Saraswati

Hindu goddess of wisdom and the arts; consort of Brahma, the creator. She has four arms and holds a musical instrument and manuscripts showing her mastery of wisdom. She is portrayed as calm and gracious, accompanied by her vehicle, the swan, which shows her spirituality.

Hindus turn to Saraswati for assistance with all the arts, artistic expression, and intellectual endeavour. The arts form a major part of sacred life in Hinduism, with music and dance being an important aspect of worship.

According to Hindu tradition, Brahma created male and female from himself in order to create the world, and then fell in love with the female half, Saraswati, and made her his wife.