OK, can you make sense of all the saraswati verses, when saraswati is a physical river?peter wrote: एकाचेतत्सरस्वती नदीनां शुचिर्यती गिरिभ्य आ समुद्रात्।RV 7.95.2
Pure in her course from the mountains to the oceans,
अम्बितमे नदीतमे देवितमे सरस्वति।
अप्रशस्ता इव स्मसि प्रशस्तिमम्ब नस्कृधि || - RV 2.41.16
Best of mothers, best of rivers, best of goddesses Sarsawati,
we are untrained and ignorant. Give us knowledge and wisdom.
इयं शुष्मेभिर्बिसखा इवारुजत्सानु गिरीणां तविषेभिरूर्मिभिः।
पारावतघ्नीमवसे सुवृक्तिभिः सरस्वतीमा विवासेम धीतिभिः॥ - RV 6.61.2
O Saraswati, your mighty currents break the mountains as easily as lotus stems. Let us invite with holy hymns and songs.
यस्या अनन्तो अह्रुतस्त्वेषश्चरिष्णुरर्णवः।अमश्चरति रोरुवत्॥ - RV 6.61.8
Whose limitless, unbroken flow, swift moving with rapid rush comes forward with a roar.
Below from RV 6.61 on Sarasvati.
[/quote]1. To Vadhryasva when. be worshipped her with gifts she gave fierce Divodāsa, canceller of debts.
Consumer of the churlish niggard, one and all, thine, O Sarasvatī, are these effectual boons.
2 She with her might, like one who digs for lotus-stems, hath burst with her strong waves the ridges of the hills.
Let us invite with songs and holy hymns for help Sarasvatī who slayeth the Paravatas.
3 Thou castest down, Sarasvatī, those who scorned the Gods, the brood of every Bṛsaya skilled in magic arts.
Thou hast discovered rivers for the tribes of men, and, rich in wealth! made poison flow away from them.
4 May the divine Sarasvatī, rich in her wealth, protect us well,
Furthering all our thoughts with might
5 Whoso, divine Sarasvatī, invokes thee where the prize is set,
Like Indra when he smites the foe.
6 Aid us, divine Sarasvad, thou who art strong in wealth and power
Like Pūṣan, give us opulence.
7 Yea, this divine Sarasvatī, terrible with her golden path,
Foe-slayer, claims our eulogy.
8 Whose limitless unbroken flood, swift-moving with a rapid rush,
Comes onward with tempestuous roar.
9 She hath spread us beyond all foes, beyond her Sisters, Holy One,
As Sūrya spreadeth out the days.
10 Yea, she most dear amid dear stream, Seven-sistered, graciously inclined,
Sarasvatī hath earned our praise.
11 Guard us from hate Sarasvatī, she who hath filled the realms of earth,
And that wide tract, the firmament!
12 Seven-sistered, sprung from threefold source, the Five Tribes' prosperer, she must be
Invoked in every deed of might.
13 Marked out by majesty among the Mighty Ones, in glory swifter than the other rapid Streams,
Created vast for victory like a chariot, Sarasvatī must be extolled by every sage.
14 Guide us, Sarasvatī, to glorious treasure: refuse us not thy milk, nor spurn us from thee.
Gladly accept our friendship and obedience: let us not go from thee to distant countries.
I personally do not have an understanding of Shiksha, Vyakarana, Nirukta, Nighantu, Chhanda, Jyotish, Kalpa, etc to make my own determinations and at least two Indian authors steeped into the practices of the system disagree with the Griffith based transliterations used above. I will have to rely on their judgment as over ruling these transliterations of Griffith along with a severe critique of Sayana by both Swami Dayananda Sarasvati and Sri Aurobindo. If you can provide translations of works by those steeped into our traditions with knowledge of the above elements then I am more than willing to read and understand these alternate view points.
The verses to Agni, Indra and who the Dasyus are more absurd.
Added: In the above, what are the chances that Griffith had Poseidon in mind when he enquired on Saraswati and Sayanna told him Saraswati is the lost/mythical river and the goddess has magical powers of learning.