कठ-मैत्रायणीय-सरस्वती

वेश-भगिनी

The kaTha tradition has a peculiar sarasvatI devatA known as veshabhaginI, sister of the folks, associated with the agni gR^ihapati& prastara grass bundle rite. The maitrAyaNIya-s call her veshayaminI, the subduer of folks, in addition. These are absent in the taittirIya.

स्वाहा सरस्वत्यै
वेशभगिन्यै स्वाहा ॥
या सरस्वती वेशभगिनी
तस्या नो रास्व
तस्यास् ते भक्तिवानो भूयास्म
यज्ञस्य त्वा प्रमयाभिमयोन्मया प्रतिमया परिगृह्णामि
वेदोऽसि
वित्तिरसि
वेदसे त्वा
वेदो मे विन्द
विदेय ॥

घृतवन्तं कुलायिनं रायस्पोषँ सहस्रिणम् ।
वेदो वाजं ददातु मे वेदो वीरं ददातु मे ॥
वृषा वृषण्वतीभ्यो वेदपत्नीभ्यो भव ॥

Hail to Sarasvati!
To the sister of the folks hail!
She who is Sarasvati, the sister of the folks, from her may we be enriched;
May we obtain from her may those portions.
I take hold of you (the straw bundle) the measure, the length, height and breadth of the sacrifice.
You are the acquisition; you are the gain; for gaining you, acquisition for me, winning may I gain.

Rich in ghee, with increasing prosperity and nest-progeny, a thousandfold.
May the gain give me vigor;
may the gain give me virility.
May you be the virile one for the mares and and dames of gain.

Triadic forms

The three forms of aditi and the 3 of sarasvatI as per the yajuSh tradition

अदित्यै स्वाहा । अदित्यै मह्यै स्वाहा । अदित्यै सुमृडीकायै स्वाहा ॥
सरस्वत्यै स्वाहा । सरस्वत्यै पावकायै स्वाहा । सरस्वत्यै बृहत्यै स्वाहा ॥

Other triadic forms

पूष्णे स्वाहा । पूष्णे प्रपथ्याय स्वाहा। पूष्णे नरंधिषाय स्वाहा ॥
त्वष्ट्रे स्वाहा । त्वष्ट्रे तुरीपाय स्वाहा ।त्वष्ट्रे पुरुरूपाय स्वाहा ॥
विष्णवे स्वाहा । विष्णवे निखुर्यपाय स्वाहा । विष्णवे निभूयपाय स्वाहा ॥

Mynah and parrot

सरस्वत्यै शारिः पुरुषवाक् । सरस्वते शुकः पुरुषवाक् ॥

The binding of a mynah and a parrot talking human speech for sarasvatI in the maitrAyaNIya shruti. Brings to mind the gruesome ritual (for modern H sensibilities) in the atharvaNIya upanayana.