Saraswati Vandana (Ya Kundendu)
सरस्वती वंदना (या कुन्देन्दु)
Saraswati Vandana is the traditional Sanskrit prayer to Goddess Saraswati that begins 'Ya Kundendu Tushara Hara Dhavala'. It pictures her white as jasmine, the moon and snow, holding the veena and seated on a white lotus, and asks her to remove all dullness of mind. Students recite it before study and exams, it is sung in school assemblies in many parts of India, and it is said on Vasant (Basant) Panchami.
- 3 verses
- 2 min
- Traditional Sanskrit shlokas
Ya Kundendu Tushara Hara Dhavala Ya Shubhra Vastravritaया कुन्देन्दुतुषारहारधवला या शुभ्रवस्त्रावृता
Ya Veena Vara Danda Mandita Kara Ya Shveta Padmasanaया वीणावरदण्डमण्डितकरा या श्वेतपद्मासना।
Ya Brahmachyuta Shankara Prabhritibhir Devaih Sada Vanditaया ब्रह्माच्युतशंकरप्रभृतिभिर्देवैः सदा वन्दिता
Sa Maam Patu Saraswati Bhagavati Nihshesha Jadyapahaसा मां पातु सरस्वती भगवती निःशेषजाड्यापहा॥
She who is white as jasmine, the moon, snow and a string of pearls; who is clad in white; whose hands are graced by the fine veena; who is seated on a white lotus; who is always revered by Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and the other gods: may that divine Saraswati protect me and remove every trace of dullness from my mind.
- Yashe who
- Kundawhite jasmine flower
- Induthe moon
- Tusharasnow, frost
- Haranecklace (of pearls)
- Dhavalawhite, radiant
- Shubhra Vastravritaclad in white garments
- Veena Vara Dandathe fine stem of the veena
- Mandita Karawhose hands are adorned (by it)
- Shveta Padmasanaseated on a white lotus
- Brahma Achyuta ShankaraBrahma, Vishnu and Shiva
- Prabhritibhihand others
- Devaihby the gods
- Sadaalways
- Vanditarevered, worshipped
- Sashe
- Maamme
- Patumay protect
- Bhagavatithe divine goddess
- Nihsheshaentire, leaving nothing behind
- Jadyapaharemover of dullness
Shuklam Brahma Vichara Sara Paramam Adyam Jagad Vyapinimशुक्लां ब्रह्मविचारसारपरमामाद्यां जगद्व्यापिनीं
Veena Pustaka Dharinim Abhayadam Jadyandhakarapahamवीणापुस्तकधारिणीमभयदां जाड्यान्धकारापहाम्।
Haste Sphatika Malikam Vidadhatim Padmasane Samsthitamहस्ते स्फाटिकमालिकां विदधतीं पद्मासने संस्थिताम्
Vande Tam Parameshvarim Bhagavatim Buddhipradam Sharadamवन्दे तां परमेश्वरीं भगवतीं बुद्धिप्रदां शारदाम्॥
I bow to Sharada, the supreme goddess: pure white, the highest essence of reflection on Brahman, the primordial one who pervades the world; who holds the veena and a book, grants fearlessness and dispels the darkness of dullness; who holds a crystal rosary in her hand and is seated on a lotus; the divine giver of wisdom.
- Shuklamthe white, pure one
- Brahma Vichara Sara Paramamthe supreme essence of contemplation on Brahman
- Adyamthe primordial one
- Jagad Vyapinimwho pervades the world
- Veena Pustaka Dharinimholding the veena and a book
- Abhayadamgiver of fearlessness
- Jadyandhakarapahamdispeller of the darkness of dullness
- Hastein her hand
- Sphatika Malikama crystal rosary
- Vidadhatimholding
- Padmasaneon a lotus seat
- Samsthitamseated
- VandeI bow to
- Tamher
- Parameshvarimthe supreme goddess
- Buddhipradamgiver of wisdom
- SharadamSharada (Saraswati)
Saraswati Namastubhyam Varade Kamarupiniसरस्वति नमस्तुभ्यं वरदे कामरूपिणि।
Vidyarambham Karishyami Siddhir Bhavatu Me Sadaविद्यारम्भं करिष्यामि सिद्धिर्भवतु मे सदा॥
Salutations to you, O Saraswati, giver of boons, who take whatever form you will. I am about to begin my studies; may there always be success for me.
- SaraswatiO Saraswati
- Namastubhyamsalutations to you
- VaradeO giver of boons
- Kamarupiniwho takes any form at will
- Vidyarambhamthe beginning of study
- KarishyamiI shall make
- Siddhirsuccess, fulfilment
- Bhavatumay there be
- Mefor me
- Sadaalways
Complete
You have reached the end of Saraswati Vandana (Ya Kundendu).
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Questions
What is the meaning of 'Ya Kundendu Tushara Hara Dhavala'?
'She who is white as the kunda jasmine, the moon, snow and a pearl necklace.' It is the opening line of the prayer. The verse ends by asking Saraswati to remove all 'jadya', the dullness of the intellect.
When should students recite Saraswati Vandana?
In the morning before study, at the start of the school day, and before exams, music practice or any new learning. Vasant Panchami, Saraswati's own festival, is the biggest day for it. Many families teach children the short shloka 'Saraswati Namastubhyam' first, since it takes only a few seconds.
Who wrote 'Ya Kundendu'?
Nobody knows for certain. It is the first verse of a Saraswati Stotram that tradition attributes to Sage Agastya, and it has been recited for centuries in temples, homes and gurukulas. Today most people know it from school assemblies, and from Hindi and Sanskrit classes abroad.
Does Saraswati Vandana help with studies?
Tradition says that reciting it with attention brings Saraswati's grace for clear thinking and memory. Many students find it calms the mind before they sit down to work. The prayer asks her to remove dullness; the studying is still yours to do.
Is this the same as 'Maa Sharde' or 'Vara de, Veena-vadini'?
No. Those are separate Hindi songs to Saraswati, and many schools sing them too. This page gives the Sanskrit shlokas.
How long does it take?
About two minutes for all three shlokas.
Source and review
Source: Traditional Saraswati shlokas; text cross-checked against Sanskrit Wikisource (सरस्वतीस्तोत्राणि) and sanskritdocuments.org (Shri Sarasvati Stotram, Agastyamuni Proktam, sarasvatiAgastya.itx; and Shri Sarasvati Stuti, sarasstuti.itx)
Shloka 1: sanskritdocuments.org gives both 'सदा पूजिता' and 'सदा वन्दिता'; Wikisource and most recitations use 'वन्दिता', which we follow. Shloka 2: one sanskritdocuments.org text reads 'शुद्धां' for 'शुक्लां'; we follow Wikisource and common recitation. Shloka 3 ('सरस्वति नमस्तुभ्यं') appears as verse 5 of the Agastya stotram and is commonly recited with the vandana. School and devotional song versions such as 'Maa Sharde' or 'Vara de, Veena-vadini' are separate Hindi compositions and are not included.
We checked the text line by line against the sources named here. The meanings are an AI-assisted draft. A scholar has not reviewed them yet.
The meanings are our own first draft. A scholar has not reviewed them yet. If you spot a mistake, please tell us.