Who is Sarasvatī as per Rig Veda?

 

 

The general understanding of the readers/commentators of the Rig Veda in respect of Sarasvatī - सरस्वती, is as a mighty, pure, and holy river flowing from the mountains to the sea, often called the "best of rivers (नदीतमे), mothers (अम्बितमे), and goddesses (देवितमे)".

Rig Veda 2.41.16

अम्बि॑तमे॒ नदी॑तमे॒ देवि॑तमे॒ सर॑स्वति । अ॒प्र॒श॒स्ता इ॑व स्मसि॒ प्रश॑स्तिमम्ब नस्कृधि ॥
ambitame nadītame devitame sarasvati | apraśastā iva smasi praśastim amba nas kṛdhi ||

English translation:

O best mothers, best rivers, best goddesses, Sarasvatī— we are like ones unwise: make us wise, mother.

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a) Rig Veda is not a work of some "nomadic-pastoral" invaders, as averred by early European indologists and continued to think so by many people, who hear/read about Rig Veda.

We have to remember that Rig Veda is a pure spiritual treatise, conveyed in esoteric sense, by the rishis (seers) of that era. If we want to understand the spiritual concepts of Rig Veda, we need to have the basic inclination towards spirituality and should be in a position to understand the esoteric sayings of the rishis.

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b) Sarasvatī - सरस्वती is not a river in the esoteric poetic sayings of the rishis of Rig Veda. Sarasvatī - सरस्वती is one among the three female divinities frequently called upon by the rishis, the other 2 female divinities being iḻā and mahī or bhāratī

Rig Veda 5.5.8

इळा सरस्वती मही तिस्रो देवीर्मयोभुवः । बर्हिः सीदन्त्वस्रिधः ॥
iḻā sarasvatī mahī tisro devīr mayobhuvaḥ | barhiḥ sīdantv asridhaḥ ||

English translation:

Iḻā/Iḍā, Sarasvatī, and Mahī, the three goddesses, who are joy itself— let them, unfailing, sit upon the ritual grass.

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Please note the phrase तिस्रो देवी - tisro devī - three goddesses.

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c) It should also be noted that the three goddesses are not physical goddesses, but three divinities or energies, that aid practitioners in progressing spiritually.

• The work of Iḻā/Iḍā (इळा) is at foundational level,ie., at the beginning of spiritual journey. Iḻā/Iḍā is sometimes also called in Rig Veda as Dṛṣadvatī (दृषद्वती).
• The work of Sarasvatī - सरस्वती is at the mid-level or antariksha, ie., Sarasvatī will aid the practitioner at the mid-level of spiritual journey. Ṛṣi Atri mentioned Sarasvatī as Urvaśī (उर्वशी). Urvaśī indicates that which is spread in all places.
• The work of Mahī, ie., mahat, is in the final stages of the practitioner in spiritual journey. mahī is sometimes called bhāratī also.

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d) Now, the basic question may arise as to how Devi Sarasvatī aid a practitioner in spiritual journey.

Consider the following Rik from Rig Veda.

Please note that the esoteric meaning, as per Rig Veda, of the word यज्ञ - yajña indicate a spiritual practice, but not a physical ritual offering into fire.

Rig Veda 1.3.11

चोदयित्री सूनृतानां चेतन्ती सुमतीनाम् । यज्ञं दधे सरस्वती ॥
codayitrī sūnṛtānāṃ cetantī sumatīnām | yajñaṃ dadhe sarasvatī ||

English translation:

O (Devi) Sarasvatī! bless (us) with spiritual practice, while impelling/propelling (codayitrī) our minds towards the path of ṛtam/TRUTH (sūnṛtānāṃ) and awaken (cetantī) good intentions (sumatīnām).