Lakshmi Puja is a highly auspicious Hindu ritual dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, prosperity, fortune, and abundance. It is primarily performed during Diwali, the festival of lights, but is also observed on Fridays and during other special occasions.
🕉️ Spiritual Significance
Goddess Lakshmi symbolizes material and spiritual prosperity, purity, and generosity. Worshipping her is believed to bring wealth, success, happiness, and peace into the home and life. Lakshmi Puja is performed to invite her blessings for financial stability and overall well-being.
🙏 Lakshmi Puja Rituals
- Preparation:
- Cleanliness is essential; homes and puja areas are cleaned and decorated with rangoli, flowers, and lamps (diyas).
- A Kalash (sacred pot) is placed, symbolizing auspiciousness.
- Invocation of Goddess Lakshmi:
- The puja begins with Ganesh Puja to remove obstacles, followed by the invocation of Goddess Lakshmi.
- The Shri Sukta or Lakshmi Stotra is chanted to praise and invite the goddess.
- Offerings (Naivedya):
- Devotees offer fruits, sweets (especially ladoos and kheer), rice, coconut, betel leaves, flowers (lotus, marigold), and coins.
- Special sweets like puran poli, halwa, or modaks may also be included.
- Lighting Diyas and Incense:
- Lighting lamps symbolizes dispelling darkness and inviting divine light and blessings.
- Incense sticks and camphor are burned during the aarti.
- Aarti and Bhajans:
- Devotional songs and aarti are performed in praise of Goddess Lakshmi.
- Devotees chant mantras such as:
- “Om Shreem Mahalakshmiyei Namah”
- “Om Hreem Shreem Lakshmibhyo Namah”
- Distribution of Prasad:
- After the puja, the offered food (prasad) is shared among family members and guests.
🌼 Message of Lakshmi Puja
Lakshmi Puja inspires devotees to seek abundance through purity, devotion, and righteousness. It reminds us that true wealth is a combination of material prosperity and spiritual richness, and encourages generosity, gratitude, and humility.
