4. The rivers in the minor Upaniṣads

In the minor Upaniṣads, there are some references have been found related to the rivers. In one mantra of the Śāṇḍilya Upaniṣad, Sarasvatī is described as an aged woman of black colour riding on a bull having a trident in her hand.^[1] People who drink the air with his mouth during the two sandhyās and the last two hours of the night, within three months the auspicious Sarasvatī (goddess of speech) is present in his Vāk (speech), i.e. he becomes eloquent and learned in his speech. In six months, he is free from all diseases. Drawing the air by the tongue retain the air at the root of the tongue. The wise man thus drinking nectar enjoys all prosperity.^[2]

In the Sarasvatīrahasyopaniṣad, Sarasvatī is stated directly as a goddess, not as a river except one mantra. Here she is described as Vāṇī (the goddess Sarasvatī). She is with the white brilliance like the beauty of snow, garland of pearl, camphor and the moon. She is all benevolent, duly adorned with garlands of yellow jasmine and whose parts of body are most fascinating with the breast duly developed.^[3]

In one mantra of this Upaniṣad, it is stated that Sarasvatī’s nature is the sole element of Brahman, the substantial meaning of the Vedānta. That is why, the devotees prayed Sarasvatī to provide them with perfect protection. She is known with various names and several complexions.^[4] It is also stated that, Sarasvatī is the greatest donor and her stock of food is undepleted. Sarasvatī is said to be the mother goddess because she provides us with the food in abundance. She provides her devotees and the persons arranged offerings for her pleasure with sheer pleasure.^[5]

Besides these, in this Upaniṣad Sarasvatī is said to be the protector because she is the exclusive power of the supreme.^[6] Sarasvatī is adorable to all. In this Upaniṣad, goddess Sarasvatī is expected to come to the place of offering descending from the world of Sun (in the form of light) and by crossing the clouds analogous to shape of vast mountains. The goddess Sarasvatī voluntarily listens to over pleasing hymns recited by the devotees and feels all pleasure.^[7]

Sarasvatī exists everywhere in letter, word (pada) and sentence etc., in the form of meaning. She is beyond the beginning and the end.That is why, she provides the devotees with protection. She has uncountable complexions, properties (guṇa) etc.^[8] It is said that Sarasvatī is present in our offering and provide all cooperation until it is completed. Sarasvatī makes all devotees holy and well to do. Sarasvatī has undepleted stock of food. She is the cause for the yield of wealth after due performance of the deeds etc., requisite for it.^[9]

Sarasvatī is the administrator of all gods, viz. inspiring power. Sarasvatī is in the form of metaphysics and the supreme divine. She exists in the form of Madhyamā speech.^[10] It is said that Sarasvatī inspires the devotees for using the humble and true words. She every moment monitors the intelligent, industrious people by making ex-facie their supreme duty. Such mother goddess Sarasvatī has hold this offering made by the devotees.^[11] Sarasvatī controls the three worlds by virtue of her intuitive power. She is enshrined in the form of Rudra and Āditya.^[12]

In one place of this Upaniṣad, Sarasvatī is regarded as a river. It is said that the mother goddess Sarasvatī originated in the form of a river identifying with the unending stock of water. She is embedded within her by virtue of her work in a flow. She awakes the duty-consciousness of all kinds through her divine form.^[13]

In this Upaniṣad, Sarasvatī is being perceived in a number of forms for all living organisms. She has the power of initiation and that is why she provides her devotees with protection. She is enshrined at all places in the form worth–knowing.^[14] It is also said that Sarasvatī is in the eight forms as a result of classifications under name, cast and concomitantly is being seen in the single form.^[15]

Sarasvatī’s expressive and inexpressive speech is used by all living organisms including gods etc. She is in the form of speech and competent to provide with all desired things like milk from Kāmdhenu.^[16] That is why, it is believed that she provides her devotees with kind protection. It is stated that Sarasvatī is present in the form of speech before the devotees duly pleased by the best hymns.^[17]

Again, Sarasvatī is realized by yogīs as Brahma-vidyā and then they are liberated from all worldly ties. The supreme immortal position is secured when the route of this learning is followed.^[18]

Mother goddess Sarasvatī provides the devotees with protection in the form of Brahma. She is worshipped by all scholars of Brahma while living in this illusory world which is recognized with the name and the complexion. They, thus, surrender this illusory network at the feet of goddess Sarasvatī.^[19]

It is stated that Sarasvatī enshrines daily in mānas-sarovara of mind who moves like flaming in the lotus forest of Prajāpati Brahmā’s mouth. Sarasvatī lights all directions with her white brilliance. Sarasvatī is the imparter of Vidyā (learning). A garland made of pearls is always adorned in Sarasvatī’s breast region. Sarasvatī resides on the tongue always and provide devotees the six kinds of properties individual sāma, dāma etc. She is in forms of obeisance, faith, wisdom and mistress of the law.^[20] In another place, Sarasvatī has been addressed as the greatest among all motherly powers, rivers and goddesses. The people are suffering from the lack of wealth. So, Sarasvatī provides them with all kinds of upliftments which make them prosperous from all angles.^[21]

Thus, in the Āraṇyakas and the Upaniṣads, Sarasvatī is eulogized as a goddess, not as a river properly.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

makāramūrtiḥ kṛṣṇaṅgī vṛṣabhavāhinī vṛddhā triśuladhāriṇī sarasvatī bhavati || Śāṇḍilya Upaniṣad, 1.6

[2]:

sandhyayorbrāhmanaḥkālevāyumākṛṣyayaḥpivet| trimāsāttasyakalyāṇī jāyate vāk sarasvatī || Ibid.,1.7.46

[3]:

nīhārahāraghanasārasudhākarābhāṃ kalyāṇadāṃ———-vaṇīṃ namāmi manasā vacasā vibhutyai || Sarasvatīrahasyopaniṣad 5

[4]:

yā vedāntārthatattvaikasvarūpā paramārthataḥ | nāmarūpātmanā vyakā sā māṃ patu sarasvatī || Ibid.,7

[5]:

oṃ prāṇo devī sarasvatī vājebhirvājinīvatī | dhīnāmavitryavatu || Ibid., 8

[6]:

yā sāṅgopāṅgavedeṣu caturṣvekaiva gīyate | advaitā brahmaṇaḥ śaktiḥ sā maṃ pātu sarasvatī || Ibid.,10

[7]:

hrīṃ ā no divo bṛhataḥ parvatādā sarasvatī yajatāgaṃtu yajṅam | havaṃ devī jujuṣāṇā ghṛtācī śagmāṃ no vācamuśatī śṛṇotu || Ibid.,11

[8]:

yā varnapadavākyārthasvarūpeniva vartate | anādinidhanānantā sā maṃ pātu sarasvatī || Ibid.,13

[9]:

śrīṃ pāvakā naḥ sarasvatī vājibhirvājinīvatī | yajñaṃ vaṣṭu dhiyā vasuḥ || Ibid.,14

[10]:

adhyātmamadhidaivaṃ ca devānāṃ samyagīśvarī | pratyagāste vadantī yā sā māṃ pātu sarasvatī || Ibid.,16

[11]:

blūṃcodayitrīsunṛtānāṃcetantīsumatīnām | yajñaṃ dadhe sarasvatī || Ibid., 17

[12]:

antaryāmyātmanā viśvaṃ trailokyaṃ ya niyacccati|rudrādi———tāṃ punaḥ | dhyāyanti sarvarūpaikā sā māṃ patu sarasvatī || Ibid., 19

[13]:

sauḥ maho arṇaḥ sarasvatī pracetayati ketunā | dhiyo viśvā vi rājati || Ibid., 20

[14]:

yā pratyagdṛṣṭibhirjīvaivyajyamānānubhūyote | vyāpinī jñaptirūpaikā sā māṃ patu sarasvatī || Ibid., 22

[15]:

nāmjātyādibhirbhedairṣṭadhā yā vikalpitā | nirvikalpātmanā vyaktā sā maṃ patu sarasvatī || Ibid., 25

[16]:

vyaktāvyaktagiraḥ sarve vedādyā vyāharantiyāmsarvakāmadudhā | dhenuḥ sā maṃ pātu sarasvatī || Ibid., 28

[17]:

sauḥ devīṃ vācamajanayanta devāstāṃ viśvarūpāḥ paśavo vadanti | sā no mandreṣamūrjaṃ duhānā dhenurvāgasmānupasuṣṭutaitu || Ibid., 29

[18]:

yāṃ viditvākhilaṃ bandhaṃ nirmathyākhilavartmanā | yogī yāti paraṃ thānaṃ sā maṃ patu sarasvatī || Ibid., 31

[19]:

nāmarūpātmakaṃ sarvaṃ yasyāmāveśya tāṃ punaḥ | dhyāyanti brahmarūpaikā sā māṃ pātu sarasvatī || Ibid., 34

[20]:

caturmukhamukhāmbhojavanahaṃsavadhūrmam | mānaseramatāṃnityaṃsarvaśuklāsarasvatī || ————namaste śārade devī———| vidyādānaṃ ca dehi me | akṣasūtrāṅkuśadharā———| vāci tiṣṭhatu me sadā || kambukaṇthī sutāmroṣṭhī———| mahāsarasvatī devī——-|| yā śraddhā dhāraṇā——| śamādiguṇadāyinī || namāmi yāminī|bhānīṃ———sudhānadīm || yaḥ kavitvaṃ nirātaṅka bhuktimukte ca vāñccati | so’bhyarcyaināṃ daśaślokyā nityaṃ stouti sarasvatim || Ibid., 36-41

[21]:

aiṃambitame nadītame devitame sarasvatī | apraśastā iva smasi praśastimamva naskṛdhi || Ibid.,43