Godess Saraswati

Author(s): Unknown
Publisher: ZZZ Unknown

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arts, she, in the Jaina pantheon, has remained as the goddess
only of learning, there is so at least upto the close of 9th century A.D. As a result no literary reference or sculptural representation suggesting her connection with music and other
fine arts is available before the 10th century A.D."
The Jaina śrutadevi, approximately very closely,
resembles the Brāhmanical Sarasvati. She is endowed with two, four-hands, and rarely multi-handed. She as the bestower of knowledge and purity has been endowed with symbols like
manuscript, rosary, Varadamudra and water-vessel. She is
worshipped both by the Svetāmbara and the Digambara while
the Svecāmbara gives her a swan as her vehicle, the Digambara
provides her with a peacock, both the birds agreeing with the
conception of Sarasvati as a river goddess in Hinduism.
Thus Sarasvati enjoys unquestionable popularity
among the Jainas from the very ancient times and the
antiquity of her worship can be established from various
literary references, as discussed below.
Two-armed variety of Sarasvati is referred to in
Sri Kalanakāndam-stuti,” Sarasvati Yantra Pujā of Subhachandra, 59 writings of Bapabhatti Suri, 60 Ratnasāçar, 61 writincs of Manisundara Suri°C etc.
śrī kallāņakāņdam-stut:63 (in Prākļit) refers the goddess of learning as vāgisvari. She is said to have whitħess as
She Halcolcur and rests on a lotus seat. She possesses the book
and the lotus in her two hands.