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Saraswati is the goddess of knowledge, music and the arts. She
dances while playing the veena and stands on her vehicle, the beautiful
swan. The swan symbolizes prudence, so that one's knowledge may
distinguish between good and evil. The swan stands on finely
carved lotus flowers. She wears beautifully carved flourishing
robes and an ornate headdress. In her four arms, she holds a
veena, a palm leaf and a lontar (a Balinese traditional book which is
the source of science or knowledge). On the waistline of her
dress is a peacock, her herald, a symbol of the arts. In the back
of her crown is the head of Garuda. Details abound!
Crocodile Wood or Satin Wood; Zanthoxylum rhetsa: The Indonesian name, panggal buaya, literally translates to crocodile teeth, referring to the knobby, tooth- shaped protrusions which cover the trunk. Native to lowlands from India to the Philippines, crocodile wood is usually white in color, some pieces have narrow, dark stripes. The grain is straight and easy to carve and the wood is of medium hardness. Older trees produce darker wood than younger ones and the higher up in the tree, the lighter the color. Crocodile wood is often called the Ivory of Woods because of its similar color and smooth finish.
This wood sculpture is a one of a kind statue, hand carved by the artists of Bali, Indonesia. Every piece is truly unique!
Crocodile Wood or Satin Wood; Zanthoxylum rhetsa: The Indonesian name, panggal buaya, literally translates to crocodile teeth, referring to the knobby, tooth- shaped protrusions which cover the trunk. Native to lowlands from India to the Philippines, crocodile wood is usually white in color, some pieces have narrow, dark stripes. The grain is straight and easy to carve and the wood is of medium hardness. Older trees produce darker wood than younger ones and the higher up in the tree, the lighter the color. Crocodile wood is often called the Ivory of Woods because of its similar color and smooth finish.
This wood sculpture is a one of a kind statue, hand carved by the artists of Bali, Indonesia. Every piece is truly unique!
About The God
Saraswati, goddess of knowledge and the arts, embodies the wisdom of
Devi. She is the river of consciousness that enlivens creation;
she is the dawn-goddess whose rays dispel the darkness of
ignorance. Without her there is only chaos and confusion.
To realize her one must go beyond the pleasures of the senses and
rejoice in the serenity of the spirit.
Saraswati wears neither jewels or paints herself with bright colors. The white sari she adorns reflects her essential purity, her rejection of all that is base and materialistic.
She transcends the cravings of the flesh and rejoices in the powers of the mind as the patron of pure wisdom. She embodies all that is pure and sublime in nature.
The four Vedas, books of universal knowledge, were her offspring. Her mount, the swan, personifies pure knowledge and her herald, the peacock, is a symbol of the arts.
Schools and libraries are her temples; books, pens, all tools of the artist and musical instruments are the items used in puja to the enlightening goddess of wisdom.
Saraswati wears neither jewels or paints herself with bright colors. The white sari she adorns reflects her essential purity, her rejection of all that is base and materialistic.
She transcends the cravings of the flesh and rejoices in the powers of the mind as the patron of pure wisdom. She embodies all that is pure and sublime in nature.
The four Vedas, books of universal knowledge, were her offspring. Her mount, the swan, personifies pure knowledge and her herald, the peacock, is a symbol of the arts.
Schools and libraries are her temples; books, pens, all tools of the artist and musical instruments are the items used in puja to the enlightening goddess of wisdom.