1(h). Sarasvatī and Sarasvān

[1. The river Sarasvatī in the Ṛgveda-saṃhitā, (h): Sarasvatī and Sarasvān]

Sarasvatī has a male correlative named Sarasvān. Sarasvān is closely associated with the celestial Sarasvatī. In a hymn of the Ṛgvedasaṃhitā,^[1] Sarasvān is invoked along with Sarasvatī by worshippers desiring wives and offspring, protection and plenty. This word occurs many times in the Ṛgvedasaṃhitā.^[2] Sarasvatī is formed from saras by adding the suffix vatup (vat).

Sāyaṇācārya explains its accusative form as—

sarasvantam udakavantaṃ / saraity udakanāma/devaṃasūryaṃ vā/^[3]

The meaning of Sarasvat as having water or watery is prominent. In one mantra, it has been mysteriously described as a celestial bird, the root cause of waters and plants, providing wealth through rain.^[4] In this context, the sun is obviously meant by the term Sarasvat. Bergaigne says, ‘the bird Agni may sometimes be the sun, sometimes lightning, under the name of Sarasvat, as we shall see it is Agni who is called the divine bird’.^[5] The heavenly bird who is at the same time the foetus of the water and of the plants and who consequently can only be Agni or Soma is called Sarasvat.^[6] Sarasvān as ‘having water’or ‘watery’ is also suggested in a Ṛgvedic mantra, which describes his breast.^[7] Sāyaṇācārya explains sarasvataḥ stanaṃ as—sarasvataḥ devasya stanaṃ sabdāyamānaṃ stanavadrasādharaṃ vā meghaṃ, suggesting ‘a cloud’ as—‘the breast of Sarasvān’. In the Ṛgvedasaṃhitā, Sasrasvatī is closely associated with Sarasvān as her husband. Like him, Sarasvatī too appears as a cloud. R.T.H.Griffith takes Sarasvān to be the Sun.^[8] Even, in such a case, the above relationship of Sarasvatī with Sarasvān, the sun is clearly brought out, for she as Bhāratī, is closely associated with one of the Ādityas.^[9] In the Ṛgvedasaṃhitā, Sāyaṇācārya associates Sarasvatī as Bhāratī with the Sun as her husband.(Ṛgveda Saṃhitā,3.4.8)

The husband wife relationship of Sarasvān and Sarasvatī is established even if it is considered Sarasvān as the ocean and Sarasvatī as the river of this name. In the Vedic period, Sarasvatī, the mightiest river, is described to flow from mountains to ocean.^[10] Thus, Sarasvān comes as the husband of Sarasvatī.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Ibid.,7.96

[2]:

Ibid.,1.164.52; 3.4.8;7.2.8; 96.4.6;10.66.5

[3]:

Sāyaṇācārya on Ibid., 1.164.52

[4]:

Ṛgveda Saṃhitā, 1.164.52

[5]:

Vide, Hillebrandt, A., Vedic Mythology, p.238

[6]:

Ṛgveda Saṃhitā, 1.164.52

[7]:

pīpivāsaṃ sarasvataḥ stanaṃ yo viśvadarśataḥ | bhakṣīmahi prajāmiṣam || Ibid.,7.96.6

[8]:

Vide.,Griffith, R.T.H., Hymns of the Ṛgveda, 1.164.52

[9]:

Ibid

[10]:

ekācetatsarasvatī nadīnāṃ śuciryatī giribhya ā samudrāt | rāyaścetantī bhuvanasya bhūrerghṛtaṃ payo duduhe nāhuṣāya || Ibid.,7.95.2