Spread a new cloth on a raised platform: Place a handful of grains in the center and, on this, place a kalash (pitcher) made of gold, silver, copper, or terracotta. Fill three-fourth of the kalash with water and place a betel nut, a flower, a coin, and some rice grains in it.
Arrange five kinds of leaves or mango leaves in the kalash . Place a small dish on the kalash and fill it with rice grains. Draw a lotus with turmeric powder ( haldi ) over the rice grains and place the idol of goddess Lakshmi over it, along with coins. Place the idol of Ganesha: In front of the kalash, on the right (South-West direction), place the idol of Ganesha. Also place ink and books related to your business or occupation on the platform. Light a lamp and begin the puja by offering haldi, kumkum, and flowers to the platform on which the kalash is placed. Then offer haldi, kumkum, and flowers to the water that is to be used for the puja. Invoke the river goddesses to be part of this water. Invoke goddess:Lakshmi by reciting the Vedic mantras addressed to her. One can also recite the mantras mentioned in the Puranas or simply take some flowers in your hands,close your eyes, and think of goddess Lakshmi being showered with gold coins by two elephants standing on either side of Her and chant Her name. Then offer the flowers to the idol. Place the idol of Lakshmi: Place the idol of Lakshmi in a plate and bathe it with water, panchamrit (a mixture of milk, curd, ghee or clarified butter, honey, and sugar) and then with water containing some gold ornament or a pearl. Wipe the idol clean and place it back on the kalash. Alternately, you can just sprinkle water and panchamrit on the idol with a flower. Offerings:Offer sandal paste, saffron paste, perfume ( itr ), haldi, kumkum, abeer, and gulal to the goddess. Offer a garland of cotton beads to the goddess. Offer flowers, especially the marigold flowers and leaves of Bel (wood apple tree). Light an incense stick and dhoop. Make an offering of sweets, coconut, fruits, and tambul. Make an offering of puffed rice and batasha. Pour some puffed rice, batasha, coriander seeds, and cumin seeds over the idol. Safe where you keep money and jewelry; Worship this safe as a symbol of Lord Kuber. Aarti: Finally, perform the aarti for goddess Lakshmi. Always remember that She abhors loud noise. So the aarti should be accompanied only by a small bell. Do not clap hands, as is the practice when performing aarti for other gods. A peaceful and sublime atmosphere should prevail during the pujan. Do not light crackers while the puja is on or immediately after it. LakshmiPooja Aarti , Bhajan Preparation for the Puja
- One Deepak made out of atta/clay with 4 wicks
- Wicks for the Deepak oil/ghee, matchstick
- One shell with a hole
- Flowers, roli, chawal
- Water in panchpatra and a spoon
- Some money
- Pata & Aasan
- Kheel & batasha
- Dhoop (sambrani) & dhoop daan
- Chopda with roli, chawal for applying tikka
- Suhali, petha (shaker para) Vidhi / Method of Performing the Puja
In the evening, after seeing the star, the women of the house get together for puja. In some houses both men & women do the puja.
The 4 wick Deepak is placed on the pata.
Oil/ghee is put in the Deepak with the Four Wicks.
The Cowrie shell is placed on the Deepak.
The Deepak is lit. This is referred as Yamadeep. This Deepak pleases Yamaraj and the pitars/departed ancestors of the family.
Some water from the panchpatra is sprinkled around the Deepak, puja is performed with roli, chawal and money.
Four suhali and little pethas are offered.
Some people offer kheel and batasha also Dhoop is lit.
Women performing the puja go around the Deepak four times & do pranam.
The eldest woman of the family or unmarried girl of the house puts tilak from the roli in the chopda to everyone sitting for the puja.
One male staff member of the house, covers his head with a cloth, takes the lit Deepak and keeps it outside on the right side of the main gate. This person is given dakshina. mantra
This is a mantra (hymn) for abundance in wealth, strength and wisdom. This Diwali chant this mantra for wealth, strength and wisdom.
mahalaxmi Diwali Special Lakshmi Maa Ashtak Stotram Mantra and English Translation:
Namastetu Mahaamaaye Shree peetthey Surpoojitey
Shankha chakra gadaa hastey
Mahaalaxmi Namostutey
O Mahaamaya, abode of fortune who art worshipped by the Devas,
I salute Thee:
O MahaaLaxmi, wielder of conch, disc and mace,
obeiscance to Thee.
Namastey Garooda roodhey
Kola asura bhayankari
Sarva paapa harey Devi
Mahaa Laxmi Namostutey
My salutations to Thee,
Who ridest the Garuda,
And art a terror to Asura Kola:
O Devi MahaaLaxmi remover of all miseries,
My obeisance to Thee.
Sarvagyey Sarvey-Varadey
Sarva-dushta Bhayankaree
Sarva-dukha harey Devi
MahaLaxmi Namostutey.
O Devi MahaLaxmi who knowest all,
Giver of all boons,
A terror to all the wicked,
Remover of all sorrow,
Obeisance to Thee.
Sidhee- Budhee pradey Devi,
Bhukti Mukti pradaayanee,
Mantra-Moortey sadaa Devi,
MahaLaxmi Namostutey.
O Devi, Giver of Intelligence and Success,
And of worldly enjoyment and liberation,
Thou hast always the mystic symbols
As Thy form, O MahaLaxmi, obeisance to Thee.
Aadi-Anta rahitey Devi,
Aadi- Shakti Maheshwari,
Yogajey Yogasambhutey,
MahaaLaxmi namostutey.
O Devi, Maheshwari,
without a beginning or an end,
O Primeval Energy,
Born of Yoga,
O MahaLaxmi,
obeisance to Thee.
Sthoola Sukshma Mahaa roudrey
MahaaShakti Mahodarey
Mahaa paapa harey Devi,
MahaaLaxmi Namostutey
O MahaLaxmi who art both gross and subtle,
Most terrible, great Power, great prosperity,
And great Remover of all sins,
obeisance to Thee.
Padma Aasan Sthitey Devi,
Para Brahma Svaroopini,
Parmeshi Jagan Maatar,
MahaLaxmi Namostutey.
O Devi, seated on the Lotus,
who art the Supreme Brahman,
the great Lord and Mother of the universe,
O MahaLaxmi, obeisance to Thee.
Shwet Aambar dharey Devi,
Nana Alankaara Bhooshitey,
Jagat Sthitey Jagan Matar,
MahaaLaxmi Namostutey.
O Devi, robed in white garments,
and decked with various kinds of ornaments,
Thou art the Mother of the Universe,
O MahaLaxmi, Obeisance to Thee.
MahaLaxmya ashtak Stotram,
Yaha pathed Bhaktimaan naraha,
Sarva Sidhim Avaapnoti,
MahaaLaxmi prasaadataha.
Whoever with devotion reads this Hymn
to MahaaLaxmi, composed in 8 stanzas,
attains all success through the Grace of MahaaLaxmi
Meaning :: May Goddess Saraswati, who is fair like the Jasmine coloured moon and whose garland is like frosty dew drops, who is adorned with radiant white clothes and on whose beautiful palm and arm rests the Veena, those throne is a white lotus, and who is surrounded and respected by the Gods beginning with Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Maheshwar, protect me. I implore Her to totally remove my laziness and sluggishness .
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