________________
OF THE HINDUS.
the following: "May the glorious goddess of speech, she who is of a white complexion and graceful figure, wearing a digit of the moon upon her brow, and carrying an inkstand and a pen in her lotus-like hands, —may she, sitting on her lotus throne, be present for our protection', and for the attainment of honours and wealth." Water is then to be offered for the washing of her feet; food for her refreshment; flowers, or more costly articles, as pearls and jewels, for her decoration; and three salutations are to be made to her with the mantra, “ Reverence to Saraswati, reverence to Bhadrakálí, reverence to the Vedas, to the Vedángas, to the Vedánta, and to all seats of learning ै.” Of other mantras addressed to her, the following are given in the Matsya Puráňa*: "As
"
2 Brahma Purátia :
S. V. Sa
• Sáradà Tilaka [6, quoted in the Sabdakalpadruma rusvati, p. 5975, b, as follows (see also p. 1824, b and 3395, b): तरुणशकलमिन्दोर्बिभ्रती शुभ्रकान्तिः कुचभरनमिताङ्गी सन्निसन्ना सितान्ने । निजकर कमलो द्यल्लेखनी पुस्तकश्रीः सकलविभवसिद्ध्यै पातु वाग्देवता नः ॥].
Sir W. Jones translates this prayer somewhat differently.
*
189
[भद्रकाल्यै नमो नित्यं सरस्वत्यै नमो नमः । वेदवेदान्तवेदाङ्गविद्यास्थानेभ्य एव च ॥ स्वाहा ॥]
[c. 65. Śabdakalpadruma, 1. 1. (comp. p. 3396, «): यथा न देवो भगवान्ब्रह्मा लोकपितामह: : त्वां परित्यज्य सन्तिष्ठेत्तथा भव वरप्रदा ॥ वेदाः शास्त्राणि सर्वाणि नृत्यगीतादिकं च यत् । न विहीनं त्वया देवि तथा मे सन्तु सिद्दयः ॥
