Goddess Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, wisdom and art is the consort of Lord Brahma. She embodies all that is pure and sublime and has four hands each representing four aspects of human personality namely mind, intellect, ego and alertness.
On one hand she carries sacred scriptures while on the other she carries a lotus symbol of true knowledge and the veena on the other two hands symbolizing the music of love and life. Saraswati along with Lakshmi and Parvati forms the Tridev who are consorts of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
Goddess Saraswati is dressed in a white sari, a symbol of purity and rides on a white swan symbolising Sattwa Guna. Saraswati is also an important figure in Buddhist iconography as the consort of Manjushri.
According to Vedic lore, Goddess Saraswati manifested herself from the tongue of Lord Brahma. Having been impressed by her beauty and wisdom, Brahma or the Creator of Earth decided that she would become his assistance in the task of creation. Since Brahma was responsible for creating Saraswati, his decision of marrying Goddess Saraswati was not accepted by Shiva and Vishnu.
Both of them uttered a curse that henceforth no one would worship Brahma as a God by the faithfuls. However, Goddess Saraswati is worshiped on her own right as the goddess of wisdom and knowledge without being associated with Brahma. Till date, the truth of the curse given to Brahma holds good which is evident from the fact that there are more temples dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu than those dedicated to Lord Brahma.

Craftsmen have been making wonderful idols of Saraswati through generations especially in the states Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and the union territory of Pondicherry.
Images of Saraswati are made in large numbers in West Bengal during Durga Puja and Vasant Panchami. Basant is the fifth day of the fortnight following the new moon during spring in the month of February or March.
In most instances, Saraswati is presented as a goddess sitting or standing on a fully blossomed lotus. She is seen riding on a white swan. In some representations instead of a swan, a colorful peacock is shown standing at her feet.
Saraswati is being worshiped since the medieval times in the Indian subcontinent and in many south and East Asian countries. You can get several references of the Goddess in the local literature of countries like Thailand, Cambodia, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.
Saraswati Pratharna
yaa kundendu tushhaar haara dhavalaa yaa shubhravastraavR^itaa .
yaa viiNaavarada.nDa ma.nDitakaraa yaa shvetapadmaasanaa .
yaa brahmaachyutasha.nkaraprabhrutibhirdevai sadaa va.nditaa .
saa maaM paatu sarasvatii bhagavatii niHsheshha jaaDyaa pahaa ..
Fair as a jasmine flower, the moon or a flake of snow,
Dressed in white, her hands adorned by the graceful veena staff,
Adorned by Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and the other deities,
Protect me, Oh Goddess Saraswati, remover of ignorance inert.
इस आर्टिकल को हिंदी में पढ़ने के लिए यहां क्लिक करें