One of the traditional ceremonies on Vasant Panchami is the symbolic blessing of the tools of creativity or of gaining knowledge, such as the artist’s paintbrushes, the musicians’ instrument, the writer’s pen or the student’s or scholar’s books.

You are invited to bring a single appropriate symbol of your creative work to the puja for blessing – this can be sheet music if you are a pianist, or a single book if you are a student or scholar. It is not necessary to bring your piano or your entire Vedic library!  You may also bring some flowers (spring colors are the best!) and washed sweet fruit.  

There is no admission fee for attending the Puja, but contributions of any amount are gratefully accepted to help defer expenses and support Pandit Sharma's activities.  Morningstar Studio has graciously donated the use of the space.  If you cannot attend, personal appointments for pujas and other Vedic Ceremonies will be available during Pandit Sharma's visit to Fairfield.  Please call Pandit Sharma at the number given at the bottom of this page.

Please dress in fresh, clean clothing (lighter colored clothes are preferred, especially peach or spring-yellow colors, with nothing in solid black or dark blue or dark purple.) Participants should take a bath or shower the morning of the Yagya and the mouth, hands and face should be washed immediately before commencing the Yagya.

On the day of the Yagya, it is customary to fast or eat only very light food before the Yagya.

Fruit juice or milk are recommended drinks. If food is needed, yoghurt, fruit or cooked vegetables are recommended. Cooked grains (breads, rice, etc.) are traditionally avoided until after the ceremony.

During the Yagya, it is customary to drink only water if necessary. If the toilet facilities are used, hands are washed before returning to the Yagya.

In the Vedic tradition, ladies attend Yagyas or assist in preparations only after a minimum of four days has elapsed since the start of their monthly period. Also, Yagyas should not be scheduled within 13 days of the birth or death of a blood relative.

In the Shrimad Devi Bhagwat Purana it declares that the goddess came into existence on the Vasant Panchami Day. As the Devi of creativity Saraswati is naturally associated with the spring season and Vasant Panchami is a day devoted to Saraswati that heralds the coming of Spring.

The dullness of the winter season gives way to the season of fresh colors, happiness, celebration, delight, sweet fragrance and bliss. Vasant Panchami is celebrated on the fifth day of the bright fortnight of the lunar month Magha (Jan-Feb.) Bright yellow or peach-colored clothes are worn and sweet rice tinted with saffron is prepared. Although white is the favorite color of Saraswati, on this day the spring colors are preferred by her devotees. It is an especially auspicious time to perform Pujas to Saraswati.

Saraswati is the presiding Devi of knowledge and wisdom who rules over creativity, speech, learning, music and all the fine arts. She is considered to be the origin of Sanskrit and of the Devanagri script and is depicted as holding the four Vedas in her hands. According to the Vedic scriptures, Saraswati emerged from Brahma the Creator as a 'Manas Kanya' – a daughter born of the cosmic mind, not of the body.

Saraswati is the Devi who is most especially enlivened by devotion to Pure Knowledge represented by the Vedas and Vedic literature. With her blessings, mastery of the Vedas becomes possible. With the blessings of Saraswati, Adi Shankara was able to give new clarity to Vedanta and bring about a revival of Vedic Knowledge. Under Saraswati’s silent guidance the flow of all artistic or creative activity becomes a direct and undistorted expression of the divine pure creativity that underlies all manifestation. Intelligence and eloquence in all forms of artistic expression are blessings from Her.

Although Saraswati is honored throughout India, Land of the Ved, there are no major temples to her. The reason is that her temple or shrine is felt to be in the hearts and minds of those who thirst after Pure Knowledge and who offer their purest expressions of creativity at the altar in their hearts. In the Yoga tradition, Saraswati is associated with sushumna, the central subtle spinal nadi or nerve that is responsible for the experience of transcending.