Lakshmi Puja Ebook - Compressed
Lakshmi Puja Ebook - Compressed
Lakshmi Puja Ebook - Compressed
For Attracting
Your Sacred Beloved, Abundance & Fertility
•
BONUS: For New Couples
Gangaur Pujan (Shiva & Parvati)
•
also
Dipavali (Diwali) rituals for Lakshmi Pujan
2015
Purana Texts tell us that Goddess
MahaLakshmi emerged from the ocean
while it was being churned. Lord Vishnu
had taken his incarnation as a Tortoise
(Kurma 2nd Avatar of Visnu) for the great
Samudra Manthan (churning of the ocean).
Lakshmi / Laxmi is associated with all
water, although we understand the word
‘ocean’ here to mean our galaxy. This
meaning is the same ‘waters’ aka ‘the
firmament’ that was separated from the
waters which are now on earth described
later in the Book of Genesis. Lakshmi from
Hindu worship is analogous with Planet
Venus, Love and Nourishment. The name
Venus is echoed by her parallel in Greek
literature. Shri Lakshmi emerged standing
on a lotus and carrying a lotus in her one
hand and a golden pot in her other hand.
The pot has a continuous overflow of
riches coming out of it. She radiates joy
and bliss. Out of love for all living beings,
protection and preservation being her desire, she chose Visnu as her husband.
Our scriptures also tell us to worship waters in form of rivers and ponds which are
considered holy and are invoked while bathing. Hindu River deities are divine Mothers.
Worship, in the form of offering flowers and bowing your head and praying, reciting
shlokas is only the facade of a true devotee. The real offering is your self. You start out
with things like what you think about, what you eat, what you buy, what you wear, what
you read or watch. Then it becomes a step out in the world, who you associate with,
what you do with your time including your profession. Goddess Mahalakshmi is all-
pervading in all forms of nature therefore we can worship by using our natural resources
wisely. As you become ready, purified by Her Grace, the way to achieve care of
Nature is made known to you according to what your personal and local needs are.
You cannot copy someone elseʼs purity. You cannot gain purity by doing or not doing
certain things out of fear of being unholy. Abstaining from something for the wrong
reason is no better than doing it. You canʼt pretend to be pure; you can only follow the
road map and go at your own speed. The goal is more of an awakening than a
destination. The steps explained here on how to perform puja are intended to evoke and
entrain the devotee to higher consciousness.
Puranas also tell us that She is Chanchala-the restless; that she doesn’t stay at one
place this is very true for water as well as wealth. Wealth that stagnates at one place is
harmful for society. It flows. Just like a river current, flowing, it nourishes different
places at different times, benefiting all beings. that is why we call it currency.
Lakshmi Puja is an important ritual for any unmarried women seeking her mate or
improvement in a marriage and done in all households and temples during Diwali aka
Deepavali. The specifics of the ritual vary from region to region. What I am giving here
is a customizable guide to perform Lakshmi Pujan.
Three forms of Shakti, Durga, Lakshmi, and Sarasvati, along with Ganesh and Kubera
can be worshipped jointly as they all work together.
On the doorstep of your house, draw with Rangoli powder or white chalk 2 small
outlines of feet to represent Goddess Lakshmi entering your home. Put a little kumkum
on them. You can also draw Rangoli (colorful chalk/ powder designs) outside the door.
In the place you have chosen to perform the Puja there should be peace and quiet, use
an altar or place devoted to this one use only and not shared with any mundane tasks.
Make a few simple Rangoli with white powder or with white chalk on the floor
Place the Kailash on the rice, tilak it with the sandalwood, kum kum and akshat – use
your ring finger for making all tilaks
Fill it with 75% water. Place inside of it a Betel Nut, Flower, Clean Coin & some Akshat
(unbroken grains of the rice)
Arrange Mango leaves around the opening of the Kailash, its lid on top holds them there
Draw a Lotus on the lid with the yellow powder (chandan or tumeric)
Place the small murti or photo of Sri Lakshmi on top of that Lotus
Take Achamana and sprinkle water all around (see support materials for the mantras
and how to perform Achamana).
Close your eyes and meditate on OM HRIM SHRIM LAKSHMYAI NAMAH, internally or
out loud chant invoking their energies of the murtis in front of you.
Remove the murti, place on a clean thali and offer the light of the Deepa
OM DEEPAM SAMARPAYAMI, wave in a circle 3 x in front of murti
Bathe the murti with water and the Panchamrit ingredients chanting these mantras:
(coconut mylk)
OM DUGDA CHURNA SAMARPAYAMI
(coconut kefir)
OM AGNEYA SAMARPAYAMI
(and/ or you can offer all 5 mixed together in one wash - Panchamrit)
OM PANCHAMRIT SAMARPAYAMI
(Narmada / Ganga Jal) - Wash the Lakshmi murti with water - pour all the remaining
water washing the murti til clean
OM NARMADAJAL SAMARPAYAMI
Place the Lakshmi murti to the left of the Kailash and on top of the lid which you have
drawn for her to sit on her lotus. If you have the picture with the 3 dieties, the freshly
bathed murti will be in front of her image in the picture. Remember Ganesha’s singular
murti (or if you only have the triple image) - it is on the right – but the others go on the
left of Ganeshji. Remember, your left hand side means to the right side of Ganesh
facing you – think of it as reading a book left to right, the largest Ganesh murti / image
will be on your left hand side, while the others go to the right of Ganesh.
Now place the coconut with the pointed side up into the kailash so that the leaves are
held in place around it. Chant: OM SHRI PHALAM SAMARPAYAMI OM HRIM SHRI
LAKSHMYAI NAMAH
Tilak the coconut and murtis with sandalwood paste using your ring finger and while
chanting, OM CHANDANAM SAMARPAYAMI
Offer whichever you have: Bael Patra OM BAEL PATRA SAMARPAYAMI or Betel OM
TAMBULAM SAMARPAYAMI, flowers OM PUSHPAM SAMARPAYAMI and OM
AKSHATAM SAMARPAYAMI rice grains to Ganesha.
Take some flowers and rice in your right hand cupped with left hand under right, and
close your eyes. Meditate on Lakshmi to invoke her.
Perform Lakshmi Aarti: You may chant and / or recite her Ashtakam, Suktam or Gayatri
or any of her invocations to strengthen the bhav. Any guests may participate in Aarti
and chanting (see support materials and choose your mantras for aarti. Start simple and
after you become skilled at the puja, learn and add the longer mantras and/ or japa)
Offer coins, cumin and coriander in piles in front of the murtis in the picture of the 3
dieties. This offering represents Lord Kubera. OM KUBERAYE NAMAH
Offer flowers and leaves to all murtis above mantras for same may be repeated
Note: The money which is offered during pujas is not spent. All money offered at the
home's deity are put in the donation box at the nearest temple or other needful recipient.
Place some Prasad at the front of the Kailash and in the place where valuables are kept
in the home, if you have account books, also offer Prasad to them, offer prasad to all
present.
This is only a guideline. You have flexibility in the puja process. Not to
worry if you don’t have this or that. Some of the items might not be readily available.
Some substitutions or omissions can be made. If no murtis are available, you will
need minimally, the Kailash and coconut and leaves and as many of the offerings as
possible. This water and vessel represent Sri Lakshmi herself. The prasads should
be given to guests and eaten. The whole assemblage should be dismantled before
morning puja next day. Coins are donated the next day. Any food and puja items
should be fed to cows, birds, composted, tossed in a garden or taken to a river. The
coconut can be given to an esteemed guest or broken for family Prasad - next day.
Diwali Lakshmi Puja Day Morning Rituals before Puja
On the morning of Diwali / Deepavali Lakshmi Puja, there are many rituals done
preceding the actual puja time – beginning from first moments in the morning.
First, before bathing, or drawing any water, tie a marigold flower around the main tap
which brings water to your home, one tap used for bathing, you can also do the same
for any drum which stores water in your home. [do no put any flowers on toilet taps!]
Before sweeping the floor, the broom can be blessed the same.
With chalk, draw a simple lotus flower design on any vessels storing water.
After the traditional ritual bath, put a toran or mala of marigold flowers and mango
leaves just above the main door of your home.
You need not call a priest to perform the Lakshmi puja during Diwali, nor do you need
expensive offerings to perform the Lakshmi Puja. You don't need to have a special room
with temple decor - even a small corner of your home is sufficient for the Lakshmi Puja.
All you need is true faith which comes from the heart.
Diwali is the most auspicious time of year to perform Lakshmi Pujan. Since you may
expect guests during Diwali, you can also expect a mass of footwear at your doorstep (it
is a principle amongst Indian families for guests to leave the footwear outside the door
of a home before entering or keep them just inside the doorway at the side). On the day
of Diwali Lakshmi Puja, though, it is said that footwear should not crowd the doorway.
In order to give Goddess Lakshmi a clean and clear entry, you should ensure that there
is no footwear at the main entry. However, this does not mean that you should make
guests enter from a back door. It is quite possible that one of those guests is a client
/customer come to pay up - in effect, Goddess Lakshmi is entering your home - and so
guests must be welcomed through the front door. Just keep the footwear to the side.
There is a printable Shri Yantra featuring Goddess Lakshmi at the end of the support
materials in this ebook.
For newly married women to assure Saubhagya (marital bliss). For the unmarried to
attract the perfect mate. This is done with the liturgy of the Spring season which
harnesses the power of the Divine Mother in her nature forms.
Gangaur is the festival of monsoon, harvest and fecundity. Women worship and
celebrate the perfect marriage of Gauri aka Parvati and her partner Gan / Lord Shiva.
The name itself is a union – Gan is another name for Shiv and Gauri for Parvati.
Gauri is the personification of the perfect wife, divine excellence and love.
18th day - The first important ritual of the festival is the collecting of ashes from the Holi
fire, mixing with light soil and planting seeds of wheat and barley in it. They are watered
every day until they germinate.
If you are not able to attend Holika, don’t despair. Having some vibhuti or collecting
ashes from your Agnihotra fire will do nicely. Remember to focus your attention on
burning up your own inner demons and pray for release of old karmic debts while you
make your fire and then use those ashes for planting your wheat and barley grass.
11th day - In some towns and villages, and in special temple processions, on the
evening of the 7th day after Holi, unmarried girls go around singing songs of Ghudlia
carrying the pots with a burning lamp inside, on their heads. Ghudlias are earthen pots
with numerous holes all around and a lamp lit inside them. On their way, they collect
small presents of cash, sweets, jaggery, ghee, etc. this continues for 10 days (up to the
conclusion of the Gangaur festivities).
3rd- day before Puja - The festival reaches its climax during the last three days. The
dolls of Gauri and Isvar / Gana are dressed in new garments especially made for the
occasion. Women decorate the dolls with the utmost care.
Night before Puja - At the conclusion of the Gangaur festival, the girls break their
Ghudlias and throw them into the river, well or a tank and enjoys a feast with the loot.
Handmade dolls or Murtis of Parvati (Gauri), Shiva (Gana/Isvar), Kaniram, Rova Bai,
Sova Bai and Malan. Ganesh murti is also customary. Instead of murtis, you can have
or draw a Gangaur chart as pictured on the next page. Gauri is Shiva’s wife (Parvati)
and the others are Shiva’s siblings and son.
Plain white paper, Red cloth, Kum Kum (red vermillion tilak powder), mehndi, kajal
(black eyeliner kohl), rice (akshat), moli (red thread), coins, betel nut, silver ring, a piece
of haldi (fresh tumeric), copper kailash pot with water, whole coconut, plant mylk, a thali
(tray), flowers, green grass (dub, janwara) & Gangaur’s Geet (songs).
It is also customary to make some fried or steamed wheat flour cakes (phals).
A Gangaur Geet song book will be needed to do this fully authentic. Without it, you can
sing songs special to honor women - from any culture.
Women cannot even drink a drop of water before performing this puja. Some women
also observe fast on the last day of Gangaur.
If instead, you are performing this puja at home, set a beautiful decorated container of
water in an auspicious place. No men should be present at the puja until complete.
Following are the steps to perform the actual Gangaur Puja that has been pre-planned
with all the preceding customs, most importantly the wheat grass which you have
grown, it can be placed in front of any goddess murtis in your home.
While performing the puja start singing the Gangaur songs (Geet).
Place the Gangaur dolls on a wooden platform at clean swept place. Or paste the
Gangaur chart (in lieu of dolls) on a wall where you will perform the puja. And paste one
plain white paper near the dolls or next to the chart.
Put Tilak (kumkum & akshat) on your forehead (Ajna chakra) and of all women present.
Now take the tall green grass and break off 7 small sticks from their stems. These sticks
are used as toothbrush (Datun) for the dolls. Take little water with it to each of the idols
and touch them to their mouth. While doing this sing:
Also take out some of the long grasses, keep it in your hand till the puja is done.
Make 7 small dots each of kum kum, mehndi and kohl (kajal) at the plain white paper for
newly wedded women (16 for unmarried girls).
Mix a plant based (vegan) mylk with Ganga or Narmada (holy) water in a copper kailash
and put flowers, coins, a root of fresh turmeric (haldi), a silver ring and a betel nut in it.
Now take out half of the phals which you have offered to the dolls (for Prasad).
The whole procedure is accompanied by singing Gangaur songs. Each day all girl’s &
women assemble at married women’s homes to sing these kathak story songs. (see
support materials)
Now that the Puja is complete, if the women are at the river or at the home of the newly
wed’s parents, the whole family joins them and her husband now comes to bring her
back to his house.
Lakshmi Puja is an important form of worship for Hindu women at various stages in life.
Married women continue to perform Lakshmi Pujan on Diwali and in times of marital
stress. The older married women join the newlyweds to support them in their first
Gangaur after marriage. Diwali and Gangaur are the 2 main festivities for unmarried
women to seek divine help in procuring the perfect mate. These 2 pujas together form a
seasonal and cyclical tribute to Divine Mother in her 2 most popular forms – Lakshmi
and Parvati. The roles of these Divine Archtypes are deeply entrained in the
consciousness of the participants of these festivals.
Support materials:
Gayatri is a mahamantra and adds power to other mantras when they are added to it.
Lakshmi Gayatri mantra is an extremely powerful combination of two great mantras
thereby aiding the devotees to quickly and easily realize the fruits of their prayers.
Sri Maha Lakshmi Ashtakam
This stotra is recited by Indra in praise of goddess Shri Lakshmi; It is written in eight
couplets hence the name “ashtakam”
Indro-uvacha:
Indra utters: Salutations to the universal mother Mahalakshmi who symbolises illusion,
whose place is an abode of prosperity,fortune and bliss and who is worshipped by all
demi-gods.
I bow to the one who is mounted on Garuda/eagle and who destroyed the terrible
Kolhasura; thou destroys all sins.
One who knows all, is ever pervading eliminiates sinners and removes sorrows, I offer
oblations to that Mahalakshmi.
I pray to goddess Mahalakshmi who bestows wealth, bliss knowledge and salvation,
who is all oblations personified.
Goddess Mahalakshmi has no beginning or end whom the concept of time-space can’t
touch, who emerges from yoga and sustains it; I offer my prayer to thee.
Sthula sukshmi mahraudre mahashakti mahodare;
Who covers the whole universe-who is manifested yet is unmanifest, thou is the
eliminator of sins, accept my prostrations.
I bow before Mahalakshmi who is seated in lotus posture who is the supreme element
of this universe and a mother to all beings.
Who is attired in white and is adorned by different types of jewelery, O mother of this
universe my salutations to you.
eka kaale pathe nityam, mahapaap vinaska; dwikalam ya: pathe nityam
dhana dhanya samanvita
Who ever recites this Mahalakshmiashtakam with sincerity and devotion will be
rewarded with all material and spiritual bliss. By reciting it once during the day all your
sins will be destroyed; two times during the day, it’ll make you rich with wealth and if you
recite it third time you’ll be successful in eliminating your enemies however powerful
they are. Goddess Mahalakshmi will bless you forever.
(1-2) Invoke for you O Agni, the Goddess Lakshmi, who shines like gold, yellow in hue,
wearing gold and silver garlands, blooming like the moon, the embodiment of wealth. O
Agni! Invoke for me that unfailing Lakshmi, blessed by whom, I shall win wealth, cattle,
horses and men.
I invoke Shri (Lakshmi, who has a line of horses in her front, a series of chariots in the
middle, who is being awakened by the trumpeting of elephants, who is divinely
resplendent. May that divine Lakshmi grace me. I hereby invoke that Shri (Lakshmi)
who is the embodiment of absolute bliss; who is of pleasant smile on her face; whose
lustre is that of burnished gold; who is wet as it were, who is blazing with splendour, and
is the embodiment of the fulfillment of all wishes; who satisfies the desire of her
votaries; who is seated on the lotus and is beautiful like the lotus.
Souh:
I resort to that Lakshmi for shelter in this world, who is beautiful like the moon, who
shines bright, who is blazing with renown, which is adored (even) by the gods, which is
highly magnanimous, and grand like the lotus. May my misfortunes perish. I surrender
myself to You, O resplendent like the Sun! By your power and glory, plants like the bael
tree have grown up. may the fruits thereof destroy through grace, all inauspiciousness
rising from the inner organs and ignorance as well from the outer senses.
O Lakshmi! I am born in this country with the heritage of wealth. May the friends of Lord
Siva (Kubera, Lord of wealth and Fame), come to me. May these (having take their
abode with me), bestow on me fame and prosperity. I shall destroy the elder sister to
Lakshmi, the embodiment of inauspiciousness and such evil as hunger, thirst and the
like. O Lakshmi! Drive out from my abode all misfortunes and poverty.
I hereby invoke Lakshmi (Shri), whose (main) avenue of perception is the odoriferous
sense (i.e., one who abides mainly in cows); who is incapable of defeat or threat from
anyone; who is ever healthy (with such virtuous qualities as truth); whose grace is seen
abundantly in the refuse of cows (the cows being sacred); and who is supreme over all
created beings. O Lakshmi! May we obtain and enjoy the fulfillment of our desires and
our volitions, the veracity of our speech, the wealth of cattle, the abundance of varieties
of food to eat! May prosperity and fame reside in me.
(11-12) Lakshmi! You have progeny in Kardama. O Kardama, may you reside in me.
Make Mother Shri with garlands of lotuses to have Her abode in my ancestral line. may
the (holy) waters create friendship. O Chiklita (progeny of Shri)! Reside at my home;
and arrange to make Divine Mother Shri stay in my lineage!
Aim Ardám pushkariním pushtim pingalám padma máliním
Chandrám hiran-mayím lakshmím játavedó ma ávaha| (13)
Klīm Ardhám yah kariním yashtim suvarnám hema-máliním
Sūryám hiran-mayím lakshmím játavedó ma ávaha|| (14)
Invoke for me O Agni, that Goddess Lakshmi, who is ever unfailing, being blesses by
whom I shall win wealth in plenty, cattle, servants, horses and men.
We commune ourselves with the Great Goddess, and meditate on the consort of
Vishnu; may that Lakshmi direct us. Om May there be Peace, Peace, Peace.
Lakshmi Gayatri
or
Achamanam generally precedes all Hindu rituals. Mundane daily acts and sleeping are
believed to invalidate one's cleanliness, and achamanam is to be performed in order to
rectify this. These occasions include:
There are various forms of Achamanam depending on which set of Hindu beliefs one
ascribes to and the context within which one is performing the ritual.
GENERAL PROCESS: Water is poured into the cupped palm of the right hand. One
then recites the specific mantra and silently swallows the water from the base of the
thumb. In the smriti form, one recites parts of the Gayatri mantra– for this puja, Lakshmi
Gayatri may be substituted :
Oil: 1 Tbsp
Jaggery : ¼ cup
Water : ¼ cup
Oil to fry
Mix jaggery + water in a pot and boil till sugar to dissolves. Mix flour + oil and rub together. Mix the
jaggery water into the flour mixture as needed and knead to form the dough. The dough has to be firm,
but not too firm; soft, but not too soft, and not overworked. Keep dough aside, covered, for 20 minutes.
Heat the oil on medium heat. While oil heats up, divide the dough into cherry size pieces. Roll each piece
of dough into a ball, pinch the ball with thumb and fingers to give the pyramid like shape. Fry in batches of
8 to 10 “phal” at a time, stir occasionally for even frying on all sides, remove from heat when light brown
and place on paper towel to drain excess oil.
Frying on high heat will make the phals soft the next day, frying on low heat will make them hard enough
to break your teeth. So, fry on medium. They can also be steamed instead of frying.
Gangaur Chart
Gangaur Geet
Badi wala badi khol , badi ki kiwadi khol choriyan aai pujanae (2)
Isar das phool gulab ko , bai gaura . phulwari re. paro ji phool Gulab ko
Isar daas ko kangasio mein mol lesan raaja, Gorra bai ka lamba lamba
kes... kangasio bai kae siran dharo ji raaj
Gor aae Gangaur maat khol kiwadi bahar uubi thari poojan wali .. poojo
aae pooriyan bai kai kain mango ... an manga dhan maanga lagar lichmi...
kankawar so biro managa rai si bhojai.
Pato do pato dho ...bira ki ben pato dho ..pate uper pila paan mein jasan bira ki
jaan...bira ne paranae lasan