- Language
- Sanskrit
- Author or source
- Traditional; its source is not settled
- Length
- Two verses
About this text
Schools across India say this prayer at morning assembly, and families say it on Vasant Panchami and before study. Its first verse pictures Saraswati in white: as white as the kunda flower, the moon, frost and a pearl string, seated on a white lotus, holding the veena.
Popular sites credit various authors for it, but no source is settled. The second verse, Shuklam Brahmavichara, usually follows it in print and in recitation.
The text
Verse 1
या कुन्देन्दुतुषारहारधवला या शुभ्रवस्त्रावृता
या वीणावरदण्डमण्डितकरा या श्वेतपद्मासना।
या ब्रह्माच्युत शंकरप्रभृतिभिर्देवैः सदा वन्दिता
सा मां पातु सरस्वती भगवती निःशेषजाड्यापहा॥१॥
Yaa kundendutushaarahaaradhavalaa yaa shubhravastraavritaa
Yaa veenaavaradandamanditakaraa yaa shvetapadmaasanaa
Yaa brahmaachyuta shankaraprabhritibhirdevaih sadaa vanditaa
Saa maam paatu sarasvatee bhagavatee nihsheshajaadyaapahaa
She who is white as the kunda flower, the moon, frost and a garland, clad in white, her hand graced by the fine staff of the veena, seated on a white lotus, ever honoured by the devas led by Brahma, Achyuta and Shankara: may that blessed Saraswati, who removes all dullness, protect me.
Verse 2
शुक्लां ब्रह्मविचार सार परमामाद्यां जगद्व्यापिनीं
वीणा-पुस्तक-धारिणीमभयदां जाड्यान्धकारापहाम्।
हस्ते स्फटिकमालिकां विदधतीं पद्मासने संस्थिताम्
वन्दे तां परमेश्वरीं भगवतीं बुद्धिप्रदां शारदाम्॥२॥
Shuklaam brahmavichaara saara paramaamaadyaam jagadvyaapineem
Veenaa pustaka dhaarineemabhayadaam jaadyaandhakaaraapahaam
Haste sphatikamaalikaam vidadhateem padmaasane sansthitaam
Vande taam parameshvareem bhagavateem buddhipradaam shaaradaam
I bow to Sharada, the supreme goddess, white, the highest essence of the thought of Brahman, first of all, pervading the world, bearing the veena and the book, giving fearlessness, removing the darkness of dullness, holding a crystal mala, seated on a lotus, giving understanding.
Where readings differ
Copies differ in one word of the first verse: "vanditaa", honoured, or "poojitaa", worshipped. This page keeps the first.
Related texts
- Jai Saraswati Mata
- Aditya Hridayam
- Bajrang Baan
- Trigunatmak Traimurti: Datta Aarti
- Aartis, chalisas, stotras and mantras
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