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The worship of the goddess of learning is ancient
and widespread. The materials for the study of the conceptual
and iconographic features may be categorised under two heads -
literary and archaeological.
Literary Sources:
There is no dearth of references to Sarasvasi in
the vast literature of ancient and medieval India.
Starting
from the Roveda she is represented in her different forms in the Brāhmanas, the great' epics, the Purānas, the Agames, the Tantras and the silpa texts. Besides the Brāhmaṇical tradition, she is also referred to in the vast Jaina iteratures
and Bucchist works. However from the iconographic point of
view, the texts are not unanimous to number of hands Sarasvati
is supposec to have. In Hindu Iconography, the goddess of learning has several forms with wide variety in emblens and vehicles. The literary works mention the sitting, standing
and dancing images. Sometimes the deity is shown associates with Brahmē both as His daughter and wife, with Visnu as His
consort, and associated with Siva also.
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Brāhminical Literatures :
The Brāhmaṇical literatures describe about the
iconography of two armed, four armed and multi-armed Sarasvati.
