HERHCA . Saraswati, the goddess of wisdom, is a Sanskrit fusion word of Sara (सार essence), and Sva (स्व self), i.e. meaning "one who leads to essence of self knowledge". It is also a Sanskrit composite surasa-vati (सुरस-वति) - "one with plenty of water".The word Saraswati appears both as a reference to a river and as a significant deity in the Rigveda. In initial passages (2.41), the word refers to Sarasvati River and mentioned with other northwestern Indian rivers such as Drishadvati. Saraswati then connotes a river deity. In Book 2, Rigveda calls Saraswati as the best of mothers, of rivers, of goddesses. अम्बितमे नदीतमे देवितमे सरस्वति |
– Rigveda 2.41.16 Saraswati is celebrated as a feminine deity with healing, purifying powers of abundant, flowing waters in Book 10 of Rigveda, as follows:अपो अस्मान मातरः शुन्धयन्तु घर्तेन नो घर्तप्वः पुनन्तु |
विश्वं हि रिप्रं परवहन्ति देविरुदिदाभ्यः शुचिरापूत एमि || – Rigveda 10.17
May the waters, the mothers, cleanse us,
may they who purify with butter, purify us with butter,
for these goddesses bear away defilement,
I come up out of them pure and cleansed.
