Veena is one of the three celestial musical instruments, having references from vedic times (along with Flute and Mridangam) . The fact that Saraswathi, the Goddess of arts, is always identified with Veena, only symbolises that Music (synonymous with Veena) has primary importance among all forms of fine arts.

In this article, I am endeavouring to cite some references from scriptures and literature to manifest the fact how divine this musical instrument is.

Sage Narada, who is believed to have blessed St. Thyagaraja with his treatise on Sangeetha Shastra (St. Thyagaraja has acknowledged the Teacher status of Narada by Guruswamy) was himself an exponent in Veena and played one called Mahathi. It is interesting to note that the scriptures and puranas have called the Veena by various names. Saraswathi's Veena has been referred to by names like Vipanchee, Vatchabee, Vallakee etc. Vishvavasu's Veena has been called as Bruhati and Tumburu's as Kalavathi.

Legends have it that Sage Agastya was also a Veena exponent and once had a competition with Ravana in Veena, wherein Maha Meru stood in judgement.

Lankeswaran Ravana, who was highly musically inclined, was also an accomplished Veena player. As per a legend, to appease Lord Siva, he once cut one of his heads and also his body nerves, made a Veena and played Samaganam. So much was his love for the instrument that he had Veena in his flag and was called "Veenaikodiyon".

In Soundarya Lahari's Sloka 66 there is a beautiful anecdote which goes on like this: Goddess Saraswathi is "singing " praise of Pasupathi in her Veena (it is said that when Saraswathi plays the Veena, one gets to hear the lyrical form itself and that is why the word "singing" in used-gaayanthee ) in the presence of Devi Parvathi, who at an exhilarated moment vocally exclaims at the beauty of the music. That simple exclamatory Aaha! of Devi is sweeter than the music itself making Saraswathi to simply blush and stop playing and She even silently wraps up her instrument!(Vipachyaa gaayanthee).

In Lalitha Sahasranamam, Lord Hayagreeva refers to the same incident in Sloka 11, by saying "Nijasallaba mathurya vinirbarthsitha kachabee".

Mahakavi Kalidasa is believed to have commenced his poetic streaks with his famous "Manikya veenam upalalayantheem". Also in his Navaratnamala, he has mentioned that parasakthi was playing Veena "Sarigamapadani rathaam tham veena sankraantha kaantha hasthaanthaam". There are five references to the Veena in that sloka of 9 verses. In Rajarajeswari Ashtakam, Adi Sankara has mentioned "veenavenu vinotha mandithakara veerasanaa samsthithaa".

Interestingly, though we always refer to Goddess Saraswathi as the custodian of the Arts, (Aayakalaigal aruppthu naangu) Mahaans like Adi Sankara, Kalidasa, Abirami Bhattar etc. have identified Parasakthi herself as the supreme commander of all forms of Fine Arts, amply demonstrated by God Hayagreeva, who in Lalitha Sahasranamam, calls Her "Chathushshashti kalamayee"(personification of 64 art forms).

Coming to Tamil, perhaps the early reference can be traced to Tirukkural in verses 66 & 279, wherein the pure tamil word (Yaazh) is used to refer to the Veena.

"Kuzhal inidhu Yaazh inidhu enbar tham makkal Mazhalai choll kelaadhavar – Kanai kodidhu Yaazhkoodu sevvidu aanganna vinaipadu paalaal kolal".

In Abirami anthathi, in song No 70, Bhattar extols the beauty of Parasakthi who is seen by him, among other things, "veenaiyum kaiyyum".

We have Appar, who wrote "Masil veenaiyum maalai madhiyamum" to refer to the blemishless Veena music, along with things like the twilight moon, gentle breeze, lily pond etc as the forms of bliss that one can get at the feet of the Lord.

The same Appar has also mentioned that Lord Siva himself is adept at the instrument in another of his poems. ( Em Irai nal veenai vasikkumme )

Lately, of course, Bharathiyar has sung "Nalladoor veenai sayde" and also when he sang in praise of Saraswathi, he wrote "Vellai thaamarai poovil iruppal – veenai seyyum oliyil iruppal".