Devi
Ya Kundendu — Saraswati vandana
या कुन्देन्दुतुषारहारधवला या शुभ्रवस्त्रावृता । या वीणावरदण्डमण्डितकरा या श्वेतपद्मासना । या ब्रह्माच्युतशङ्करप्रभृतिभिर्देवैः सदा वन्दिता । सा मां पातु सरस्वती भगवती निःशेषजाड्यापहा ॥
Simple reading
Yaa kun-den-du tu-shaa-ra haa-ra dha-va-laa, yaa shubh-ra vas-traa-vri-taa, yaa vee-naa va-ra dan-da man-di-ta ka-raa, yaa shve-ta pad-maa-sa-naa, yaa brah-maach-yu-ta shan-ka-ra pra-bhri-ti-bhir de-vaih sa-daa van-di-taa, saa maam paa-tu sa-ras-va-tee bha-ga-va-tee nih-she-sha jaad-yaa-pa-haa
Yā kundendu-tuṣāra-hāra-dhavalā yā śubhra-vastrāvṛtā, yā vīṇā-vara-daṇḍa-maṇḍita-karā yā śveta-padmāsanā, yā brahmācyuta-śaṅkara-prabhṛtibhir devaiḥ sadā vanditā, sā māṁ pātu sarasvatī bhagavatī niḥśeṣa-jāḍyāpahā
About this mantra
The best-known dhyana verse of Saraswati: one long stanza in the śārdūlavikrīḍita metre, widely sung as a school prayer in India. Three lines describe her; the fourth asks for one thing, the removal of dullness.
Meaning
She who is white as the jasmine flower, the moon, and a garland of snow; who is robed in white; whose hands are graced by the veena; who is seated on a white lotus; whom Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and all the gods forever praise: may that Saraswati, remover of all dullness, protect me. Every image is white on white: jasmine, moon, snow, robe, lotus. The verse finally asks for the removal of jadya (dullness), and that needs a mind first shown what unclouded looks like.
Learn it by heart
Say the first line until it comes without reading, then add the next line and say both, until the whole mantra comes on its own.
Line 1 of 4
या कुन्देन्दुतुषारहारधवला या शुभ्रवस्त्रावृता ।
Yā kundendu-tuṣāra-hāra-dhavalā yā śubhra-vastrāvṛtā,
0not said yet
Aim for eleven before the next line. Move on when the line comes without reading.
Progress stays on this device.
When to recite it
Before study and every first lesson; recited at Vasant Panchami, on school mornings, and by anyone beginning again at any age.
Word by word
- कुन्देन्दुतुषारहारधवलाkundendu-tuṣāra-hāra-dhavalā
- white as jasmine, moon, and snow-garland
- शुभ्रवस्त्रावृताśubhra-vastrāvṛtā
- robed in radiant white
- वीणावरदण्डमण्डितकराvīṇā-vara-daṇḍa-maṇḍita-karā
- hands graced by the noble veena
- श्वेतपद्मासनाśveta-padmāsanā
- seated on a white lotus
- या ब्रह्माच्युतशङ्करप्रभृतिभिर्देवैः सदा वन्दिताyā brahmācyuta-śaṅkara-prabhṛtibhir devaiḥ sadā vanditā
- she whom Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and all the gods forever praise
- सा मां पातु सरस्वती भगवती निःशेषजाड्यापहाsā māṁ pātu sarasvatī bhagavatī niḥśeṣa-jāḍyāpahā
- may that goddess Saraswati, remover of all dullness, protect me
Source: Traditional Sarasvatī vandana (Sarasvatī Stotra)