Every Saniscara ( Saturday ) of Wuku Watugunung in Balinese Calendar , or literally fall every 210 days in Gregorian Calendar is the day of knowledge in Balinese culture.
It’s the day that is believed when the knowledge is decending to the world by its power – Goddess Saraswati – hence this day also called Rahina Saraswati or the Holy Day of Saraswati.
The spirits of celebration are strongly feel by the students range from elementary school to high university . Not only , every goverment offices are also busy to conduct the ceremony include everyone else at home at their family temple.
Books and lontar ( ancient holy scripts ) are gathered nicely and on top will be placed with a special offerings as today is dedicated to the source of the knowledge. Besides , they who practise spirituality with a Guru will use this day to do a visit to the Guru’s house to pray at their temple. Usually Guru in Bali , they are gifted with knowledge and ability by certain Holy Power to carry their own mission in this planet toward humanity or others. In their house , they will have a room specialy build to worship this Power where the students may come to pray.
Knowledge – plays important role in humanity .Knowledge together with wisdom will lead you to live a life with higher counsciousness. That is why knowledge should also be understood not only from material side but also spiritual. Those intelligent people either can destroy or making the world a better place based on how their spirituality and understanding of using their knowledge.
If we talk about Tri Murti , The Tree manifestation of the Supreme Power that is Brahma , Wisnu and Siwa they all come with their Shakti ( Feminine power ) .Brahma ( Fire ) – the creator – lives on the south with His Shakti , Goddess Saraswati. Knowledge is the beginning of creation. Wisnu ( Water ) – the preserver – lives on the north with His Shakti Goddess Lakhsmi or Dewi Sri ( The Goddess of abundance and paddy ). Both water and rice are what make human survive in life. Siwa – the transformer or destroyer- lives in the middle or at the centre , with his Shakti Goddess Durga or Dewi Kali. This balance movement of Yin and Yang will transfer or destroy anything that is no longer needed.
Not only knowledge , wisdom and arts are also represented by Goddess Saraswati – a beautiful Goddess who stands or sit elegantly on the Padma or Lotus flower with 4 arms that hold different items on each one and accompanied by a peacock and a swan.
What probably interesting is that everything in Saraswati has meaning :
- Dewi Saraswati Herself – is a beautiful and elegance Goddess that wearing white clothes. Just like the knowledge itself is interesting to learn and to discover. White is purity and simplicity. May the knowledge leads us toward wisdom .
- Lotus or Padma is a symbol of holiness as the Lotus could live in 3 different worlds ( Tri Lokha : Bhur Loka , Bvah Lokha and Svah Lokha ). In the mud , water and air.
- A peacock – elegance , authority , majesty
- A swan – intelligence and the ability to knowing right and wrong. Swan when they are eating , they kind of separate which one is good and which one is not. The swan also has the ability to live in 3 differents world : The water , the land and air.
- Dewi Saraswati holds Genitry ( a musical instrument ) with 2 hands as a symbol that the knowledge is infinite .
- A Lontar : the source of the knowledge that is holy . Kindly the knowledge that we learn will be used on the rigth purpose.
- Wina ( a musical instrument ) : arts , culture , entertainment. May the knowledge wil be able to destroy any darkness and confusion in the world.
On this day , Dewi Saraswati is worshiped everywhere. Saraswati mantras are chanted everywhere. May the knowledge will continuing to liberate us from any form of darkness in this planet.
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