(T) Stories of Sarasvati
Once Lord Brahma was attending a yajna (sacrifice). It is traditional that for a married man his wife should always sit next to him during the yajna, otherwise it won’t bear fruit. Additionally, yajnas were only expected to be successful if started at an auspicious moment, as determined by the respective positions of the planets in the sky at the beginning. Naturally (as cleanliness is important in Hinduism), all attendees should be freshly bathed and dressed in new cloth.
On this occasion, Brahma’s wife, Sarasvati, was absorbed in decorating herself whilst her husband waited impatiently. The brahmin priests informed Brahma that the auspicious time was about to pass. Brahma consulted the other deities present and they agreed that the opportunity could not be lost. Together they fashioned another wife for Brahma, so that his sacrificial performance could be successful. She was called Gayatri.
Sarasvati arrived, well decorated, if not a little late, and was furious to see another woman sitting next to her husband. She cursed Brahma that he could only be worshipped in one place, called Pushkar.