Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 57
Gṛhastha-nitya-karman: Śauca, Sandhyā-vidhi, Pañca-yajña, and Āśrama-krama
ध्येया सा च सरस्वती भगवती पीतांबरालंकृता श्यामा श्यामतनुर्जरोपरिलसद्गात्रांचिता वैष्णवी । तार्क्ष्यस्था मणिनूपुरांगदलसद्ग्रैवेयभूषोज्ज्वला हस्तालंकृतशंखचक्रसुगदापद्मा श्रियै चास्तु नः ॥ ५७ ॥
dhyeyā sā ca sarasvatī bhagavatī pītāṃbarālaṃkṛtā śyāmā śyāmatanurjaroparilasadgātrāṃcitā vaiṣṇavī | tārkṣyasthā maṇinūpurāṃgadalasadgraiveyabhūṣojjvalā hastālaṃkṛtaśaṃkhacakrasugadāpadmā śriyai cāstu naḥ || 57 ||
That Blessed Goddess Sarasvatī is to be meditated upon—adorned in yellow garments, dark-hued with a dark body, bearing the radiant marks of maturity upon her limbs, and established in the Vaiṣṇava nature. Seated upon Tārkṣya (Garuḍa), she shines with jeweled anklets and splendid ornaments upon her limbs and neck; her hands bear the conch, discus, mace, and lotus—may she grant us prosperity and auspicious fortune.
Narada (within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue context)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It functions as a dhyāna-śloka: the devotee is instructed to visualize Sarasvatī as a Vaishnava Goddess, integrating wisdom (Sarasvatī) with Vishnu-centered protection and auspiciousness (śrī).
Bhakti here is practiced through focused remembrance (smaraṇa/dhyāna) using sacred iconography—Garuḍa, conch, discus, mace, and lotus—so the mind rests steadily on the Divine and receives śrī (well-being and grace).
The verse primarily highlights ritual-application knowledge: dhyāna as a preparatory limb of worship (upāsanā) where precise form-description supports mantra-japa and pūjā; it is more aligned with prayoga (ritual procedure) than with technical Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa details.