What is the Japanese name of the goddess Saraswati?
Q: What is the Japanese name of the goddess Saraswati?
A: The Japanese name of the goddess Saraswati is Benzaiten (弁才天, 弁財天).
Q: How did worship of Benzaiten arrive in Japan?
A: Worship of Benzaiten arrived in Japan mainly through Chinese translations of the Sutra of Golden Light during the 6th to 8th centuries.
Q: What does her Sanskrit name mean?
A: Her Sanskrit name, "Sarasvatî Devî", means "flowing water".
Q: Why is Benzaiten associated with words, speech and music?
A: Because her Sanskrit name translates to "flowing water", Benzaiten became associated with anything that flows, including words, speech and music.
Q: How did she become a protector of people in Japan?
A: Through the Sutra of Golden Light, she became a protector of people in Japan.
Q: How is she linked to snakes and dragons in Japan?
A: In the Rig-Veda (6.61.7), Sarasvati killed the three-headed snake Vritra which likely contributed to her close link with snakes and dragons in Japan.
Q: Where is there a shrine dedicated to her?
A: There is a shrine dedicated to Benzaiten on Enoshima Island located 50 kilometers south Tokyo in Sagami Bay.
