Saraswati River In Vedas - Passages Mentioning Saraswati River The Rig Veda

In the Rig Veda, Saraswati River is praised as the great among the great and mightiest of rivers. Three hymns in the Rig Veda are entirely dedicated to the river. Saraswati River is hailed as Sindhumata, mother of all rivers.

Some Important Passeges In Rig Veda On Saraswati River

Descriptions of Saraswati River is found in the Sixth and Fifth Books. The threefold source of the Saraswati is also mentioned in the Sixth Book.

Rig Veda says that the Saraswati River had a “threefold” source (6.61.12).

 “Let the great streams come hither with their mighty help, Sindhu, Saraswati, and Sarayu with waves” (Rig Veda 10.64.9).

Rig Veda says that the Saraswati burst the ridges of the hills, slayed the mountains, had a wide tract, and was the mightiest of streams (6:61:2, 6, 8, 11, 13, and 7:96:1).

Saraswati River is described as flowing pure from the mountains to the ocean bestowing fertility and prosperity on the lands through which she passed.

Saraswati River is eulogized as ambitame (best of mothers), naditame (best of rivers), devitame (best of goddesses).

As per Rig Veda, the river has its origin in the Himalayas, after descending from the mountains, the river flowed south through land lying between the Yamuna and Sutlej River.

Prayers were offered to her for attaining wealth, health, offspring and immortality. She was also an attendant goddess of Agni.

Some Other Findings

• Archaeologists identify Saraswati River with Sarsuti River that flows through Pehowa in Haryana and falls into the Ghaggar in Rajasthan.
• Some scholars suggest that Rig Vedic Saraswati could be the Saraswati River flowing west of Pushkar and is now known as Luni in her downstream stretches in Rajasthan.