On the Diwali day people get up early in the morning and worship their family gods. Since it is Amavasya day, people also perform annual rituals for their ancestors. It is a traditional practice to perform Pujas after observing a day long fast. So, the devotees of Goddess Lakshmi observe a day long fast on the day of Lakshmi Puja. They break the fast after performing Lakshmi Puja in the evening.
Sri Lakshmi Puja Preparations:
On the day of Lakshmi Puja, Hindu families decorate their home and offices with marigold flowers and Ashoka, mango and banana leaves. Keeping Mangalik Kalash covered with unpeeled coconut at both side of the main entrance of the home is considered auspicious on this day.
To do Lakshmi Puja, one should place a red cloth on the right side of a raised platform and install idols of Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha on it. The idols should be adorned with silk clothes and jewelry before installation. A white cloth should be placed on the left side of the platform for installing Navgraha gods. Nine slots of unbroken rice are prepared on the white cloth for installing Navgraha; and sixteen slots of wheat are prepared on the red cloth. Lakshmi Puja should be performed with full rituals as described on Lakshmi Puja Vidhi.
Sree Lakshmi Puja Muhurat/Timings:
On Diwali, Lakshmi Puja should be performed during Pradosh Kaal, which begins after sunset and lasts for 2 hours and 24 minutes approximately. Some sources suggest Mahanishita Kaal also to do Lakshmi Puja. Actually Mahanishita Kaal is more suitable for Tantrik community and practicing Pandits who know very well about Lakshmi Puja during this special time. We recommend Pradosh Kaal Muhurat for common people.
We do not suggest to follow Choghadiya Muhurat to perform Lakshmi Puja because it is worthy only for travelling. It may be noted that the best time for Lakshmi Puja is during Pradosh Kaal when Sthir Lagna prevails. Sthir Lagna means fixed Lagna. If the Puja is done during Sthir Lagna, Lakshmiji will stay in your home; and so, this is the best time for Laksmi Puja. Vrishabha Lagna is considered as Sthir Lagna, which usually overlaps with Pradosh Kaal during Diwali event.
We provide you exact time window for Laksmi Puja. The Muhurat times recommended by us contain Pradosh Kaal and Sthir Lagna while Amavasya is prevailing. We provide Muhurat based on the particular location, and hence you should not forget to select your city first before noting down Shubh Lakshmi Puja timings.
Many people in India, particularly the Gujarati businessmen, perform Chopda Pujan during Diwali Puja. During Chopda Puja they open new account books in presence of Goddess Lakshmi and pray to the Goddess to shower Her blessing for the coming financial year. Diwali Puja is also known by the names Deepavali Puja and Lakshmi Ganesh Pujan.
The whole team of Templesinindiainfo.com wishes you happy and prosperous Diwali.
Sri Lakshmi The Goddess of Wealth:
Description:
Lakshmi Devi is the goddess who governs all forms of wealth and generosity. It is she who opens the way to success and all forms of prosperity. Mother Lakshmi is often represented in several colors: pink, gold and white. When the skin color of Lakshmi is pink, she is the divine mother. When her skin is gold, she is the universal Shakti and when her skin is white, she is Mother Earth. As a consort of Lord Vishnu (Narayana), she is the Mother of divinity, well-being and beauty. Sri Lakshmi embodies the sublime beauty, Siddhi, peace, strength, balance, hospitality, opulence and wisdom. In the Atharva Veda (7: 155) it is mentioned that a Lakshmis mile was born with the birth of a virtuous and propitious being. That means his generosity. Because Lakshmi possesses all these good and noble qualities, she embodies an infinite richness that symbolizes that good and noble qualities are the only wealth we can sustain. As mentioned in Shatapatha Brahmana, Sri is the purest and original form of Lakshmi. Sri is the auspicious energy (consort) of Lord Vishnu. It is Sri, from whom the gods and other celestial personalities derive their energies in matters of cosmic maintenance.
Lakshmi Devi is always depicted sitting or standing on a lotus with golden coins flowing in an endless stream from one of her hands symbolic of when the lotus of wisdom blossoms, the wealth of good and noble qualities appears and Lakshmi’s blessings are present. The word ‘Lakshmi’ is derived from the Sanskrit word “Laksya”, meaning ‘aim’ or ‘goal’, and she is the goddess of wealth and prosperity, both material and spiritual. She emerged during the churning of the Ocean between Devas and Asuras as the Goddess of Fortune and was accepted by Lord Vishnu as His Consort. Lakshmi is the household goddess of most Hindu families, and a favorite of women. Although She is worshipped daily, the festive month of October is Lakshmi’s special month.
Lakshmi Devi Bodily Features:
Lakshmi is depicted as a beautiful woman of golden complexion, with four hands, sitting or standing on a full-bloomed lotus and holding a lotus bud that stands for beauty, purity and fertility. Her four hands represent the four ends of human life: dharma or righteousness, kama or desires, artha or wealth, and moksha or liberation from the cycle of birth and death. Cascades of gold coins are seen flowing from Her hands, suggesting that those who worship Her gain wealth. She always wears gold embroidered red clothes. Red symbolizes activity and the golden lining indicates prosperity. Lakshmi is the active energy of Vishnu, and also appears as Lakshmi-Narayan, Two elephants are often shown standing next to the goddess and spraying water. This denotes that ceaseless effort, in accordance with one’s dharma and governed by wisdom and purity, leads to both material and spiritual prosperity.
Regarded As Mother:
Worship of a mother goddess has been a part of Indian tradition since its earliest times. Lakshmi is one of the mother goddesses and is addressed as “mata” (mother) instead of just “devi” (goddess). As a female counterpart of Lord Vishnu, Mata Lakshmi is also called ‘Sri’, the female energy of the Supreme Being. She is the goddess of prosperity, wealth, purity, generosity, and the embodiment of beauty, grace and charm.
Regarded As Family Goddess:
The importance attached to the presence of Lakshmi in every household makes Her an essentially family deity. Householders worship Lakshmi for the wellbeing and prosperity of the family. Businessmen and women also regard Her equally and offer Her daily prayers. On the full moon night following Dusshera or Durga Puja, Hindus worship Lakshmi ceremonially at home, pray for Her blessings, and invite neighbors to attend the puja. It is believed that on this full moon night the goddess Herself visits the homes and replenishes the inhabitants with wealth. A special worship is also offered to Lakshmi on the auspicious Diwali night.
Blessing Of Sixteen Types Of Wealth:
Goddess Lakshmi bestows 16 types of wealth: Fame, knowledge, courage and strength, victory, good children, valour, gold, gems and other valuables, grains, happiness, intelligence, beauty, higher aim, higher thinking, morality, good health and long life. The festive month of October is Lakshmi`s special month. Fridays are considered auspicious to worship the Goddess. Three days of Navratri – 4th, 5th, 6th days – are highly meritorious to worship the Goddess and invite the wealth energies into one`s life.
How To Please Goddess Lakshmi Devi:
Recite Sri Sukta:
Keep a picture or an idol of Goddess Lakshmi in the prayer room. Pray to her with deep sincerity. Recite Sri Sukta for 30 days and life will change. It is a composition of 15 verses and all desires are fulfilled by her mercy on its holy recitation.
Sri Lakshmi Idols:
Lakshmi epitomizes wealth, prosperity, fortune, and the embodiment of auspiciousness. She is the divine consort of Lord Vishnu. Her four hands represent the four goals namely Dharma, Karma, Artha and Moksha. As the goddess of fortune and beauty, she represents abundance, prosperity, wealth, well-being and harmony. Worshiped by millions of Hindus or followers of Vedic customs, she is also considered as the universal goddess of opulence. Lakshmi idols can be placed at your home for daily worship and it is the best way to meditate on her powerful form. It fills the home and the occupants with positivity and fortune. We offer Lakshmi idols in brass and marbles as well as natural gemstones.
Praying To Tulsi:
Another way to please Goddess Lakshmi is by lighting a lamp and praying to tulsi plant. All the Gods reside in the place where a tulsi plant is grown. Fragrant agarbattis or incense can be lit to fill the atmosphere with pleasant vibrations. All wishes get fulfilled by worshipping tulsi and immense merit is accrued by paying obeisance to her.
Bamboo Flute:
Keep a bamboo flute tied with a silken cloth at home for peace and harmony. Flute is dear to Lord Krishna and Lakshmi is pleased when Lord Krishna (an incarnation of Vishnu) is pleased. It must be placed in the prayer altar for its auspicious vibrations that help promote unity of family and continuous flow of good luck into one`s life.
Feeding A Cow:
On Fridays, feed a cow with sweetened white rice to attract the grace of Mahalakshmi. All obstacles are removed and sins are destroyed. Immense wealth is obtained when cows are fed well.
Footprints Of Lakshmi:
Draw the footprints of Lakshmi by using raw rice flour in the pooja room to welcome her into the house. Drawing the auspicious footprint of Lakshmi will invite the presence of Vishnu too. Both Lakshmi and Vishnu are inseparable. Their blessings will relieve one of all sins, curses and grant eternal blessings of good conduct, right living, virtues and abundance. Peace and wellbeing is assured.
Laxmi Devi Puja Procedure:
The first and main step to make any offer requires cleaning; Sri Mahalakshmi Puja also needs cleaning. According to Puranas, the goddess Lakshmi resembles cleanliness and visits homes that are kept clean. Here are some steps to run Sri Mahalakshmi Puja; it is believed that anyone who loves Sri Mahalakshmi with devotion to the most extreme faith will be blessed with peace and prosperity throughout his life.
# Clean the entire house and the place where Laksmi puja is performed. Rangoli designs can be drawn to welcome Goddess Lakshmi Devi.
# A new cloth is to be placed on a raised platform.
# In the middle of the freshly spreaded cloth, keep a heap of grains and place a Kalash (Pitcher) made of gold, silver, copper or terracotta over it.
# The three-fourth of Kalash should be filled with water.
# Place Betel nut, Flowers, Silver/Gold Coins, Haldi, Kumkum and some yellow rice (Akshadha) as offerings to Goddess Sri Mahalakshmi.
# Keep five kinds of leaves or preferably mango leaves on the mouth of the kalash.
# Place a small bowl filled with grains on top of the kalash.
# Draw a design of lotus with turmeric powder over the rice grains.
# Perform sacred bath to the idol of Goddess Sri Mahalakshmi before placing it on the bowl contained grains. The sacred bath for the idol can be made with Water, Panchamrit (a mixture of Milk, Curd, Ghee or Clarified Butter, Honey and sugar) and finally with the water contained of gold or pearl. # Sacred bath to the idol can be made by sprinkling Water and Panchamrit with a flower is an alternate option.
# Clean the idol and place it on the top of the Kalash with Silver Coins.
# Place the idol of Lord Ganesha on the right side of the Kalash, (South-West direction).
# Place the books and materials related to your business or occupation on the platform.
# Light a Ghee lamp and perform puja by offering turmeric, vermillion and flowers to Goddess Sri Mahalakshmi.
# Also offer turmeric, vermillion and flowers to the water used for puja to invoke Jaladevatha (deities in the water).
# Recite the 108 or 1008 Vedic Mantras of Goddess Sri Maha Lakshmi.
Offerings of sandal, saffron, turmeric, vermillion, abeer, gulal, garland of cotton beads also can be made to Goddess Sri Mahalakshmi. In addition to this, offerings such as flowers, especially Marigold flowers and leaves of Bel (wood apple tree), Bhog, coconut, fruits, puffed rice and batasha are also made.
# To conclude the puja Maha Aarti is performed. The Aarti should be accompanied by a small noise of bell.