3a. Association of river Sarasvatī with Vāk

The association of Vāk and goddess Sarasvatī is contended clearly only in the Brāhmaṇas. The sacred waters of the river Sarasvatī infused life into the people residing along its banks and this fresh life was the cause of the holy speech in the form of sacred hymns, which, led them to associate the river with speech or conceive it as the goddess of speech. The association of the river Sarasvatī with Vāk is endorsed by the fact that Vāk is described to reside in the midst of Kuru-Pāñcālas.^[1]

From the Śatapathabrāhmaṇa, it is found that the waters of the Sarasvatī were used for consecration. It is also told that the consecration was done with speech,^[2] i.e. the river Sarasvatī. On its banks, sacrifices were performed and its blessings were sought for their success.

The Śatapathabrāhmaṇa informs us that the mantras chanted in the sacrifice are taken to be Vāk, and owing to the predominance of the chanting of the mantras the sacrifice itself has been associated with Vāk.^[3] On account of the constant recitation of the mantras in honour of gods associated with the sacrifice, the sacrifice itself was identified with the gods.^[4] The full association is sustained because there is no distinction. Consequently, the sacrifice has been associated with Vāk.

In this regard, the Śatapathabrāhmaṇa has greater number of references than others. The sprinkling of water of the Sarasvatī is thought of as it were done with speech (Vāk), in the consecration ceremony.^[5] This Brāhmaṇa further emphasizes that Sarasvatī is speech and speech itself is sacrifice.^[6] Though, Sarasvatī is speech, Prajāpati is described to have strengthened himself and also to make her his progeny.^[7]

In the Vājasaneyīsaṃhitā,^[8] Vāk is taken to be the controlling power of Sarasvatī. The Śatapathabrāhmaṇa,^[9] has taken Sarasvatī to be Vāk first and then Vāk to be her controlling power, probably discretion born of knowledge. The base of all ideas before they are expressed though speech and heard by ears. Sarasvatī or Vāk is also related with mind (manas).^[10] Thus, in her inactive form, speech is mind. Hence, Sarasvān is associated with mind and Sarasvatī with Vāk.^[11] Thus, Sarasvatī and Srasvān jointly form the complete Vāk.

In one statement of the Gopathabrāhmaṇa, the identification of Sarasvatī with Vāk is clearly asserted.^[12] The Tāṇḍyamahābrāhmaṇa identifies Sarasvatī with Vāk.^[13] Vāk is considered as the progeny of Prajāpati in the Aitareyabrāhmaṇa.^[14] In the later literature, Prajāpati is identified with Brahmā, the creator. The cosmic feature of Vāk is more evident when metre has been identified with mind and mind with Prajāpati. Metres is taken to mean various elements.^[15] Thus, there is a close affinity among Prajāpati, Vāk and metre.

The Śāṅkhāyanabrāhmaṇa identifies Sarasvatī with speech. Thus, the Brāhmaṇa says that one, who worships Sarasvatī, pleases Vāk (speech) because Sarasvatī is Vāk.^[16] In the Taittirīyabrāhmaṇa, it is also found that the association of Prajāpati, who is, according to Śatapathabrāhmaṇa, possessed of Prāṇas and Vāk, with the sacrifice and Vāk.^[17] Since Vāk is the indication of Prānas, Vāk, i.e. Sarasvatī, is considered superior to Prāṇas.^[18]

In classical literature, one of the synonyms for Sarasvatī is girā. She is understood as the spoken from of Vāk (speech). In the Brāhmaṇs, she has been called Jihvā. i.e. tongue,^[19] a physical organ of speech, and the word Vāc or Vāk is used for the human speech.^[20]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

tasmād atro’ttarā hi vāg vadati kurupañcālatrā vvāg dhyesā | Ibid., 3.2.3.15

[2]:

Ibid., 5.3.4.3

[3]:

Ibid., 3.1.4.9, 14 etc.

[4]:

(i) sarvā devatā viṣṇur yajño devatāścai” vā yajñaṃ……|| Gopatha Brāhmaṇa, 2.1.12 (ii)atho prajāpatāv eva yajñam pratiṣṭhāpayati | prajātir hi vāk || Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa,1.3.4.5

[5]:

cf., Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, 5.3.4.3

[6]:

Ibid., 3.1.4.9,14

[7]:

Ibid., 3..9.1.7

[8]:

devasya tvā savituḥ prasave’śvinorbāhubhyaṃ pūṣṇo hastābhyām| sarasvatyai vāco yanturyantriye dadhāmi bṛhaspateṣṭvā sāmrājyenābhiṣñcāmyasau || Vājasaneyī Saṃhitā, 9.30

[9]:

Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, 5.2.2.13,14

[10]:

Ibid., 12.9.1.13

[11]:

sārasvatau tvo’tsau prāvatāmiti mano vai sarasvān vāk sarasvatyetau | Ibid., 7.5.1.31;11.2.4.9

[12]:

atha yat sarasvatiṃ yajati, vāg vai sarasvatī, vācameva tena prīṇāti | Gopatha Brāhmaṇa, 2.20

[13]:

vāgvai sarasvatī vāgvairūpameva’smai tayā yunakti | T.M. B.,16.5.16

[14]:

Aitareya Brāhmaṇa, 10.10

[15]:

Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, 8.5.2.6

[16]:

yat sarasvatiṃ yajati vāgvai sarasvatī vācameva tatprīnātyatha | Sāṅ. B., 5.2

[17]:

Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa,1.3.4.5

[18]:

vāgvai sarasvatī | tasmātprāņānāṃ vāguttamā || Ibid

[19]:

jihvā sarasvati | Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa,12.9.1.14

[20]:

Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa, 1.3.4.5