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Sarasvati Goddess of Arts and Culture
Sarasvati is white-complexioned, clad in white garments, and rides a swan mount. Adorned with a halo she sits on a white lion-throne. She has four arms: the two left hands
hold a white lotus and a vina, lute, and the two right hands a book and a rosary.
- Acarddinakard
In a bay of north portico adjoining the rangamandapa in the Vimalavasāhi temple, there is an image of four-armed goddess Sarasvati in lalitásana. On her either side, with folded hands stand two bearded men, one architect Loyana and the other sculptor Kela, with a measuring rod. In her hands, the goddess holds a lotus, a book, varadākṣa and a pitcher; her mount swan is shown below the pitcher. Sutradhara Loyana is believed to be the chief architect of the rangamandapa, and Kela its chief sculptor. On top of the panel are two hovering vidyadharas, 'carriers of knowledge', with garlands. It is befitting that both the architect and the sculptor pay homage to Sarasvati, the goddess of learning and the arts, for all over India she is greatly venerated by the Hindus, the Buddhists and the Jains alike.
As the source of inspiration for all artistic and creative ex- cellence, Sarasvati is manifest wherever human culture and civilisation blossom, inspiring and embodying human creativity in all its rich diversity.
In the Hindu mythologies, Sarasvati is sometimes associated with Brahmă both as his daughter and as his wife, and at other times with Vişnu as Puşti, one of his consorts.
Sarasvati is known by many names: Jagatmātā, 'mother of the world'; Saktirupini, 'whose form is power or sakti'; Visvarūpa, 'containing all forms within her'. Sarasvati's character as the inspiration and embodiment of culture endows her with such cos- mic characteristics "As the reality....that permits or inspires the beauty and grace manifest in the arts, that has enabled human beings to achieve an almost godlike nature in the physical world as its masters and moulders, the goddess of culture comes to be extolled or equated with the highest powers of the cosmos."
On pages 116-117 Sixteen-armed goddess Sarasvati seated in latitisana on a corridor ceiling in the Vimalavasihi temple. She holds, amongst other things, a lotus, conch, vina, varadamudrl, abhayamudra, book and a pitcher. To her right is a six-armed male dancer and on her left a sixarmed drummer. Below is a band depicting a goat, a boar, etc. On the top there is a sculptural panel depicting Gaja-Lakşmi in the centre and four male divirutles in riches on her each side.
