💫 Lakshmi Pooja

(Festival of Wealth and Prosperity – Worship of Goddess Lakshmi)

🌟 Introduction:

Lakshmi Pooja is performed to honor Goddess Lakshmi, the consort of Lord Vishnu and the embodiment of Shri (divine prosperity, beauty, and abundance). This pooja is most popularly celebrated on Amavasya (new moon) of Kartika month (October–November), during the festival of Diwali.

It is believed that on this sacred night, Maa Lakshmi visits every home that is clean, well-lit, and filled with sincere devotion, blessing the inhabitants with wealth, good fortune, and spiritual grace.

🕉️ Spiritual Significance:

  • Lakshmi means “goal” or “aim”, representing all forms of prosperity—material, mental, and spiritual.
  • The pooja removes poverty consciousness, brings clarity in financial matters, and invokes abundance in dharmic living.
  • The lights and prayers dispel darkness (ignorance, fear) and welcome divine light and joy.

🙏 Purpose of Lakshmi Pooja:

  • To invite and honor the Goddess of wealth and well-being.
  • To purify financial karma, remove debts, and invite opportunities.
  • To offer gratitude for all forms of abundance — health, home, harmony, and happiness.
  • To sanctify the home as a space of divine energy and peace.

🛕 Lakshmi Pooja Vidhi (Ritual Procedure)

🌺 1. Preparations:

  • Clean the house thoroughly — “Cleanliness is next to Lakshmi”.
  • Decorate the entrance with rangoli, torans, diyas, and flowers.
  • Create a pooja altar with:
    • Idol or picture of Goddess Lakshmi (seated on a lotus)
    • Kalash (a copper/silver pot filled with water, mango leaves, coconut)
    • Coins, jewelry, grains (especially rice and turmeric), flowers, fruits, sweets

🌼 2. Sankalp (Resolve):

With folded hands and a pure heart, take water in your right palm and say:

“On this sacred occasion of Lakshmi Pooja, I invoke the divine presence of Goddess Lakshmi. May she bless my home and heart with wealth, wisdom, and auspiciousness.”

🪔 3. Invocation of Goddess Lakshmi:

Light the lamp and incense, and chant:

“Om Shreem Mahalakshmyai Namah”

Offer akshata (rice mixed with turmeric), kumkum, chandan, flowers, and fragrant water to the idol or image.

🪙 4. Worship of Lakshmi’s Forms:

Goddess Lakshmi manifests in eight forms (Ashta Lakshmi):

  1. Adi Lakshmi – Primordial abundance
  2. Dhana Lakshmi – Wealth and gold
  3. Dhanya Lakshmi – Nourishment and food grains
  4. Gaja Lakshmi – Royalty and power
  5. Santana Lakshmi – Children and family harmony
  6. Veera Lakshmi – Courage and strength
  7. Vidya Lakshmi – Knowledge and intellect
  8. Vijaya Lakshmi – Victory and success

Offer flowers or chant their names, invoking all aspects of prosperity in life.

📿 5. Lakshmi Mantra Chanting:

Chant this powerful mantra 108 times or with devotion:

“Om Shreem Hreem Shreem Kamale Kamalalaye Praseeda Praseeda
Om Shreem Hreem Shreem Mahalakshmyai Namah”

It invokes divine grace, financial clarity, and spiritual wealth.

🍚 6. Naivedyam (Food Offering):

Offer:

  • Kheer (sweet rice pudding)
  • Laddoos, fruits, puffed rice, jaggery
  • Betel leaves, nuts, and cardamom

After offering, recite:

“O Lakshmi Devi, accept this offering from my heart. Bless me with your loving presence and remove all forms of scarcity.”

🕯️ 7. Lakshmi Aarti:

Wave camphor or ghee lamp while singing:

“Jai Lakshmi Mata, Maiya Jai Lakshmi Mata
Tumko Nishdin Sevat, Hari Vishnu Vidhata…”

This joyful aarti praises Lakshmi Devi for her mercy and eternal blessings.

🔔 8. Closing and Distribution:

  • Sprinkle Ganga Jal or sanctified water around the home.
  • Distribute prasad and coins to family members.
  • Keep silver or gold coins, currency, and accounting books on the altar to be blessed.

✨ Lakshmi Pooja Dos and Don’ts

✅ Do’s:

  • Light 11 or more diyas (lamps) in and around the house.
  • Maintain a peaceful, grateful attitude throughout the day.
  • Chant Vishnu Sahasranama or Lakshmi Sahasranama if time permits.

❌ Don’ts:

  • Avoid arguments, debts, or negative thoughts on this day.
  • Do not use harsh speech or act dishonestly—Lakshmi favors truth and dharma.
  • Avoid clutter and untidiness.

🌈 Conclusion:

Lakshmi Pooja is more than a ritual—it is a sacred alignment with abundance and divinity. Through prayer, purity, and devotion, we open our hearts and homes to the ever-flowing grace of Mahalakshmi.

Her presence not only brings material wealth but also:

  • Inner contentment (Shanti Lakshmi)
  • Righteous living (Dharma Lakshmi)
  • Divine protection (Raksha Lakshmi)

Let your home be filled with the fragrance of devotion, the glow of wisdom, and the eternal blessings of Shri Mahalakshmi.