In her form as a river, goddess Saraswati flowed through the ancient lands, flooding and filling them with necessary nourishment. As the presiding deity of knowledge, art, and culture, Devi guided the learned men who sowed the seeds of the first civilization of India. In the light of these priceless boons of Saraswati, it is not at all surprising that she became the focus of reverence in Vedic textual traditions.
The maker of this painting presents the great Saraswati seated on a gem-studded throne appropriate for her stature. Amidst the gleam of her sun-like aura and the crescent moon on her forehead, the impression of Devi’s visage surpasses the beauty of them both. Decked in fineries, holding the Saraswati veena named after her, the goddess sits royally, placing her feet on the lotus underneath her throne.
The artist has smartly used minor elements to prepare a fitting backdrop for Saraswati to reveal herself. Near the goddess, placed on her throne is a conch- an auspicious attribute that signifies fertility and new beginnings. In the background, drinking from the stream (which probably is Saraswati herself in her form as the divine river) are two crane birds. A popular Sanskrit expression- Bako dhyanam (crane’s focus), used to underline the ideal behaviour of a student, is based on the fact that cranes display admirable focus when looking for their food. It goes without saying such a level of focus is vital for attaining any knowledge. Facing the goddess who is playing her instrument is a parrot, a bird who is associated with learning based on memorization of the knowledge. Accurately following whatever has been uttered, the parrot also embodies a key to being the ideal pupil. Surrounded by these components, benign, motherly, and divine in her appearance, Maa Saraswati in this painting is the ultimate teacher.
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