Why does the author pray to Goddess Saraswati in Chapter 1, and what attributes are ascribed to her?

The author invokes Goddess Saraswati in Chapter 1 because her grace is considered indispensable for any literary work. The text emphasizes this by asking rhetorically how the book could possibly be written without the blessing of the 'Goddess of Speech and Mother of the World'. The author prays for her to make him an instrument to share the nectar of Sai's life. As described in Chapter 1, her attributes include holding the Brahma-veena, having red vermillion on her forehead, riding a swan, and wearing white clothes. Significantly, the chapter equates Sai with her, stating, "Sai himself is Goddess Saraswati, holding the Omkara-veena in hand, singing his own life story for the salvation of his devotees."