदे कामरूपिणि।
विद्यारम्भं करिष्यामि सिद्धिर्भवतु मे सदा॥
विद्यारम्भं करिष्यामि सिद्धिर्भवतु मे सदा॥
O Sarasvatī, I salute you, the giver of boons, the fulfiller of desires. I am about to begin my study — may success always attend me.
4
दोर्भिर्युक्ता चतुर्भिः स्फटिकमणिनिभैरक्षमालान्दधाना
हस्तेनैकेन पद्मं सितमपि च शुकं पुस्तकं चापरेण।
भासा कुन्देन्दुशङ्खस्फटिकमणिनिभा भासमाना समाना सा मे वाग्देवता विधतु कुशलं वाणी देवी नमस्ते॥
भासा कुन्देन्दुशङ्खस्फटिकमणिनिभा भासमाना समाना सा मे वाग्देवता विधतु कुशलं वाणी देवी नमस्ते॥
She who has four arms holding a crystal rosary, a white lotus, a parrot (śuka), and a book; who shines with the brightness of jasmine, moon, conch, and crystal — may that Vāgdevatā (goddess of speech), the divine Vāṇī, grant me well-being. Salutations to you, O Goddess!
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सरस्वती महाभागे विद्ये कमललोचने।
विद्यारूपे विशालाक्षि विद्यां देहि नमोऽस्तु ते॥
विद्यारूपे विशालाक्षि विद्यां देहि नमोऽस्तु ते॥
O Sarasvatī, the greatly blessed, embodiment of knowledge, with lotus eyes! O wide-eyed one, whose very form is knowledge — bestow knowledge upon me. Salutations to you!
6
वेदाय वेदरूपाय वेदान्ताय नमो नमः।
गुणदोषविवर्जिन्यै गुणदोषविधायिनी॥
सर्वज्ञाने सदानन्दे सर्वरूपे नमो नमः।
गुणदोषविवर्जिन्यै गुणदोषविधायिनी॥
सर्वज्ञाने सदानन्दे सर्वरूपे नमो नमः।
Salutations again and again to the one who is the Vedas, who embodies the Vedas, and who is the ultimate import of Vedānta. She who is beyond virtue and vice, and yet the bestower of virtue and the corrector of faults. Salutations again and again to the omniscient, the eternally blissful, and the one present in all forms.
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सायं प्रातः पठेन्नित्यं षण्मासात् सिद्धिरुच्यते।
चोरव्याघ्रभयं नास्ति पठतां शृण्वतामपि॥
इत्थं सरस्वतीस्तोत्रम् अगस्त्यमुनिवाचकम्।
सर्वसिद्धिप्रदं नृणां सर्वपापप्रणाशनम्॥
चोरव्याघ्रभयं नास्ति पठतां शृण्वतामपि॥
इत्थं सरस्वतीस्तोत्रम् अगस्त्यमुनिवाचकम्।
सर्वसिद्धिप्रदं नृणां सर्वपापप्रणाशनम्॥
One who recites this daily, both in the morning and evening, attains spiritual accomplishment (siddhi) within six months — so it is declared. Neither fear of thieves nor of tigers afflicts those who recite or even hear it. Thus concludes this Sarasvatī Stotram spoken by the sage Agastya — it is the bestower of all attainments for human beings and the destroyer of all sins.