View source for Religion:Vidyā

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{{Infobox Given Name Revised
| name = Vidya
| image= saraswati.jpg
| imagesize= 300px
| caption= Sarasvati, the Goddess of Vidya (knowledge)
| pronunciation= Vid-yah
| gender = Unisex
| meaning = ''clarity'', ''true knowledge''
| region =  {{wipe|India}}
| origin = India
| related names =
| footnotes =
| wikt=
}}

'''Vidyā''' or '''Vidhya''' means "correct [[Philosophy:Knowledge|knowledge]]" or "clarity" in several South Asian languages such as [[Social:Sanskrit|Sanskrit]], [[Social:Pali|Pali]] & [[Social:Sinhala language|Sinhala]]. Vidyā is also a popular Indian unisex given name. The [[Social:Indonesian language|Indonesian]] transliteration of the name is  '''Widya'''.

In [[Religion:Hinduism|Hinduism]], it is frequently used as an [[Social:Honorific|honorific]] implying the Puranic conception of knowledge and learning. The opposite of vidyā is [[Philosophy:Avidya (Hinduism)|avidyā]] (ignorance or misinformation). ''Vidya'' is an epithet of the Hindu [[Philosophy:Goddess|goddess]] Sarasvati, consort of [[Religion:Brahma|Brahma]] (according to Hindu beliefs). She has superior spiritual feminine energy&mdash;the Param Prakriti&mdash;which purifies, empowers, and uplifts the individual. Hence, she is called the Goddess of Knowledge.

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