When the sky weeps,
Her power heaps.
What is she?"
Time though waits for no riddles, as days eroded away to months who gave way years the riddle remained
unanswered. Yet we waited under that same Palash tree hoping that one day the fire of curiosity will find
something to consume. Then on the spring of Vayuna's thirteenth winter was when she finally reached an
epiphany. She ran towards us, in a quite un-lady-like manner that was expected of her.
"River!" she shouts, "Hansa! Mayura! The answer is a river! A river runs but a river does not leap. It has a
riverbed but it is not a place where one sleeps. She gives the wild sheep water but when they die their
souls she keeps. And when it rains the sky weeps and floods the river making her power heap. It is
correct, is it not?"
"That it is”, we chorus. “Knowledge is what you seek, Vayuna."
"Knowledge," She repeated rolling it over her tongue like a delicious unknown sweet. "Where do i get
more of this knowledge Mayura, Hansa?" Vayuna asks.
"Pray little one to Saraswati the goddess of Knowledge."
"But how? I know not what a god is nor do i know how to pray."
"Let us teach you Vayuna, repeat what we say and perhaps Saraswati will take to you.
Yaa Kundendu Tushaara Haaradhavalaa, Yaa Shubhravastraavritha
Yaa Veenavara Dandamanditakara, Yaa Shwetha Padmaasana
Yaa Brahmaachyutha Shankara Prabhritibhir Devaisadaa Vanditha
Saa Maam Paatu Saraswati Bhagavatee Nihshesha Jaadyaapaha" we told her. A spell that Saraswati had
taught us.
Vayuna proving to be an excellent disciple learned the words by heart and spoke them and taught them to
everyone she knew till one day our goal was accomplished. Saraswati taking notice of our little princess
agreed to grant her a boon. Vayuna asked for knowledge. So on the beginning of spring of every year
when life was new the light of enlightenment would reach the kingdom of Harrapa and the princess
learned new things and later would teach the common people to read, write, to harvest efficiently, to
domesticate and to pursue the thirst of knowledge. She taught man about songs and dance. And most
importantly about gods and goddesses. That day when Vayuna learned of the world, was then after
forever remembered as the day of Saraswati.