Saraswati
Who is Saraswati?
Saraswati is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, wisdom, music and the arts. Picture a goddess dressed in white, playing a stringed instrument called the veena, surrounded by books, a string of beads and a white lotus. She is the goddess every student in India prays to before an exam, and the one musicians and writers thank when the work goes well.
What makes her memorable is that she is wisdom with a sense of humour. The podcast tells a quirky legend that Saraswati lives on the tip of your tongue and makes your words come true, and that her mischievous side, Vikatan Saraswati, sometimes turns a wish into its opposite. Ask for ice cream and you might get broccoli. She is also independent. When her marriage to Brahma fell apart, she did not fade away; she built her own circle of artists and scholars.
Saraswati's most famous stories
- Who's Who of Indian Mythology Part 2: The goddesses episode opens with Saraswati, her veena, the tip-of-the-tongue legend, and the story of her split from Brahma.
- Season Finale: Mythical Masala Awards: Saraswati is nominated for Best Prankster and wins Smartest Character, because nobody beats the goddess of knowledge in a trivia contest.
- Your Mahabharata Questions Answered Part 2: A listener asks where the Saraswati river went, and the answer takes the show from the Mahabharata to satellite maps of the Thar desert.
A goddess and a river
Saraswati is also the name of a river. In the oldest Hindu texts it was one of the great rivers of northern India, and the forests where the Pandavas spent their exile, Dwaitavana and Kamyaka, stood near its upper reaches in what is now Haryana. Over thousands of years earthquakes and shifting river paths changed its course, and about five thousand years ago it dried up or went underground. Today satellite images show the old riverbed beneath the desert in Haryana and Rajasthan. The podcast's co-host suggests the goddess and the river share a name because learning, like a river, keeps flowing even when you cannot see it.
Her festival is Vasant Panchami, at the start of spring, when people wear yellow and children are often taught their first letters. She is the gentle goddess among the Mahadevis: no weapons, no tiger, just a veena and a very long reading list.
Fun facts about Saraswati
- Her vehicle is a white swan, the same kind of bird that carries Brahma, and some pictures show her with a peacock instead.
- Saraswati is also spelled Sarasvati, and she is called Sharada and Vagdevi, the goddess of speech.
- In the podcast's awards episode she beat Hanuman and Vibhishana for the Smartest Character award.
- Her colour is white for purity, but on Vasant Panchami her worshippers wear yellow, the colour of mustard fields in spring.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Saraswati?
Saraswati is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, wisdom, music and the arts. She is shown in white, playing the veena, with books, a rosary and a white lotus around her.
Why do students pray to Saraswati?
Because she is wisdom itself. In India students pray to her before exams, and many children are taught their first letters on her festival, Vasant Panchami.
What happened between Saraswati and Brahma?
The podcast tells the version where their marriage went badly, Brahma cast her out, and he was cursed to lose his worshippers. Saraswati went on to gather musicians, artists and scholars around her instead.
Which episode should I start with?
Who's Who of Indian Mythology Part 2 introduces her properly. The Season 1 finale is the fun one, where she wins the Smartest Character award.
Listen to the episodes
Who’s Who of Indian Mythology – Part 2: Goddesses, Demigods & Animal Gods
Join Neev and cohost Elina on Mythical Masala with Neev on a thrilling deep-dive into the vibrant world of Indian mythology! In Part 2 of our “Who’s Who” series, we explore the powerful Mahadevis—including Saraswati, Durga, Lakshmi, Parvati, Sita, and Kali—plus a dynamic lineup of demigods such as Ganga, Yamuna, Ayyappa, Indra, Agni, Varuna, Vayu, Kubera, Kama, Yama, and Kartikeya. We also meet the beloved animal deities—Ganesha, Hanuman, Nagas, Garuda, and Surabhi—whose legendary...
Season Finale Special: Mythical Masala Awards & Hilarious Interviews with Epic Heroes!
Join Neev as we wrap up Season 1 with the ultimate Mythical Masala Awards Special! From the bravest heroes to the sneakiest villains, we've covered it all—and now it's time for your favorites to shine. Who will win Best Hero: Rama, Krishna, or the mighty Hanuman? Who’s crowned the Most Cunning—Manthara, Kaikeyi, or Indrajeet? Plus, hilarious behind-the-scenes interviews with winners (like Hanuman himself!) to keep you laughing and learning. Perfect for kids and mythology fan...
Your Mahabharata Questions Answered Part 2 – Geography, Daily Life, Mysteries & More
Part 2 of our special Q&A continues with even more fascinating and funny questions from kids about the Mahabharata. This episode dives into the world-building of the epic — the geography of ancient India, surprising characters we don't talk about enough, silly kid questions, and the biggest unsolved mysteries that lead us right into the great war. Neev and the co-host explore: ⭐ where Hastinapura, Indraprastha, Matsya and Dwaitavana were ⭐ how messages traveled without phones or mail ⭐ wh...