4 minutes
•
2/18/21
The Wisdom of Hamsa/Sohum
Did you know that the sacred swan (known as hamsa in Sanskrit) is the ride of Devi Saraswati, the Goddess of wisdom? Every year, 40 days before the arrival of spring on the 5th day (panchami) after the new moon, marks the day of festivities in anticipation of Spring (Basant). It is also known as Sri Panchami, a day dedicated to the divinity of Wisdom, Speech, and Sound—Devi Saraswati. Often times, it is called Saraswati Panchami.
Exoteric Rituals: There are many beautiful external rituals practiced on this day to give an early welcome to spring and to pay homage to Devi Saraswati. Some examples are: Bathing in the holy waters of the Ganges, wearing yellow clothes, eating foods and sweets that are yellow or seasoned with saffron and turmeric, chanting the mantras of Sri Saraswati, and decorating the house with yellow flowers. Yellow color symbolizes the state of wisdom (golden aura) and the blooming of mustard flowers in India.
Esoteric Ritual and Symbology: Beyond the outward rituals, it is the internal rituals—the esoteric—that always intrigued me. So, I share with you the Gupta vali- the secret, internal meaning of Basant Panchami. How to realize the state of divine wisdom and celebrate the blooming of the flowers of consciousness.
Saras = river/stream
Wati = container/possessor of
Saraswati means the one in whom resides (wati) the auspicious river/streams (saras) of wisdom, sound, and prana (life force). In the iconography of Saraswati, she is seated on the swan—a symbol of clarity, purity, and discernment. She is adorned in white clothes of clarity and purity; the white color of the gushing streams and of the Brahma nadi within the central channel.
The word for swan, hamsa, when reversed, becomes Soham. It is a mantra that means, “I am That.” It is the most powerful, innate, and effortless mantra of realization, which is incessantly played within. It is the sound of our own incoming and outgoing breath. Close your ears and simply listen to your breath, the incoming breath sounds like “so” and the outgoing like “ham.”
Saraswati plays a stringed instrument called the Veena. A similar stringed instrument resides within us, in our subtle body, in the form of the nadis/channels/rivers through which nada/prana/wisdom flows.
Our speech, silence, and breath symbolize Devi Saraswati, the sacred river of wisdom. This sacred river flows through the nasal canal as the river of prana. The nasal region is our own two-winged mystical bird, or Swan/hamsa. When the prana flows through it, it plays the three-stringed musical instrument that is the three main nadis—lunar-left/ida, solar-right/pingala and the fiery-central/sushumna. When the prana, as rhythm of breath, enters the central channel of fire/illumination, there is realization of wisdom. Thus, Saraswati flows through us as words, prana, silence, and music.
Practice: Chant the mantra “Soham” internally: “So” upon inhalation and “ham” upon exhalation, for as many times as it feels pleasant and sustains effortless focus.
Let the rivers of prana flow through the central channel of wisdom and may the Sacred Swan-hamsa take a flight of discernment.
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Did you know that the sacred swan (known as hamsa in Sanskrit) is the ride of Devi Saraswati, the Goddess of wisdom? Every year, 40 days before the arrival of spring on the 5th day (panchami) after the new moon marks the day of festivities in anticipation of Spring (Basant).
Deepawali marks the establishment of dharma that allows the awakening of our highest potential. The festival lasts for 5 days where each day has a special symbolic meaning and rituals associated with it.
It means to wake up to ourSelf. It means to stop blaming. It means to take responsibility. It means to recognize, face, accept and transform our weaknesses.