The Flow of Wisdom

Lord Brahma the wise creator knew everything from the small patterns on a butterfly's wings to the stars far away. He shared His infinite wisdom to five brilliant women not as mere information instead, He established the interconnection between everything in the universe. One day, Brahma decided to assign a Devata for knowledge, also simultaneously, teach humanity the secret of earning knowledge! He chose to give one amongst the five women, the sacred position of विद्याधिदेवता!

As a test, He took those 5 women to a nearby river and told them to drink water from it! The first student made a cup out of her hands. The water was cool, but it quickly fell through her fingers. Brahma’s first message to us - a tiny amount of knowledge is pure, but it is temporary

The second student used a coconut shell. It held more water, but it neither fulfilled her thirst nor gave her an unique experience. Brahma’s second message - to experience something fully you need a better and a bigger approach

The third student used a big clay pot. She filled it completely and carried it away with her. However, the water in the pot became old and still after a few days. Brahma’s third message - if one keeps knowledge to oneself for a long time, it loses its life

The fourth student asked Brahma if she could build a small tank by the river. Brahma said yes. The tank was well-made, but the river kept flowing beside the tank. The water in the tank stayed separate and still. Brahma’s fourth message - We can appreciate the organised knowledge, but it can never be a part of the real, living flow

The fifth student brought nothing. She just stood by the river. How will you drink? Brahma asked gently. I don't want to drink it, rather, I want to become the river. Brahma smiled happily, at her profound thought process! She stepped into the water, and became the river itself. Her being was in every wave and every drop

Much later, Brahma sat by the river and invited her for a conversation. A drop of the river turned into a woman wearing a simple white saree and sitting on a white swan. Brahma asked, are you happy being the river? She said yes and shared her entire experiential wisdom of becoming the river - I have no single beginning. The whole forest feeds me. Every falling leaf and every drop of rain makes my waters rich. I am always moving, and because I constantly refresh myself, I am always pure for anyone who wants me

Brahma then asked about her white saree. I equate the flowing river with knowledge! I wear this white saree to show that water and knowledge must be pure, she said. Just as polluting a clean river is crime, similarly, true knowledge must not be changed by a person's limited experiences, biases and prejudice. To distort the knowledge for our convenience is wrong. I wish to protect the purity of both the river and knowledge for all noble people

Finally, she spoke of the swan. The swan is like a person who truly wants knowledge. Its feet are always moving under the water, pushing it forward. But on top, it moves calmly. This is how a mind hungry for knowledge should be - always searching, but also peaceful. Swan goes deep into the water, to find what it needs, just like a person goes deep into an idea to find the true answer

Brahma was touched by her wisdom. He named her Saraswati. It is said in Sanskrit - सरो नीरं तद्वत् रसो वा अस्ति अस्याः इति - means, the one who has embodied the essence of flowing is Saraswatī! Saraswatī is one who has become the essence of flowing! Goddess Saraswatī is a sacred river as much the personification of an ever-flowing wisdom!