portrayal
Since earliest times Saraswati has been identified with the Vedic Saraswati river and she is generally portrayed in white sitting on the banks of a river, with a peacock by her side. Saraswati has four hands. In one hand she holds a book representing the Vedas. In another hand she holds a Mala of crystals representing the power of meditation and spirituality. Saraswati holds a Veena ( a musical instrument ) and a pot of sacred water in the other hands. The sacred water represents creative and purification powers and the Veena represents the arts and sciences. Saraswati is adorned with simple jewels and gold representing her preference of knowledge over worldly material things.
tridevi
Saraswati is considered as a consort of Brahma, the Hindu god of creation. Together with the goddesses Lakshmi and Durga, she forms the Tridevi ("three goddesses") who are consorts of the male trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, respectively.
multiarmed
Saraswati is generally shown to have four arms, which represent the four aspects of human personality in learning: mind, intellect, alertness, and ego. Alternatively, these four arms also represent the 4 vedas, the primary sacred books for Hindus. The vedas, in turn, represent the 3 forms of literature. Poetry, Prose and Music. The name Saraswati means the essence of one’s self and given her association with rivers and waters, she is known as the one who flows.
worship
On the ninth day of Navaratri, known as Mahanavami, books and all musical instruments are ceremoniously kept in front of the Goddess Saraswati at dawn and worshipped with special prayers. No studies or any performance of arts is carried out, as it is considered that the goddess herself is blessing the books and the instruments. The festival concludes on the tenth day of Navaratri (Vijaya Dashami) and the goddess is worshipped again before the books and the musical instruments are removed. It is customary to start study afresh on this day. Saraswati represents academic knowledge as well as divine knowledge.
worldwide
Saraswati is well known outside India and there are temples to Saraswati in Japan where she is known as Benzaiten, In Burma where she is called Thurathadi, In Cambodia where she is referred to as Vagisvari, In Thailand her name is spelt Surasawadee and Saraswati is also worshipped in Indonesia. There are similarities to Saraswati in the Greek goddess Athena, and in the Roman goddess Minerva.
