Goddess Saraswathi

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 Shruti and the Bhagavad Geeta as Mother Geeta. Knowledge itself has been personified as a feminine deitythe goddess Saraswati. Saraswati literally means "one who gives the essence (sara) of our own Self (swa)".

The goddess Saraswati 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 Indian lute (veena.)

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 Saraswati indicates to man the supreme goal that he should reach in his life time, the goal of Self- realisation. The path of that goal is shown by her other hands. There are two distinct paths taking man to the highest experience of 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 gnana marga in Sanskrit

Devi Saraswathi Gayathri :

Om Vakdeviyai cha Vidhmahe 
Virinji Pathniyai cha Dheemahe 
Thanno Vani Prachodayath