सरस्वती (SarasvatI)

सरस्वति नमस्तुभ्यं वरदे कामरूपिणि |

विद्यारम्बम् करिष्यामि सिद्धिर् भवतु मे सदा ||

sarasvatI namastubhyam varadE kAmarUpiNi |

vidyArambam karishyAmi siddhir bhavatu mE sadA ||

(हे) सरस्वति | (हे) वरदे | (हे) कामरूपिणि | नमः तुभ्यम् | विद्या आरम्बं करिष्यामि | सदा मे सिद्धिः भवतु |

सरस्वति (sarsavati) - God of wisdom; वरदे (varadE) - One who fulfills wishes; कामरूपिणि (kAmarUpiNi) - one who personifies desire (most beautiful); नमः (namaH) - prayers; तुभ्यम् (tubhyam) - to you; विद्या (vidyA) - studies / quest for knowledge; आरम्बं (Arambam) - start; करिष्यामि (karishyAmi) - will do; सदा (sadA) - always; मे (mE) - for me; सिद्धिः (siddhiH) - perfection / completion; भवतु (bhavatu) - may it happen

O Saraswati - one who is ready to fulfill my prayers, one who is of the most beautiful form - I am going to start my studies. I pray to you to always keep blessing me for me to attain perfection (in my studies).

• What action is being asked in this shlOka?

  • (astu): Let there be - this is an implied action

• Let there be what?

  • namaH (astu): Let there be salutations (namaskaArams or pranAms)

• Let there be salutations to who?

  • namah tubhyam (astu): Let there be salutations to you

• Who is “you”?

  • sarasvatI: Let there be salutations to SarasvatI

  • varade: Let there be salutations to the one who fulfills prayers

  • kAmarUpiNi: Let there be salutations to the one who is most beautiful

• Why do you want to do salutations to sarasvatI?

  • karishyAmi: I will do

• What will you do?

  • vidhyA Arambam: I will start (my) studies

• So what do you want Saraswati to do?

  • bhavatu: Let it happen

• Let what happen?

  • Siddhi bhavatu: Let there be perfection (in studies)

• Let there be perfection (in studies) for who?

  • siddhi me bhavatu: Let there be perfection (in studies) for me

• Let there be perfection for me when?

  • sadA siddhi me bhavatu: Let there always be perfection (in studies) for me