sarasvatī sūkta

The following 3 riks form "sarasvatī sūkta". Some people add one more rik to this, which also I am giving at the end.

ऋषि - मधुच्छन्दा वैश्वामित्रः। छन्द: - गायत्री । दॆवता - सरस्वती

ṛṣi - madhucchandā vaiśvāmitraḥ| chanda: - gāyatrī | devatā - sarasvatī

पावका नस्सरस्वती
वाजेभिर् वाजिनीवती
यज्ञम् वष्टु धियावसुः --१. ०३. १०

pāvakā nassarasvatī
vājebhir vājinīvatī
yajñam vaṣṭu dhiyāvasuḥ --1. 03. 10

May sarasvatī, who purifies, who is bestower of food (havis of the sacrifices), and who also causes the wealth arising out of karma (duty, work), come to our sacrifice with the food to be given to the worshippers.

चोदयित्री सूनृतानाम्
चेतन्ती सुमतीनाम्
यज्ञम् दधे सरस्वती --१. ०३. ११

codayitrī sūnṛtānām
cetantī sumatīnām
yajñam dadhe sarasvatī --1. 03. 11

May sarasvatī who impels people to speak truth, and induces the good people to follow the right path, protect our sacrifices (yajnas).

महो अर्‌णस्सरस्वती
प्र चेतयति केतुना
धियो विश्वा वि राजति --१. ०३. १२

maho ar–ṇassarasvatī
pra cetayati ketunā
dhiyo viśvā vi rājati --1. 03. 12

sarasvatī who in her form of the flowing river gives us plenty of water. She illuminates the intellect of those who perform good deeds (yajnas).

In respect of the above sUktas, sAyaNAcArya says that sarasvatī has two forms, the 'vigraha' and the river; the first and the second riks describe her as vigraha, while the third refers to her nadī form.

The fourth rik which is seen included in 'sarasvatī sūktam' is given below:

ऋषि - भरद्वाजः बार्हस्पत्यः । छन्दः - गायत्री । दॆवता - सरस्वती

ṛṣi - bharadvājaḥ bārhaspatyaḥ | chandaḥ - gāyatrī | devatā - sarasvatī


प्रणो देवी सरस्वती
वाजेभिर्वाजिनीवती
धीनामवित्र्यवतु --६. ६१. ०४

praṇo devī sarasvatī
vājebhirvājinīvatī
dhīnāmavitryavatu --6. 61. 04

May sarasvatī, who is bounteous, giver of plentiful food and guardian of those who meditate on (worship) her, protect (satisfy) us.

The 14 ṛks in this sūkta (6.61) are about sarasvatī. There are about 50 references to sarasvatī in the ṛgveda, it is stated. (http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Vedic_Sarasvati_River).

These references to the (river) sarasvatī are of crucial importance in the debate on Aryan invasion (immigration) theory. Those who support that the vedic Aryans originated in the sub-continent itself, rely on the nadī sūkta (R.V.10.75) viz.,

ऋषि: - सिन्धुक्षित् प्रैयमॆधः । छन्दः - जगती । दॆवता - नद्यः

ṛṣi: - sindhukṣit praiyamedhaḥ | chandaḥ - jagatī | devatā - nadyaḥ

इमम् मे गंगे यमुने सरस्वति
शुतुद्रिस्तोमँ सचता परुष्ण्या
असिक्न्या मरुद्वृधे वितस्त
यार्जीकीये शृणुह्या सुषोमया --१०. ७५. ०५

imam me gaṃge yamune sarasvati
śutudristomam̐ sacatā paruṣṇyā
asiknyā marudvṛdhe vitasta
yārjīkīye śṛṇuhyā suṣomayā --10. 75. 05

Since the rivers are cited from the easternmost (gangA) westwards, those who support the "autochthonous aryan" hypothesis, state that this is ample proof of the aryans having started from the east, near Ganga and going westwards. Those opposed to this view say that this nadī sūkta appears in book X which is one of the late compilations as compared to the "family books" which was mentioned in the introduction, and hence it has to be inferred that the ṛgvedic people did not initially know about Ganga but came to know about it only in later stages, etc. (Of, course these are only part of the argument for and against the ṛgvedic people coming from the NW of India.)