Devi Bhagavatam 9.5.16 — Devotion & Grace of the Goddess, Skandha 9, Adhyaya 5, Shloka 16

Skandha 9, Adhyaya 5: Yajnavalkya's Hymn to Goddess Saraswati

Devanagari script

उवाच स तां स्तौहि वाणीमिष्टां प्रजापते । स च तुष्टाव तां ब्रह्मा चाज्ञया परमात्मनः

Transliteration

uvāca sa tāṃ stauhi vāṇīmiṣṭāṃ prajāpate .

sa ca tuṣṭāva tāṃ brahmā cājñayā paramātmanaḥ

Translation

Baginda (Krishna) bersabda, 'Wahai Prajapati, pujilah Vani (Saraswati) yang engkau inginkan.' Dan Brahma memujinya atas perintah Roh Yang Maha Agung.

Word by Word

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Action
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac
• Form: Lit (Perfect), 3rd Person, Singular

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Subject
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: tad
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• tām: her
• tām: Object
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: tad
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• stauhi: praise
• stauhi: Action
• Type: Verb
• Root: stu
• Form: Lot (Imperative), 2nd Person, Singular

• vāṇīm: Saraswati
• vāṇīm: Object
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāṇī
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• iṣṭām: desired
• iṣṭām: Attribute
• Type: Adjective
• Root: iṣ
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular (Kta Pratyaya)

• prajāpate: O Lord of creatures
• prajāpate: Address
• Type: Noun
• Root: prajāpati
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• tuṣṭāva: praised
• tuṣṭāva: Action
• Type: Verb
• Root: stu
• Form: Lit (Perfect), 3rd Person, Singular

• brahmā: Brahma
• brahmā: Subject
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ājñayā: by the command
• ājñayā: Instrumental
• Type: Noun
• Root: ājñā
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• paramātmanaḥ: of the Supreme Soul
• paramātmanaḥ: Possession
• Type: Noun
• Root: paramātman
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

Sage Yajnavalkya

Shakti Theology

Devi Form: Sarasvati

Mahavidya Connection: Matangi

Shakti Manifestation: Vani (Goddess of Speech)

Tattva Discussed: Vidya

Devi Narrative

Demon Antagonist: null

Devi Weapon Used: null

Narrative Source: null

Story Arc Position: setup

Tantra Dimension

Mantra Referenced: null

Yantra Referenced: null

Kundalini Element: null

Chakra Referenced: Vishuddha

Tantric Practice Type: null

Bhakti & Stuti

Stuti Type: Stotra

Recitation Occasion: Daily

Phala Shruti: null

Devotee Offering Stuti: Brahma

Cosmic Feminine

Maya Aspect: Vidya-Maya

Creation Role: Source of knowledge for creation

Shakti Philosophy: Shakta Advaita

Relation To Brahman: Acts by command of Paramatman

Vyasa-Janamejaya Dialogue

Narrator: Narayana

Listener: Narada

Dialogue Context: Glory of Sarasvati

Narrative Layer: embedded

Ritual Context

Text: Illustrates that even the gods must perform Stuti (praise) to activate the specific Shaktis required for their cosmic functions.

Philosophical Significance

Text: The masculine divine (Krishna/Paramatman) directs the creator (Brahma) to the feminine divine (Vani) for the power of expression, showing the interdependence of Purusha and Prakriti.

Characters & Entities

• Krishna (Paramatman)
• Prajapati (Brahma)
• Vani (Sarasvati)

FAQs

What advice did Lord Krishna give to Brahma?

Krishna advised Brahma (Prajapati) to praise and invoke his desired Goddess of Speech, Vani (Sarasvati).

Why did Brahma pray to Sarasvati?

He prayed to her following the direct command of the Supreme Soul (Paramatman/Krishna) in order to overcome his inability to speak the truth.