Lakshmi ji

Mahalakshmi · Shri · Kamala · Padma

Day: Friday
5 Mantras
3 Tirth

About

Maa Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth, plenty and good fortune, and the wife of Lord Vishnu. She is also called 'Shri'. Whenever Vishnu ji takes an avatar, Lakshmi ji comes with him: as Sita with Shri Ram and as Rukmini with Shri Krishna. She is worshipped on Fridays, and on Diwali evening almost every home worships her together with Ganesh ji. Homes are cleaned and lamps are lit to welcome her. Devotees pray to her for a happy home that has enough for everyone. Her eight forms, the Ashtalakshmi, are also widely worshipped.

The story

Once the sage Durvasa gave Indra, the king of the devas, a garland of flowers. Indra placed it on the head of his elephant Airavat, who threw it to the ground. Hurt by this disrespect, the sage said that Indra's fortune would leave him. Then Lakshmi, the goddess of fortune, went away and hid in the ocean, and the devas grew weak.

On Lord Vishnu's advice, the devas and the asuras agreed to churn the ocean of milk together. Mount Mandar became the churning rod and the serpent Vasuki the rope. When the mountain began to sink, Vishnu ji took the form of a great tortoise (Kurma) and held it up on his back. First a deadly poison, halahal, came up, and Shiv ji drank it to save the world. Then, one by one, many treasures rose from the ocean.

Among them Maa Lakshmi appeared, seated on a lotus with a lotus in her hand. The great elephants of the four directions bathed her with holy water from golden pots, and all the worlds were filled with joy. Lakshmi ji looked at everyone, then placed a garland of fresh lotuses around Lord Vishnu's neck and chose him as her husband forever. With her return, good fortune came back to the three worlds. Because she rose from the sea, she is also called the daughter of the ocean.

How they are shown

Maa Lakshmi sits or stands on a pink lotus and holds lotuses in her hands. The lotus blooms in muddy water yet stays clean, so it teaches us to keep our heart pure whatever our surroundings. Her four hands are seen as the four aims of life: dharma, artha, kama and moksha. One hand gives blessings and gold coins flow from another, showing her generosity. The elephants beside her (Gaja Lakshmi) stand for rain and good harvests. Some pictures also show an owl with her.

How to worship

Day

Friday

Offerings

Kheer, mishri, white sweets and fruit; kheel-batashe on Diwali; a lotus or red and pink flowers

How

Keep the home and the puja place clean. On Friday evening, light a ghee diya before Maa Lakshmi's picture and offer red or pink flowers (a lotus if you can find one), kumkum and rice grains. Chant 'Om Shreem Mahalakshmyai Namah' 108 times, then sing the aarti 'Om Jai Lakshmi Mata' and offer kheer or mishri. On Diwali evening, Lakshmi ji is worshipped along with Ganesh ji and lamps are lit all over the home. Above all, thank her for what you already have.