BALINEWS.ID – The Saraswati River (Sárasvatī-nadī́) is a mythological river of the divine realm, first mentioned in the Rigveda and later in other Vedic texts and post-Vedic literature. This river plays an important role for followers of various Vedic-based schools of thought and traditions of faith.
The Rigveda (a sacred scripture dated around 1500–1000 BCE) is the earliest source that mentions Goddess Saraswati with numerous hymns and mantras described in great detail. RV 7.95.1-2 depicts Saraswati flowing into the “ocean.”
Goddess Saraswati is mentioned in many hymns in the Rigveda, and three hymns are dedicated to her (6:61 exclusively, and 7:95–96 together with Sarasvant). In Rigveda 2.41.16 she is called: “the best Mother, the best River, the best Goddess.”
In Mandala 10 (10.17) of the Rigveda, Saraswati is celebrated as the Goddess of healing and purification through water. In the Atharva Veda her role as healer and giver of life is emphasized even more. In several sources, including the Yajur Veda, Saraswati is said to have healed Indra after he drank too much Soma.
In the Rigveda, Goddess Saraswati is described as the bestower of strength in thought and speech. Sharp, clear, and noble thought is called “dhi.” Refined, orderly, and elevated speech flows into “vac.” Saraswati, as Goddess, governs and blesses dhī (Rigveda 1:3:12c.). Dhī is inspired thought (especially of the rishis), intuition or intelligence—particularly related to sacred and religious utterances. Saraswati is regarded as the Goddess who can bestow dhī (Rgveda 6:49:7c.) if invoked in prayer or meditation.
Dhi is necessary to guide Vac. Speech (vac) requires inspired and purified thought. Saraswati is also closely connected to speech and to the Goddess of speech, Vāc. In the Shatapatha Brahmana, the role of Saraswati-Vāc expands, becoming clearly identified with knowledge (which is communicated through speech). It is stated that Goddess Saraswati is the “Mother of the Vedas” as well as the Vedas themselves.
The Shatapatha Brahmana declares: “Just as all waters meet in the ocean… so too all branches of knowledge (vidya) converge (ekayanam) in Vāc” (14:5:4:11).
The Puranas and other Indian texts also explain and extol Goddess Saraswati.
She is not only revered in Hinduism. In Buddhism, Saraswati is honored in many forms, including as the Goddess of Compassion and identified with Goddess Tara. In Jainism, Saraswati is revered as the Goddess responsible for the spread of the teachings and sermons of the Tirthankaras.
Veneration of Saraswati in the Majapahit Era
The Kakawin Dharmasuṇya, in Wirama Ragakusuma, clearly states that a true Great Poet (Pujangga Agung) is one whose inner being is thoroughly mastered by Goddess Saraswati, inseparably so:
1.The mind of the supreme poet is clear like the ocean, shining in sacred purity.
Longing to be free from worldly essence, gathering all flavors of beauty.
The Highest Knowledge is the peak of the highest teaching. He is the foremost sage.
Like a world-linga, like a lamp, his work became renowned everywhere.
2.One who has mastered such truth is worthy to compose kakawin in society.
Indeed Lord Śiwa-Buddha has granted him inner sanctity.
And truly Goddess Saraswati has mastered his being inseparably.
That is why he succeeds in all his utterances. Such a one is called the Great Poet.
In other Kawi literary works of the Majapahit Kingdom, Goddess Saraswati holds a central role in both priesthood and literature. The Kakawin Dharmasuṇya, a didactic poem in Old Javanese composed around the mid-15th century CE, is one such example.
In the sacred literary tradition of composing kakawin, both in Majapahit and earlier, the one invoked and venerated is Goddess Saraswati as the Vedas, as the giver of clarity in Dhi and Vac. Only when the poet, or Kawi Sastra, has been “entered by” or blessed by Saraswati—referred to as Sang Hyang Saraswati or Hyang Haji Sasraswati—can they attain siddhi and be worthy of being called a Pujangga Agung. The Kakawin Dharmasuṇya passage above makes this crystal clear. Older kakawin also mention the same: that a person whose thought and soul are noble and capable of eloquent speech is one blessed with dhi and vac by Hyang Saraswati.
If we trace Old Javanese works further back, Saraswati occupies an important place from around 800 CE onward, continuing into the literary traditions of King Dharmawangsa Teguh, the Kediri Kingdom, and later the Singhasari and Majapahit eras.
Veneration of Saraswati in Bali
The veneration of Saraswati is believed to have been carried to Bali from Java when the kakawin tradition was introduced, at least during the reign of King Udayana, who married Queen Mahendradatta (descendant of Mpu Sindok), traditionally said to have brought the Kakawin Ramayana and other kakawin works from Java.
Judging from the titles and names of Balinese kings such as Kesari and Ugrasena—derived from literary traditions whose stories appear in reliefs at Prambanan Temple—it is possible that the worship of Saraswati in Bali was already known in that era.
“Sri, Ratih, Girisuta, Saraswati, nā sirānung atidibya dewatī..”
Thus it is written in the Kakawin Ramayana, that Saraswati is a revered Goddess. The Kakawin Ramayana, believed to have been composed in the Hindu Mataram era during the reign of Dyah Balitung around 820–832 Saka (c. 870 CE), was later brought to Bali at least in King Udayana’s time. Though no ancient Balinese temples, sanctuaries, or statues of Saraswati have been found from the Bali Kuna era, her worship was likely known at least among poets (bhujangga) and the royal circle.
The literary works inherited in Bali until today, such as Kakawin Sutasoma, Kakawin Bhomantaka, Tantri Kamandaka, Kakawin Arjunawijaya, Kakawin Harisraya, Kakawin Adiparwa, Bhismaparwa, Tantu Panggelaran, Siwarātrikalpa, Sumanasantaka, Nawaruci, Kakawin Nirartha Prakreta, and others, contain expositions venerating Saraswati. The abundance of kakawin and literary texts honoring Saraswati, flowing from the Kawi (Old Javanese) tradition, is clearly a continuation of Vedic thought and Saraswati veneration rooted in the Rigveda tradition (1500–1000 BCE) that developed in the land of Bharata Varsa.
These kakawin works infused and enlivened the Hindu-Balinese tradition. Alongside them, Balinese lontars contain compilations of mantras, including specific Mantras of Saraswati Worship.
One short mantra that appears in the Saraswati worship lontars:
OṂ Gaṅgā-Sarasvatī-Sindhuvatī-Vipāśā-Kośikā-Yamunā-Sarayū-yanamaḥ svāhā.
Mantra for Sprinkling Saraswati’s Holy Water:
OṂ SAṂ Sarasvatī-śveta-varṇāya namaḥ svāhā
OṂ BAṂ Sarasvatī-rakta-varṇāya namaḥ svāhā
OṂ TAṂ Sarasvatī-pīta-varṇāya namaḥ svāhā
OṂ AṂ Sarasvatī-kṛṣṇa-varṇāya namaḥ svāhā
OṂ IṂ Sarasvatī-viśva-varṇāya namaḥ svāhā
Homage, O Hyang Dewi Saraswati—this is the mantra of veneration most sacred and revered, used to honor and invoke blessings, as found in the secret lontars of Bali:
1.OṂ Sarasvatī namas tubhyaṃ, varade kāma-rūpiṇi
siddhārambhaṃ kariṣyāmi, siddhir bhavatu me sadā.
2.Praṇamya sarva-devāṃś ca, Paramâtmānam eva ca
rūpa-siddhi-prayuktā yā, Sarasvatīṃ namāmy aham.
3.Padma-pattra-viśālākṣī, padma-kesara-varṇinī
nityaṃ padmālayā devī, sā māṃ pātu Sarasvatī.
4.Brahma-putrī mahā-devī, brahmaṇyā Brahma-nandinī
Sarasvatī saṃjñayanī, prayānāya Sarasvatī.
5.Kāvyaṃ vyākaraṇaṃ tarkaṃ, veda-śāstra-purāṇakam
kalpa-siddhīni tantrāni, tvat-prasādāt samārabhet.
Translation:
1.O Goddess Saraswati, I bow before You,
Bestower of blessings, who changes form at will;
I will undertake a sacred effort to succeed,
May success always follow me in all I do (for the good).
2.After bowing to all the Gods and to the Supreme Self,
I worship Saraswati, radiant in beauty and wisdom.
3.Her eyes wide as lotus petals,
Her color like the glowing filaments of a red lotus;
O Goddess who ever dwells within the lotus,
I pray, Saraswati, protect me.
4.Daughter of Brahmā, Great Goddess,
Devoted to Brahman, delighting Lord Brahmā;
O Saraswati, full of wisdom,
I invoke You for the journey.
5.By Your grace one may undertake
Study of poetry, grammar, logic,
The Vedas, codes of discipline, the Purāṇas,
And Tantras of perfect knowledge.
(*)
Written from Catatan harian Sugi Lanus, 5 September 2025
