Protect us, Universal Mother
This is the first shloka from the Shree Saraswati Stuti which is attributed to the composition by Sage Agastya.
या कुन्देन्दुतुषारहारधवला या शुभ्रवस्त्रावृता
या वीणावरदण्डमण्डितकरा या श्वेतपद्मासना ।
या ब्रह्माच्युतशंकर प्रभृतिभिर्देवः सदा पूजिता
सा मां पातु सरस्वति भगवती निःशेषजाड्यापहा ॥
Yaa kundendu-tuṣhaara-haara-dhavalaa
yaa shubra-vastra-aavritaa
yaa veeṅaa-varadaṅḍa-maṅḍita-karaa
yaa shveta-padma-aasanaa.
Yaa brahma-achuta-shankara
prabhritibhir-devah sadaa poojitaa
saa maa paatu sarasvati bhagavatee
nihṣheṣha-jaaḍya-apahaa
We approach the center, the bright, still, jewel that is like a white dazzling light in the center of our consciousness. This dazzling light seems to be as though covered with white clothes and filled with the vibration of music.
We salute that Shakti whose hands always brings forth blessings of music and protection. We salute that Shakti who sits resplendent in the purest seat, untouched and unattached, who is always the embodiment of love, who represents creation, preservation and dissolution.
Our salutation to that Universal, Divine Mother, Please protect my, O Maa and do bless me with wisdom.
या who, that one, the one who कुण्ड like a flower, also – the center इन्दु moon, bright, object of light तुषार something calm, cool and transparent as snow – also – cold, freeze हार garland of pearls, necklace धवल beautiful, dazzlingly white/light शुभ्र white, radiant, shining, beautiful वस्त्र clothes, adornment, garment आवृत covered, spread, filled with वीणा music, also – source of sound, source of music वर gift, boon, valuable, precious दण्ड staff, sceptre, upright object मण्डित adorned, decorated कर doer – also, the hand श्वेत white, without blemish पद्म lotus blossom आसन sitting, posture ब्रह्म God, the Creator अच्युत God the imperishable, Vishnu शङ्कर God the dissolver, Shiva प्रभृति beginning with देव God, shining one, luminous Lord सदा always, ever, eternally पूजिता worshipped, adorned, honoured सा that is, like i.e. मां me पातु (guarding, protect); please protect सरस्वति Goddess of knowledge, music, art, speech, wisdom, and learning. Also, in context, Sarasvatee is a holy river भगवती The feminine aspect of supreme intelligence, the shakti or power that creates/produces. Like the Mother Earth that gives birth to every creature as well as giving birth to their sustenance. निःशेष without any remainder; complete, whole जाड्य inactivity, dullness, ignorance, stupidity अपह keeping back, repelling, removing, destroying
