Vasant Panchami was celebrated with Saraswati Puja and satsang with Swami Swatmanandaji at Chinmaya Priyam centre. Swamiji explained that Vasant Panchami is a celebration of ‘Vasant’ (spring) and is associated with Ma Saraswati. It is said that on this day, Brahmajji created Ma Saraswati. The three aspects in each one of us, are Ãdhi Daivik as Ma Saraswati, Ãdhi Bhautik as river Saraswati and Ãdhyãtmik as manifestation of Brahma Vidya. Saras means Essence, most Essential or one with the most Essence i.e. the Essence of Knowledge of the Self. In our culture, education of a child used to begin on this day. Ma Saraswati is clad in white, she sits on a white lotus and her vahana is the swan, also white. White is the colour of purity. Swamiji further explained the symbolism associated with Ma Saraswati. Her one leg is on the ground and the other is folded, indicating that being established in Self-knowledge, one has to work in the world. The two hands hold the veena, which is the symbol of our BMI and we have to tune these strings (BMI) so that the music that comes out helps us to transcend BMI. The third hand holds the Japa mala, which tells us to keep the mind single-pointed and Vedas in the other hand is the symbol of Knowledge.
