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ORRYELLE DEFENESTRATE-BASCULE

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Sarasvati-Brigid

Hindu Sarasvati and Celtic Brigid have deep affinities as Goddesses of the Word, of Poetry and other Arts -plus the obvious Alchemic symbol of the white swan (the main visual and alchemical link). Their differences however may seem to make this a strange combination, yet it is precisely the convergence of these apparent disparities that I feel it is important to bridge:
Sarasvati is a Vedic Goddess of Music, Learning and the Arts, especially Words, but Her relationship with them (and thus usually those of Her devotees) seems mostly an abstracted and intellectual one. Brigid however usually represents Inspiration; She is a Muse deity, mostly in relation to poetry and the Bardic arts (which conjoin words with music), but primarily of inspiration rather than Knowledge.
Brigid and Sarasvati have in common Water as a primary element, the latter being originally the name of one of the three great rivers of India (along with the Ganges and Yamuna, which both still exist in physical form), and Brigid being the traditional guardian of the Holy Well (and thus Sacred Waters in general) across Celtic lands.
However Brigid is also associated with fire, an attribute Sarasvati lacks and which counterpoints well the water. Without the spark of inspiration, words may flow but not ignite. Brigid invokes the ‘fire in the head’ of the poet, ovate or bard, passion mingled with knowledge to create. This is the same basic creative energy as sexuality, but raised up the spine to fertilise the mind instead of the loins -to the Hindus it is ‘Kundalini’ -the rising serpent, shown here also as the White Snake which is one of the sacred animals of Brigid along with the white swan. Is the white of Brigid’s sacred serpent an allusion to the vertebral column of the spine, the Sushumna or central channel through which this fire snake rises to the head?
The other primary Art Brigid presides over besides Poetry is Blacksmithing, the art of forging form in fire. Related of course, but also more directly practical. So instead of the traditional mala (Hindu rosary upon which mantras are counted) of abstract spirituality Sarasvati-Brigid’s fourth hand here holds the Smith’s tongs, symbolising the practical aspect of the Arts -the manifestation of vision and inspiration into tangible form.
Here is where She differs from the orthodox Vedic form of Sarasvati, becoming more akin to a Tantric deity in the philosophy reflected - She is seen not in the traditional pure white sari, but naked. For sexuality can be a means to inspiration, not just its ascetic sublimation into creativity but its direct employment as an energetic agent thereof, not avoided but directed to send this fire upwards and inspire Art. Abstract knowledge is tempered with ‘carnal knowledge’, i.e. know-ledge embodied, true knowing with the senses rather than just learning with the intellect.
And so the representation of purity by Whiteness - without the moral overlays of Vedic orthodoxy- becomes the skin of the Goddess Herself rather than a pure white sari, and the white feathers of Her mount from which She emerges. There is a suggestion of the Swan Maiden, a motif present in many ancient cultures from Slavic tales (Mikhail Ivanovich), to Arabic (Hasan of Basra), to the Norse Valkyries who also appeared both as swans and beautiful human maidens.
Feathers become flames as the fire rises and the spectrum splits…
The Book which She holds is black rather than white, for it is only through the darkness of isolation that one can truly come to ‘Know Thyself’ (and She is a Goddess of Knowledge).

For 'Distillatio' -the White Book in the Tela Quadrivium bookweb from Fulgur Limited

(c)2014 Orryelle Defenestrate-Bascule. (please share with credit or tag. Thanks)​

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