The Mother of Learning
By H H Maa Purnananda
“Saraswati Namastubhyam Varadey Kaamroopini; Vidyaarambham Karishyaami Siddhirbhavatu Mey Sada.”
Who does not aspire for success? Throughout life, every being strives for success. The ant gets attracted to proceed towards a particle of sugar, successfully. The tiger jumps on its prey to kill it, successfully. The child wants to conceal its mischiefs from the mother, successfully. The student appears for exams to graduate, successfully. The businessman toils all day long to carry out his business, successfully. The sportsman puts in hard work to accomplish his feat, successfully. The soldier would take bullets on himself for his country’s sovereignty, successfully………….and so on.
In the given Stotra, the devotee seeks blessings from Maa Saraswati, for success in whatever he ventures. He should be able to translate into practice, the theoretical knowledge that he would have acquired in his chosen field, to achieve his goal successfully. Not all who have sufficient knowledge, are able to apply their knowledge successfully in life. So, even if one has knowledge (Gnyaan), yet he has to be efficient enough to turn it into applicable knowledge (Vidya).
After successful completion of his academic education, the young student would desire to be a successful achiever in his chosen field, but in life, to face the challenges of the worldly ocean, he must know how to swim! It is the sacred Wisdom of the Shaastra-s, from where the dedicated believers get guidance to cultivate high morals and lead a virtuous life, and, gain the inner strength to bravely face the challenges of life.
As a student, a special prayer in the school for Goddess Saraswati on the day of Vasant Panchami followed by special Prasaad is all that one would know. Even as the student joins a university for further studies, the very concept of the “Mother-Goddess of learning” is soon forgotten! Later on in life as per the need, some individuals put their faith and belief in one or more of the Deities introduced to them by someone or the other. Anyway, the worship of Goddess Saraswati would be nowhere in their consideration, mainly because of Her association with “learning”, which, as though, got over with completion of the school education!
Every aspect of human life is nurtured, nourished and fulfilled on the basis of appropriate and sufficient learning about it. For efficient performance in any aspect of human life, each one needs to seek the blessings of the “Mother-Goddess of learning” to accomplish it. In the given Stotra, the worshiper seeks the boon from Goddess Saraswati to bestow success in fulfilling desirable desires. Such a prayer, when offered regularly and sincerely, along with unabated studies of the Shaastra-s and required Spiritual practices, would ultimately lead the worshiper to the ability that could evolve him to turn his Spiritual studies into an insight for seeking the Eternal.
In a nutshell I would say that the auspicious day of Vasant Panchami is not only very important for the school students, but is extremely important throughout one’s life, and of course, unavoidable for all the seekers of the Eternal. Humble prostrations at the Holy Feet of Maa Saraswati, the “Mother of learning”; may I be worthy of Your blessings!