Laxmi Puja

Introduction

Laxmi Puja is the Aaradhana of Goddess Maha Laxmi. Devi Laxmi gets her name from the Sanskrit word Lakshya which means ‘goal’. She is the Goddess of wealth, fortune and prosperity, on a material as well as a spiritual level. She is the consort of Lord Vishnu and one of the three Tridevis along with Devi Saraswati and Devi Gauri. She is also referred to as Adi Parashakti or Param Prakruti.

Significance of Laxmi Puja

Laxmi Maata is an embodiment of power and intelligence as she holds the abhay mudra and gyaan mudra in her right hands. Her left hands hold a pot of wealth depicting what she can bestow upon a person. Hence, her four hands signify dharma, kaama, artha and moksha. One can see her radiate with a beautiful golden complexion in all her depictions. Being the Goddess of wealth, she adorns gold ornaments and is draped in a regal red saree. She is always accompanied by an elephant on each side, spraying water, which denotes purity, wisdom and a force of spiritual happiness.

Laxmi is commonly worshipped on the Amavasya night on Diwali. Another common Laxmi Puja is known as the Ashta Laxmi Puja. This Puja refers to praying to the eight divine forms of Devi Laxmi. Apart from this, Maha Laxmi is also worshipped during Navratri on the 4th, 5th and 6th Day which are dedicated to her. The prayers are meant to invoke Laxmi Maata’s blessings so as to heal people from financial troubles and/or bless them with the right and ethical knowledge.

Benefits of Performing a Laxmi Puja

Any Laxmi Puja which is done with complete devotion blesses the believer with material and spiritual riches, removes obstacles and provides fulfillment in the different areas in life. Praying to each of the Ashta Laxmi provides specific benefits or reliefs like -

• Prayers to Devi Dhan Lakshmi – Devotee is blessed with money and riches.
• Prayers to Devi Gaja Lakshmi – Devotee is blessed with mobile properties i.e. vehicles.
• Prayers to Devi Adi Lakshmi – Devotee is blessed with endless prosperity.
• Prayers to Devi Vijay Lakshmi – Devotee is blessed with victory and courage.
• Prayers to Devi Dhairya Lakshmi – Devotee is blessed with patience and objectivity.
• Prayers to Devi Dhaanya Lakshmi – Devotee is blessed with food, nourishment and health.
• Prayers to Devi Vidya Lakshmi – Devotee is blessed with knowledge.
• Prayers to Devi Santan Lakshmi – Devotee is blessed with children and family.

Thus, performing a Laxmi Puja helps protect a true devotee from failures, poverty, hunger, debts, loss of wealth and financial crunches and difficulties.

Occasions to Perform a Laxmi Puja

• One of the biggest Laxmi Puja is done on Diwali night.
• Also one can perform an Ashta Laxmi Puja after deciding on the right muhurat.
• Maa Laxmi is also worshipped during the Navratris as Durga Lakshmi.
• Apart from that people pray to her during the fortnight-long Mahalaxmi Vrat that falls in August-September. One can observe a Laxmi Vrat every Friday or even pray to her every day as the case may be!

Laxmi Puja Vidhi

• One should place the murti or picture of Devi Laxmi on a wooden plank known as chauki.
• Before placing the murti or picture, cover the chauki with a clean white cloth.
• Devi Laxmi should then be adorned with a red and gold dupatta.
• Place a handful of rice on the North East side of the place of the Puja and place a copper Kalash on it. The Kalash should contain water and a few coins. It should then be covered using 5 mango leaves and a coconut. The coconut should be wrapped in a red cloth. The Kalash should be decorated using swastikas made out of a paste of kumkum and water.
• Light diyas and agarbattis.
• Offer bhog Prasad along with fruits to Laxmi Maata.
• Then offer flowers at the feet of Maa Laxmi.
• One can also tie a thread around their wrist that has 16 knots.
• One should then sing Maata’s Aartis and chant her mantras 108 times with a rosary.

Shubh Mahurat for Laxmi Puja

• Mahalaxmi Vrat-9th to 23rd September 2016
• Diwali –30th October 2016
• Vasant Navratri in 2016 falls between 8th till 16th . Maha Laxmi Avataar of Maa Shakti should be meditated and worshipped from 11th till 13th April 2016.
• Shardiya Navratri falls between 1st till 10th Oct 2016. Three days, i.e. 4th, 5th and 6th Oct, are dedicated to Maha Laxmi.

The most auspicious time to begin any Puja is Abhijit Muhurat during the day, which falls just 20 minutes before the midday. The midday is arrived at by confirming both the sunrise and sunset timings for a given day.