GODDESS SARADAMBA
GODDESS SARADAMBA
Goddess Saradamba was originally installed by Adi Sankaracharya, as a Sriyantra carved on a rock, with a sandalwood image of the Goddess. According to tradition, preserved in most Sankara-vijayams, the origin of the Sarada temple in Sringeri is traced to the debate that Sankaracharya had with Bharati, the wife of Mandana Misra. Bharati is considered to be an incarnation of the Goddess Sarasvati, who challenged Sankaracharya to debate. After he had answered all her questions, She gave him the boon that She would stay on at Sringeri, where Sankaracharya established his first monastery. The Sarada temple was originally a humble wooden structure with a thatched-roof. During the time of Swami Bharati Tirtha (I) and Swami Vidyaranya, a golden image of the Goddess was installed, and a tiled roof was added to the temple. In 1907, Sri Sacchidananda Sivabhinava Narasimha Bharati Mahaswamigal decided to erect a more elaborate temple. The construction was completed during the time of Sri Chandrasekhara Bharati Mahaswamigal and the Kumbhabhishekam was celebrated in 1916.
The Saradamba temple is constructed in the modern Dravidian style, with a gopuram at the entrance, and broad covered walkways for pradakshina. The beautiful image of the Goddess can be seen from the distance as one enters the temple from the main gopuram. She is seated on the Meru of the Sriyantra, on a golden throne, inside the garbha-griha, which is made of polished granite. In front of Her sanctum is a spacious hall supported by pillars with exquisite carvings on them. Within the temple of Saradamba is kept the Vyakhyana Simhasanam, which represents the sarvajna-pitha, the throne of transcendental wisdom. The Acharyas ascend this simhasanam when they are first initiated into sannyasa, when they take charge at the matha, and also on ceremonial occasions like the nine days of the Navaratri festival.
In the advaita tradition in particular, and Hinduism in general, Brahman is worshipped both as the God and as the Goddess, and both with human form and without. Brahman is not limited by gender or form. Saguna Brahman can be equally He or She, because Brahman is beyond such human characterization. In the words of Swami Sri Chandrasekhara Bharati, "All forms belong equally to the essentially formless Brahman." That is why Sri Sarada reigns alone in Sringeri. In temples which are organized according to the Agamas, the Devi is usually worshipped along with the Svami, Her Divine Consort. But Saradamba, as worshipped by Adi Sankaracharya himself, includes all the Devatas and transcends them. In the Prapancasara, Adi Sankaracharya describes Goddess Sarada as Brahmavidya, which is identical to the Incommensurable Brahman Itself. As Brahman, She encompasses the Trimurtis, Siva, Vishnu and Brahma and their Saktis, respectively known as Uma, Lakshmi and Sarasvati. This is brought out well in the various Slokas composed in Her honor, by the Sringeri Acharyas over the ages. The Sarada Navaratri festival is specially devoted to the Mother Goddess throughout India. She is worshipped as Durga, Lakshmi and Sarasvati. The festival occurs in the beginning of the autumn season (Sarad ritu) and is therefore special for Goddess Sarada. The main mythological significance of Navaratri is the victory of the Goddess over the bull-demon, Mahishasura. The celebration of Mahishasuramardini's worship is done along with the worship of Lakshmi, the Goddess of prosperity and well-being, and Sarasvati, the Goddess of learning. The ninth day of Navaratri is devoted to Sarasvati Puja, and therefore has special significance for the worship of Saradamba at Sringeri. The Goddess is the source of all power, both secular and sacred. Throughout India's history, kings and emperors have acknowledged this in their royal celebrations of Navaratri. She is propitiated as Durga, to ensure success in war, as Lakshmi, to bestow prosperity on the kingdom, and as Sarasvati, to bless the kingdom with learned scholars as ministers, judges and administrators. All these features of the Goddess are included in Goddess Saradamba of Sringeri. The royal aspect of the Navaratri celebrations is also seen in Sringeri, when the Acharyas actually don regal dress, with shawls and crowns on top of their simple ochre robes, when they greet the public for darshan. This tradition dates back to the beginning of the Vijayanagar empire, which was founded with the blessings of Swami Vidyaranya of Sringeri. After his coronation, King Harihara I, the first emperor of Vijayanagar, gifted his entire empire to Swami Vidyaranya, who then returned it to the king. The king therefore desired that the gurus of Sringeri assent to holding court at Sringeri during the Navaratri festival, to symbolize the divinely inspired source of the accomplishments of the Vijayanagar empire. He presented the Matha with regal attire, crowns, thrones and palanquins. These are preserved at Sringeri, and as a token of commemorating this historical event, the Sankaracharyas wear the royal shawls and crowns during the Navaratri festival and when they take over charge at the Matha.
Goddess Saradamba represents the Saguna Brahman as Jaganmata, the Great Mother of the universe. She is also guru-rupini, as She showers Her grace on the devotees through the person of the Jagadguru. She is worshipped as Gayatri, Savitri and Sarasvati, the Goddesses of the Gayatri Mantra, and is also identified at various times with Mahesvari, Mahalakshmi and Mahasarasvati, the Great Goddesses of Puranic Hinduism. She is most often worshipped as Brahmavidya, the personified Goddess of Brahman Knowledge, and as Vagdevi, Ila, Bharati and Sarasvati, the ancient Vedic Goddesses. She holds in Her four hands, a jar containing amrita, the nectar of immortality, a book, signifying Knowledge, a rudraksha-mala, and the Chinmudra, signifying the advaita-tattva. Thus, She represents Brahmavidya, and is conceived as not different from Brahman Itself. Interestingly, these adornments in Her hands are identical to those that Dakshinamurti, the eternally youthful, silent Guru, holds. Both Devi Sarada and Guru Dakshinamurti are sometimes also pictured holding a Veena in their hands.
She is sometimes addressed as Sarasvati, sometimes as Isvari, or as Sri, and at other times, even the specific attributes of the Trimurtis are attributed to Her. The idea is that She is identical to the essentially formless Brahman, and therefore is the basis of all these specific forms. To denote the fact that She is not limited by human form, She is also worshipped as the Sriyantra, the mystic diagram described in the Bhavana Upanishad, and is identified with Kamala and Lalita Tripurasundari, the Supreme Goddesses of Srividya. Hence, She is also called Sarada Parameswari, and the Lalita Sahasranamam and the Lalita Trisati are recited in the daily worship in the Saradamba temple.
To signify Her identity with all the Forms of the Goddess, Saradamba is decorated in nine different ways, with nine different vahanas on each of the nine days of Navaratri. Thus, She is worshipped as Parasakti, Sri, Sarasvati, Brahmani, Mahesvari, Kaumari, Varahi, Vaishnavi, Indrani and Chamundi, each with Her specific vahana.
