4b. Sarasvatī’s relation with Viṣṇu

Sarasvatī has also been referred as the wife of Hari. The Brahmavaivartapurāṇa says that Hari had three wives, namely, Lakṣmī, Sarasvatī and Gaṅgā.^[1] Śrī Kṛṣṇa produced Sarasvatī, but when she showed her love towards him, he asked her to choose Nārāyaṇa as the object of her love. Śrī Kṛṣṇa told Sarasvatī that he had Rādhā as his wife, and, therefore, there was no scope for her to be his wife.^[2] Thus, Sarasvatī was given to Nārāyaṇa.^[3] According to another view; Sarasvatī was one of the co-wives of Viṣṇu. But when Viṣṇu found that one wife was as much as he could manage, he had to offer Sarasvatī to Brahmā and Gaṅgā to Śiva while he kept Lakṣmī alone with him. Thus, Sarsasvatī was at first the wife of Nārāyaṇa and later on, of Brahmā.

Sarasvān was the spouse of Sarasvatī. A similar idea has also been mentioned in the Brahmavaivartapurāṇa, where the identification between Sarasvatī and Bhāratī as well as between Brahmā and Hari has been maintained.^[4] Hari has been supposed to be Sarasvān who, in the capacity of the presiding deity of waters, is all-pervading.

According to the literal meaning, Viṣṇu (Hari) is the one who is allpervading. The meaning is clearly expressed from the root viś, to enter or to pervade.^[5] The personality of Brahmā also implies this, for he represents the whole universe as well as the soul (Ātman) or Supreme Being, beyond space and time.^[6] Probably, that is why Brahmā has also been identified with Nārāyaṇa.^[7]

Besides, Sarasvatī has also been referred at different places as the life of Āditya.^[8] The relation of Āditya with Sarasvatī is concerned; the word Āditya has many meanings, for example, the son of Aditi, one of the seven ṛṣis, Sūrya, Viṣṇu, etc.^[9] Sūrya sometimes represents Indra; that is why Indra has been considered as one of the twelve Ādityas and is also subordinated to Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva.^[10]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

lakṣmīḥ sarasvatī gaṅgā tisro bhāryā harer’pi | premṇā samās tiṣṭhanti satataṃ harisannidhau || Brahmavaivarta Purāṇa, 2.6.17

[2]:

āvirbhūtā yadā devī vaktrataḥ kṛṣṇayoṣitaḥ | iyeṣa kṛṣṇaṃ kāmena kakāmukī kāmarūpiṇī || Ibid., 2.4.12-19

[3]:

evaṃ lakṣmī saṃpradadau tuṣṭo nārāyaṇāya vaī | saṃjagāma ca vaikuṇṭhaṃ tābhyāṃ sārdhaṃ jagatpātiḥ || Ibid., 2.2.59

[4]:

puṇyakṣetre hyājagāma bhārate sā sarasvatī | gaṅgāśāpena kalayā svayaṃ tasthau hareḥ padam || Ibid., 2.7.1-3

[5]:

Williams, Monier, A Sanskrit-English Dictionary, p.946

[6]:

Ibid.,p.689

[7]:

brahmā nārāyaṇtmakaḥ | Viṣṇu Purāṇa,1.3.24

[8]:

adityasya sarasvatyāṃ jajñate dvau sutau varau | Matsya Purāṇa,171.57

[9]:

Williams, Monier, A Sanskrit-English Dictionary, p.119

[10]:

Ibid., p.140