A Cultural Commentary on the Sarasvati-Stotra

A Cultural Commentary on the Sarasvati-Stotra Dr. V. S Agrawala, B. H. U., Varanasi 139-145

[ iyam sarasvati stutirvedarthanavabhasayati | devi sarasvati vagrapa para capara ca | sa catuspat para sati gunatita, apara ca trigunamayi | ittham sa rupadvayam vibharti - murtam camuttam ca saccasacca, ekam canekam ca, dvaitam cadvaitam ca, sthulam ca suksmam ca, bhutatmakam ca pranatmakam ca, vyaktam cavyaktam ca | saiva pranavatmika, tasya apararupam pranavasya matratrayam, pararupam cardhamatratmakam | saiva ksaraksaratmika yajnatmika ca, tatha 'ksaratmika sati bhauman ksaraparamanuna srjati | evam vaidikapratikanadayedam sarasvatam stotram nirmitam | ] This sublime Stotra to Sarasvati (supra, pp. 121-122; Markandeya, 23, 30-47) is a work of fine literary art and composed of diverse references to philosophical doctrines. It is also incorporated in the Vamana Purana, ch. 32. The goddess is said to have sprung from Brahma (Brahma-yoni, 30). Brahma is the deity or genius of Brahma-saras, which, as Kalidasa explains, is the equivalent of avyakta sarorara of Buddhi ( brahmam sarah karanamaptavaco buddherivavyaktamudaharanti | raghuvamsa 13-60), or the Universal Mind or Collective Unconscious. Sarasvati is Brahma's power substance, represented as his 'daughter.' The etymology of the -Saras-vati, 'she that wells out from the invisible fountain of knowledge' is a pointer to her origin. She is the supreme cause of the world combining in her person the two opposite principles of sat and asat, moksha and trivarga (= arthavat padam, vs. 31); she is one with them (yogavad, vs. 31) and also beyond or transcends them (asamyoga, vs. 31). This statement is based on the Sadasad-vada doctrine of the Nasadiya Sakta (Rv. X. 129. 1). Verses 32, 33 are based on the doctrine of Kshara and Akshara, originally referred to in the Asyavamiya Sakta (Rv. I. 164. 42) and elaborated in many subsequent texts, specially 4

140 puranam - PUBANA [Vol. I, No. 2 the Upanishads and the Gita. The latter explains the Five Bhutas as kshara and the Pranic power or energy as akshara (=kutastha, so called from its being stationed on kuta or matter) (ksarah sarvani bhutani kutastho'ksara ucyate, 15-15). The Purana literally renders it as qzo ga faquaz vz(vs. 3), i. e. Brahman is akshara, and the universe is kshara. The Goddess is both bhuta and prana, i. e. both the manifest world and its unmanifest cause. The unmanifest power is like Fire concealed in the fuel and the manifest is constituted of the material elements which are atomic (bhaumascha paramanavah, vs. 33). It is the cosmic energy of akshara which assumes atomic formation paramanuvat, i. e. indivisible particles endued with gravity and motion. Motion or gati is the chief characteristic of akshara, which thereby is transformed into keshara or matter :- tatah ksaratyaksaram (Rv. I. 164, 42). Fire (Agni) is identical with Akshara, also called the Prana and the Yonder Sun : omityetenaksarena pranenamunadityena (Jaiminzya Upanishad Brahmana, 3. 10. 11). Akshara is energy or Agni, also identified with Vak, of which the typical and concise symbol is OM, differentiated both as A-U-M and also the unmanifest principle behind it. This leads the author to refer to the ancient Trika doctrine elaborated at different levels as matratraya, lokatraya, vedatraya (trayi vidya ), agnitraya ( agnitreta ), trini jyotimsi, trayo gunah, trayah kalah, trayah sabdah (a: :, viz. the three vyahritis). All these formed part of the symbolism of the ancient Vedic metaphysical doctrines or Vidyas and are frequently referred to in the Puranas. They need to be explained. For example, the three matras refer to the three metres ( gayatri, tristupa, jagati ); that which is matra or measure is chhandas or rhythm. The conjoint doctrine of matra and chhandas is inculcated in the Rigveda, Asyavamiya Sukta, I. 164, 23-25, in a rich terminology, as gayatra, traistubha, jagata, arka, sama, vak, dvipada, catuspada, aksara, saptavani and mimite, each of which needs to be explained. Suffice it to say that by grasping the under-

Feb., 1960] A COMMENTARY ON SARASVATI STOTRA 141 lying spirit of the Triad the basic metaphysical position becomes integrated and transparent. Three Fires of the ritual correspond to the Three Gunas of philosophy and the Three Devas of the Puranas : matratraya = agnitraya = gunatraya = devatraya = purusatraya A clearer statement is found in the Maitrayani Upanishad: 1. a-u-m = svanavati tanu of tripad brahma 2 . agni-vayu-aditya = bharavati tanu 3 . brahma-rudra-visnu = adhipativati tanu 4 . bhuh bhuvah svah = lokavati tanu 5 . bhuta-bhavya-bhavisyat = kalavati tanu 6 . garhapatya- daksinagni-ahavaniya = mukhavati tanu 7 . prana-apana-vyana = pranavati tanu 8 . buddhi- mana- ahamkara = cetanavati tanu These are the Triple Forms of Prajapati, called his 354 immanent in creation. That which transcends these is referred to as pararupa . As stated here at the end, Goddess Sarasvati represents this triple concrete form : etanmatratrayam devi tatra rupam sarasvati ( vs 37 ) The poet then turns to the doctrine of Vak as correlated with Yajna. Different scers (darsin here is equal to rsi, from rsirdarsa- natu ) have elaborated the timeless and primeval principle of Yajna in diverse forms-here classified as 7 Havir-yajnas, 7 Pakayajnas and 7 Somayajnas. The classification of Yajnas was a topic involving difference of opinion among several Schools, but the Purana writers cite an accepted generalisation. The main point is the invoking of Sarasvati in the yajnas in the triple forms of Hotri recitations, Yajus formulas and Saman chants. Sarasvati is Vak, and Vak is a form of Agni ( vagevagnih, satapatha 3|2|2|13 ). Agni is a terrestrial deity, primarily of material nature as the Vaisvanara fire kindling within the body, in the form of various secretions. There can be no yajna without Agni and Vak (vagvai yajnah, aitareya 5|24| ), hence it is stated that the

142 puranam - PURANA [Vol. I, No. 2 Brahmavadins perform the sacrificial ritual with the aid of Sarasvati. mora Having enunciated the triple aspect of the Goddess immanent in the universe, the poet turns his attention to that aspect of the deity which transcends all categories and is beyond the range of human experience (ef), for which the silent half of Orbkara was accepted as a symbol in all the schools of ancient Indian thought, called here ardhamatranvita para, the Supreme Half (cf. ardhena visva m bhuvanam jajana yo asyarthah katamah sa ketuh ) unchanging (3), imperishable (c), celestial ( opposed to bhauma ) and devoid of alteration ( parinamavivarjita ). This absolute form of the Divinity is beyond the grasp of thought and expression ( tavaitatparamam rupam yanna sakyam mayoditam ). This is the incomprehensible aspect and secret nature of the one God and also the many gods, and Sarasvati is identical with both the One and the many. as This was the position of the metaphysical doctrine as developed in the theistic Sankhya school and in the Vedanta tradition as represented by the pre-Sankara Vedanta of the Upanishads (Cf. vedantesu yamahurekapurusam in Kalidasa for the meaning of the term Vedanta). In the Gupta age, Sankhya, Yoga, Pasupata, Pancharatra and Veda made a common cause in the revival and reorganisation of Dharma against the Baudhas and the Arhatas. The Mahabharata refers to them as concordant parts of one whole¹ (parasparan- 1. evamekam samkhyayogam vedaranyakamevaca | parasparanganyetani pancaratram ca kathyate || Also, Also, samkhya yogam pancaratram vedaranyakameva ca | jnananyetani brahmarse lokesu pracaranti ha || kimetanyekanisthani prthanisthani va mune | prabruhi vai maya prstah pravrtim ca yathakramam || samkhyam yogah pasupatam veda vai pancaratrakam | (santiparva, puna, 336.76) (santiparva, 337. 1-2) krtantapancakam hyetad gayatri ca siva tatha || (agni0 219|61 ; visnu- dharmottara 2|22|133-34 with slight variation.)

Feb., 1960] A COMMENTARY ON SARASVATI STOTRA 143 gani). The Vedic tradition was also known as Vedaranyaka and Vedanta. Principally there were two philosophical traditions, the one of Veda based on the concept of Purusha or Brahman and the other of Sankhya based on that of Prakriti as the cause of the universe ( bhuvanarambhaka tattva ). The reference to these two traditions in this stotra becomes clear in a historical perspective. The Pancharatra Bhagavatas had no philosophy of their own and the Sankhyas no separate religion; so the two, as it were, entered into an alliance, as amply shown by the available Pancharatra literature and the Puranas. But all these new faiths, viz. the Pancharatra Bhagavatas and the Pasupatas assimilated as much of religion and philosophy as they could from the ancient Vedic tradition which was exceptionally rich both in metaphysical thought and theistic religious observances. Verses 43-47 of the stotra bear ample proof of the use of Vedic terminology for expressing the dual aspects of the Deity who is both sat and asat, eka and aneka, sakala and niskala, amurta and murta, sthula and suksma, nitya and anitya . We have the famous passage in the Upanishad : dve vava brahmano rupe, murtam caivamurtam ca, martyam camrtam ca, sthitam ca yacca, sacca tyam ca | (br0 u0 2|3|1 ) That which is externalised as the concrete form in the material world, is perishable, moving and existent; that which is unmanifest is eternal and stable. sahajayana The Purana writer naturally borrowed also a few ideas from his own times; e. g. the dual aspect of the Goddess is referred to as dvaita and advaita, sukhasukha and mahasaukhya (the conception of mahasukha savouring of the Buddhist development), and she is identified with the many forms of energy () and the one source of Supreme Power (sakti vaibhavikam param ). She in her unmanifest form is without visual trace (anakhya), but she becomes manifest in the Shad-gas(). The Six Gunas of Sarasvati as the Goddess of speech appertain to the triple nature of both sound and meaning. Sound (sabda) is threefold, gross, subtle and

144 puranam - PURANA [Vol. I, No. 2 transcendent ; and similarly meaning (artha) is threefold, which in the Agamic lore was known as Bhuvana, Tattva and Kala.¹ A detailed discription is found in the Siva Purana, Vayaviya Samhita, ch. 28 :- vayuruvaca- nivedayami jagato vagarthatmyam krtam yatha | sadadhvavedanam samyak samasannatu vistarat || 1 || nasti kascidasabdartho napi sabdo nirarthakah | tato hi samaye sabdah sarvah sarvarthabodhakah || 2 || prakrteh parinamo'yam dvidha sabdarthabhavana | tamahuh prakrtim murti sivayoh paramatmanoh || 3 || sabdatmika vibhuti sa tridha kathyate budhaih | sthula suksma para ceti sthula ya srutigocara || 4 || suksma cintamayi prokta cintaya rahita para | ya saktih sa para saktih sivatattvasamasraya || 5 || jnanasaktisamayogadicchopodbalika tatha I sarvasaktisamastyatma samasta karyajatasya saktitattvasamakhyaya || 6|| mulaprakrtitam gata 1 | saiva kundalini maya suddhadhvaparama satim || 7 || sa vibhagasvarupaiva sadadhvatma vijrmbhate | tatra sabdastrayo'dhvanastrayascarthah samiritah || 8 || sarvesamapi vai pumsam naijasuddhyanurupatah | layayogadhikarah syuh sarvatattvavibhagatah || 9|| kalabhistani tattvani vyaptanyeva yathatatham | parasyah prakrteradau pancadha parinamatah || 10 || kalasca ta nivrttyadyah paryapta iti niscayah | mantradhva ca padadhva ca varnadhva ceti sabdatah || 11 || bhuvanadhva ca tattvadhva kaladhva carthatah kramat | atranyonyam ca sarvesam vyapyavyapakatocyate || 12 || mantrah sarvaih padairvyapta vakyabhavatpadani ca | varnairvarnasamuham ca padama hurvipascitah || 13|| varnastu bhuvanairvyaptastesam tesupalambhanat | bhuvananyapi tattvosairutpattyantarbahiskramat || 14|| vyaptani karanaistattvairarabdhatvadanekasah | antaradutthitaniha bhuvanani tu kanicit || 15 ||

Feb., 1960] A COMMENTARY ON SARASVATI STOTRA pauranikani canyani vijna yani sivagame | samkhyayogaprasiddhani tattvanyapi ca kanicit || 16 || sivasastraprasiddhani tato'nyanyapi krtsnasah | kalabhistani tattvani vyaptanyeva yathatatham || 17 || parasyah prakrteradau pancadha parinamatah | kalasca ta nivrttyadya vyaptah panca yathottaram || 18 || vyapikatah para saktiravibhakta sadadhvanam para prakrtibhavasya tatsattvacchivatattvatah || 19 || saktyadi ca prthivyantam sivatattvasamudbhavam | vyaptamekena tenaiva mrda kumbhadikam yatha || 20 || saivam tatparamam dhama yatprapyam sadbhiradhvabhih | vyapikavyapikasaktih pancatattvavisodhanat || 21 || nivrttya rudraparyantam sthitirandasya sodhyate | pratisthaya tadurdhvam tu yavadavyaktagocaram || 22 || tadurdhvam vidyaya madhye yavadvisvesvaravadhi | santya tadurdhvamadhvante visuddhih santyatitaya || 23 || yamahuh paramam vyoma paraprakrtiyogatah | etani pancatattvani yairvyaptamakhilam jagat || 24 || 145