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Saraswati, Goddess of Knowledge and Scripture
157
He thanked her for giving him the ability to speak confidently in the royal assembly, and enabling him to overcome all his fears.
The seventeenth-century North Indian poet Banarsidas, who was leader of an ecumenical mystical movement called Adhyatma that included both Digambars and Shvetambars among its members, composed a Hindi poem entitled "Eight Verses to Saraswati" (Sharda Ashtak). He called by one of her many other names, Sharda, the goddess who plays the veena. Like Haribhadra, Banarsidas the orthodox Jain teachings about liberation. In his enthusiasm, he praised Saraswati as the Empress of Language and Mother ⚫ of the world:
You know the nectar that is dharma, You are a rich religious refuge. You are a rain cloud
for those burning without hope. You destroy all my delusions, You grant liberation.
Hail to You, O Goddess,
Empress of Language:
You are the Speech of the Jinas.
A century later, the North Indian Digambar poet Dyanatray also composed a hymn in honor of Saraswati, as the very incarnation of scripture. He said that one should worship the teachings of the Jinas in order to cross over the ocean of rebirth, and thereby bring an end to the endless round of birth, old age and death. He concluded his hymn by singing,
The wisdom found in the Jina's preaching
spreads throughout
the entire universe.
May Dyanat be famous
in the world
for he forever bows that wisdom.
In dyanatray's poetry the scripture, the saving knowledge contained in the scripture, and Saraswati as the goddess of the scripture are conflated into a single image in the poet's inspired imagination.
Contemporary Worship of Knowledge
Many Jains still worship Saraswati today, despite the greater attention most of them pay to Lakshmi. In the fall, the fifth day after Diwali is known among Shvetambars as Jnan Panchami, "Knowledge Fifth". (Digambars observe a similar festival, Shruta Panchami, "Scripture Fifth", in the summer) In all of the Jain libraries, as well as many monasteries and temples, books and manuscripts are brought out from storage and displayed on tables with pens, paper, and other items connected with the production of knowledge. Jains go to five
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