This article is about the goddess. For the music album, see
Osamu Kitajima Statue of Benzaiten with a torii on her head
Benzaiten (弁才天, 弁財天) is the Japanese name for the Hindu goddess
Saraswati. Worship of Benzaiten arrived in Japan during the 6th
through 8th centuries, mainly via the Chinese translations of
the Sutra of Golden Light, which has a section devoted to her.
She is also mentioned in the Lotus Sutra and often depicted
holding a biwa, a traditional Japanese lute, in contrast to
Saraswati who holds a stringed instrument known as a veena.
Benzaiten is a highly syncretic entity with both a Buddhist and
a Shinto side. Transfer from India to Japan  Referred to as
Sarasvatî Devî in Sanskrit (meaning "Goddess Saraswati"),
Benzaiten is the goddess of everything that flows: water, words,
speech, eloquence, music and by extension, knowledge. The
original characters used to write her name read "Biancaitian" in
Chinese and "Bensaiten" in Japanese (辯才天) and reflect her role
as the goddess of eloquence. Because t