𑌸𑌰𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌤𑍀 𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌦𑌶𑌨𑌾𑌮 𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍋𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌮𑍍
Saraswati Dwadasanama Stotram in Grantha · 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥
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Origin & Story
Traditional Sanskrit dwadasa-nama (twelve-name) stotra of Goddess Saraswati, recited in the Devi and Saraswati worship tradition · Traditional (anonymous); preserved in the Puranic and stotra tradition · Ancient/medieval (exact date unknown)
Dwadasa-nama (twelve-name) stotras are a classical genre in which a deity is praised through a fixed garland of twelve names, each name carrying a distinct shade of the deity's power. This Saraswati Dwadasanama gathers her most beloved epithets — from Bharati and Sharada to Vagishwari and Bhuvaneshwari — into a compact hymn. Beginning with the icon of the veena-and-book-bearing Goddess on her swan, it teaches that simply remembering these twelve names at the three sandhyas opens the flow of knowledge and speech, which is why it became a cherished daily prayer of students.
✦ As told in scripture
By tradition, those who keep this twelve-name garland on their lips at the three junctions of the day find Saraswati 'seated on the tip of the tongue' — the dull becoming sharp, the hesitant becoming fluent, and seekers gaining sudden clarity in study and debate, just as the concluding verse promises.
Complete Text with Meaning
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𑌸𑌰𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌤𑍀𑌂 𑌨𑌮𑌸𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌮𑌿 𑌵𑍀𑌣𑌾𑌪𑍁𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌕𑌧𑌾𑌰𑌿𑌣𑍀𑌮𑍍। 𑌹𑌂𑌸𑌵𑌾𑌹𑌸𑌮𑌾𑌯𑍁𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌂 𑌵𑌿𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌦𑌾𑌨𑌕𑌰𑍀𑌂 𑌮𑌮॥
Saraswatim Namasyaami Veenaa-pustaka-dhaarineem Hamsa-vaaha-samaayuktaam Vidyaa-daana-kareem Mama
Meaning:I bow to Goddess Saraswati, who holds the veena and the book, who is borne by the swan, the bestower of the gift of knowledge upon me.
𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌥𑌮𑌂 𑌭𑌾𑌰𑌤𑍀 𑌨𑌾𑌮 𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌿𑌤𑍀𑌯𑌂 𑌚 𑌸𑌰𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌤𑍀। 𑌤𑍃𑌤𑍀𑌯𑌂 𑌶𑌾𑌰𑌦𑌾 𑌦𑍇𑌵𑍀 𑌚𑌤𑍁𑌰𑍍𑌥𑌂 𑌹𑌂𑌸𑌵𑌾𑌹𑌿𑌨𑍀॥
Prathamam Bhaaratee Naama Dviteeyam Cha Saraswatee Triteeyam Shaaradaa Devee Chaturtham Hamsa-vaahinee
Meaning:The first name is Bharati, the second is Saraswati; the third is the Goddess Sharada, and the fourth is Hamsavahini (she who rides the swan).
𑌪𑌞𑍍𑌚𑌮𑌂 𑌜𑌗𑌤𑍀 𑌖𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌤𑌾 𑌷𑌷𑍍𑌠𑌂 𑌵𑌾𑌗𑍀𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌰𑍀 𑌤𑌥𑌾। 𑌕𑍗𑌮𑌾𑌰𑍀 𑌸𑌪𑍍𑌤𑌮𑌂 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑍋𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌾 𑌅𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌮𑌂 𑌬𑍍𑌰𑌹𑍍𑌮𑌚𑌾𑌰𑌿𑌣𑍀॥
Panchamam Jagatee Khyaataa Shashtham Vaageeshwaree Tathaa Kaumaaree Saptamam Proktaa Ashtamam Brahmachaarinee
Meaning:The fifth is renowned as Jagati (the all-pervading), and the sixth is Vagishwari (mistress of speech); the seventh is declared to be Kaumari, and the eighth is Brahmacharini.
𑌨𑌵𑌮𑌂 𑌬𑍁𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌿𑌦𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌰𑍀 𑌚 𑌦𑌶𑌮𑌂 𑌵𑌰𑌦𑌾𑌯𑌿𑌨𑍀। 𑌏𑌕𑌾𑌦𑌶𑌂 𑌕𑍍𑌷𑍁𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌘𑌣𑍍𑌟𑌾 𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌦𑌶𑌂 𑌭𑍁𑌵𑌨𑍇𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌰𑍀॥
Navamam Buddhi-daatree Cha Dashamam Varadaayinee Ekaadasham Kshudra-ghantaa Dvaadasham Bhuvaneshwaree
Meaning:The ninth is Buddhidatri (giver of intellect), the tenth is Varadayini (granter of boons); the eleventh is Kshudraghanta, and the twelfth is Bhuvaneshwari.
𑌬𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌹𑍍𑌮𑍀 𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌦𑌶𑌨𑌾𑌮𑌾𑌨𑌿 𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌸𑌨𑍍𑌧𑍍𑌯𑌂 𑌯𑌃 𑌪𑌠𑍇𑌨𑍍𑌨𑌰𑌃। 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌸𑌿𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌿𑌕𑌰𑍀 𑌤𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌸𑌨𑍍𑌨𑌾 𑌪𑌰𑌮𑍇𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌰𑍀। 𑌸𑌾 𑌮𑍇 𑌵𑌸𑌤𑍁 𑌜𑌿𑌹𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌗𑍍𑌰𑍇 𑌬𑍍𑌰𑌹𑍍𑌮𑌰𑍂𑌪𑌾 𑌸𑌰𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌤𑍀॥
Braahmee Dvaadasha-naamaani Tri-sandhyam Yah Pathen-narah Sarva-siddhi-karee Tasya Prasannaa Parameshwaree Saa Me Vasatu Jihvaagre Brahma-roopaa Saraswatee
Meaning:These are the twelve names of Brahmi (Saraswati). The person who recites them at the three junctions of the day (morning, noon and dusk) — to him the Supreme Goddess becomes gracious and grants all success. May that Saraswati, the very form of Brahman, ever dwell upon the tip of my tongue.
Word-by-Word Meaning
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Benefits of Chanting Saraswati Dwadasanama Stotram
Reciting the twelve names thrice daily grants all-round success (sarva-siddhi)
Bestows the gift of eloquent and pleasing speech (vak-siddhi)
Sharpens intellect, memory and concentration for students
Each name invokes a distinct power of the Goddess of knowledge
Short and easy to memorise, ideal for daily practice
Especially fruitful during Navaratri and Vasant Panchami (Saraswati Puja)
Removes ignorance and obstacles to learning and the arts
How to Chant Saraswati Dwadasanama Stotram
The stotra itself prescribes recitation at the three junctions of the day (tri-sandhyam) — morning, midday and evening. Sit facing east or north, with a book or veena placed before you as a symbol of learning. Recite the opening salutation, then the four verses of the twelve names, and conclude with the phala-shruti verse praying that Saraswati dwell on the tip of your tongue. Daily practice for the nine nights of Navaratri is traditionally recommended.
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Read the full Saraswati Dwadasanama Stotram with verse-by-verse meaning, or explore more sacred texts