Vasant Panchami

Vasant Panchami

Who worshiped Goddess Saraswati first? When did the celebration of Vasant Panchami start? What is the mythological reason for worshiping them?

Ruchi Tewari

Vasant Panchami

The festival of Vasant Panchami is celebrated on the fifth day of the waxing moon in the month of Magha. With Vasant Panchami, the arrival of the spring season begins. On the day of Vasant Panchami, there is a special significance to worship and adore Goddess Saraswati, the deity of knowledge. Wearing yellow clothes on Vasant Panchami holds special importance. According to mythology, Lord Krishna had pleased Saraswati and received a boon that on the day of Vasant Panchami, worship would be offered to her as well. Since then, in the result of this boon, the worship of Goddess Saraswati on the day of Vasant Panchami is observed in the country of India. Children worship Goddess Saraswati with great devotion on this day, hoping that the goddess remains forever pleased with them and bestows the boon of knowledge.

Goddess Saraswati is known as the goddess of knowledge. By her grace, even the ignorant become learned. The procedure of worshipping Goddess Saraswati is described in the Brahmavaivarta Purana. Saraswati had expressed the desire to attain Lord Krishna. Lord Hari grants the boons to his devotees that are beneficial and auspicious for them. First of all, Lord Krishna had worshipped Goddess Saraswati. The all-knowing Lord Krishna spoke words that were beneficial, auspicious, and rewarding in their outcomes.

Lord Krishna said, 'Noble one! You should serve Narayana. He is a part of me. Be devoted to Him with love and spend your life in happiness. His feet bestow joy.'

In every universe, on the auspicious occasion of the fifth day of the waxing moon in the month of Magha, there will be a grand celebration of your worship. Due to the influence of my boon, in every Kalpa, humans, Manugans (celestial beings), gods, well-known monks aspiring for liberation, Vasus, yogis, siddhas, nagas, gandharvas, and rakshasas - all will worship you with great devotion through sixteen kinds of offerings. Devotees who have conquered their senses will meditate on you and perform your worship. They will invoke you into a vessel or a book. Your armor will be written on a piece of paper and placed in a golden box. People will adorn it with sandalwood and fragrant substances and wear it around their necks or on their right arm. Proper worship will include recitation of praises.

Thus, speaking this way, the highly revered Lord Krishna worshipped Goddess Saraswati. Following this, Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Ananta, Dharma, Munishwara (great sage), deities, sages, kings, and humans - all worshiped Goddess Saraswati. From then onwards, Saraswati started being worshipped by all living beings. We celebrate this worship as Vasant Panchami.

Worship Method : In response to Narada's query, Lord Narayana explained the worship method of Goddess Saraswati as described in the Brahmavaivarta Purana.

Lord Narayana said, 'The main date for beginning the worship is the fifth day of the waxing moon in the month of Magha. On that day, early in the morning, take a vow of self-control and purity, perform bathing and daily rituals, and then, with devotion, establish a kalash (holy water vessel). Then, before offering the naivedya (food offering), perform the worship of Lord Ganesha, followed by the worship of the Sun, Agni (fire), Vishnu, Shiva, and Parvati. After that, it is appropriate to worship the desired deity, Saraswati. Then, meditate and invoke the presence of the goddess. Remaining in a vow (vrata), perform the worship of the goddess with sixteen different rituals.Gentle one, I will now describe the items that can be used as offerings for worship. Fresh butter, yogurt, milk, uncooked rice, sesame seed laddus, laddus made of white sesame, white sugarcane and its juice, boiled and prepared jaggery, swastika mark made from sugar or mishri, unbroken rice (akshat), raw rice flakes, white laddus, ghee and rock salt, along with the dishes prepared as per scriptural instructions, jau (barley) or wheat flour items fried in ghee, a paste of ripe, clean banana, the nectar-like product prepared from ghee and best-quality grains, coconut and its water, saffron, radish, ginger, mashed ripe banana, fine banana leaf, bael fruit, seasonal fruits, and other pure and clean-colored fruits available according to time and place - all these are considered equivalent to naivedya (offering).'

Sage! Fragrant white flowers, clean white sandalwood, and new white clothing, along with a beautiful conch shell, should be offered to Goddess Saraswati. Offer a garland of white flowers and white ornaments to the goddess. Great Sage! The supreme meditation on Goddess Saraswati is extremely blissful and dispels delusion. The meditation is as follows:

'The divine form of Saraswati is radiant white in color. This supremely beautiful goddess always has a smiling countenance. The splendor of millions of moons seems insignificant compared to the brilliance of her well-nourished form. She is adorned with pure clothing. In one hand, she holds a veena (musical instrument), and in the other hand, she holds a book. Adorned with the best gemstones, she is resplendent. She is worshiped by prominent deities like Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, as well as by the assembly of celestial beings. Sages like Manu and humans bow their heads at her feet. This Goddess Saraswati, I bow to her with devotion.'

In this way, after meditation, learned individuals should offer the entire set of worship items as prescribed to Goddess Saraswati according to the scriptures. Then, after reciting the protective mantra (kavach), they should prostrate themselves on the ground like a staff and pay obeisance to the goddess with all their eight limbs. Sage! For those who consider Goddess Saraswati as their chosen deity, this is a daily practice. On the commencement of education for children and at the end of the year, on the fifth day of the bright half of the month of Magha, all should perform the worship of Goddess Saraswati.

Verified from the Brahmavaivarta Puran...