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Upanishads · Sarasvatīrahasya 3.2
॥
Devanāgarī
नमस्ते शारदे देवि काश्मीरपुरवासिनि । त्वामहं प्रार्थये नित्यं विद्यादानं च देहि मे
Transliteration (IAST)
namaste śārade devi kāśmīrapuravāsini | tvāmahaṃ prārthaye nityaṃ vidyādānaṃ ca dehi me
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
नमः ते शारदे देविnamaḥ te śārade devihomage to you, O goddess Śāradā
काश्मीर-पुर-वासिनिkāśmīra-pura-vāsinidwelling in the Kashmiri city
त्वाम् अहं प्रार्थये नित्यंtvām ahaṃ prārthaye nityaṃyou I entreat always
विद्या-दानं च देहि मेvidyā-dānaṃ ca dehi meand give me the gift of knowledge
Translation
Homage to you, O goddess Śāradā, dwelling in the Kashmiri city! You I entreat always: give me the gift of knowledge.
Version
49bb35d415e8 · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
It is worth noting the name Śāradā and the indication of place: kāśmīra-pura-vāsini, "dwelling in the Kashmiri city." This is a reference to Śāradā-pīṭha, the famous sanctuary of Sarasvatī in Kashmir, one of the chief centers of Indian learning in the Middle Ages. People went there for scholarly degrees; and it is said Rāmānuja went there for a copy of one book.
This detail matters for the Vaiṣṇava reading, for it dates the verse: it was composed when Śāradā-pīṭha was renowned, that is, no earlier than the eighth or ninth century. That is, this part of the book is a medieval hymn, not an ancient upaniṣad; and we say this without reproach, for the hymn is fine. Let us add what is worth noting in the request itself.
What is asked is vidyā-dāna, "the gift of knowledge"; and the word dāna means precisely gift, alms. That is, knowledge is asked for as a charity, not as something earned. The Vaiṣṇava side holds this as her constant turn of phrase; and that one asks kṛpayā, "by grace," not by the teacher's obligation, was discussed when reading the Jābāli (3).
Let us add what is worth keeping: knowledge asked for as a gift is also received differently; one who has received it as a gift does not consider himself entitled to trade in it.