Saraswati: The Forgotten Goddess of Intelligence in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

This month we celebrated two major festivals, Sankranti and Republic Day. But wait, there was one more! Basant Panchami, the day we worship Maa Saraswati, a goddess of intelligence, knowledge, learning, arts, and music. This was on 23rd January.

Now check your WhatsApp. Look at all the groups you are a part of. Go through them and check for wishes from your friends and family. In the four groups that I was in (which included people from all parts of the country), I saw just one message in one group and none in the other three groups. Individually, except for one, no other friend sent me wishes or flyers. I am specifically talking about those who make it a point to either wish or send a flyer for every festival.

Now compare this with Sankranti and Republic Day. I am sure you were flooded with wishes, flyers and forwards!

Why is it that when we are actually living in what we call the “Intelligence economy,” that we do not wish each other on the very day we have dedicated to the most revered symbol of intelligence in our tradition?

While other polytheistic traditions in the past had gods for knowledge and skills, we are the ones who have kept this tradition alive to this date. For us, Maa Saraswati represents vak and viveka. Through rituals like Aksharabhyasam, we initiate our children into learning. And yet, Maa Saraswati is not active in our social consciousness or our WhatsApp groups!

Meanwhile, we are increasingly becoming reliant on AI, outsourcing our intelligence in order to boost our productivity. The collateral damage is that we are fast losing our ability to think on our own. Our first reaction to solve any problem is to reach out to ChatGPT. Fortunately, while AI can process more data and do it much faster, it is our ability to connect ideas, understand the context, and then make judgements that still sets us apart. The true meaning of Saraswati is therefore viveka, or our ability to discern. This uniquely human capability is something we must always nurture and wish for others to also do so.

Ten years ago, I had written “Why You Should Seek Saraswati’s Blessings on Deepavali.” https://swarajyamag.com/business/why-you-should-seek-saraswatis-blessings-on-deepavali This was in the context of knowledge being the primary source of wealth. Now I believe we should seek her blessings on the day actually dedicated to her, Basant Panchami, not just because she is the primary source of wealth but more importantly because she represents viveka a much needed quality in the age of AI.

Hoping to see more flyers and more viveka in 2027!

 

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