Lakshmi Puja, the 3rd day of Diwali is one of the most widely celebrated festivals in India. Goddess Lakshmi who symbolizes wealth, abundance, fertility, and prosperity is revered on this day for her grace. It is also celebrated as Chopda Puja/ Sharda Puja in Gujarat. Kali Puja too mainly falls on the same day or a day prior to Lakshmi Puja. Let’s explore the meaning, significance, Puja, Mantras and stories around Lakshmi Puja.
Lakshmi Puja: Meaning, Date, Time and Mahurat
Lakshmi Puja is celebrated every year in the Amavasya Tithi of Krishna Paksha, Kartik month. It is a celebration of new beginnings as a New year begins in the Vikram Calendar. This year Laxmi Puja will be celebrated on 24th October.
As per Drik Panchang and News18, time details for Lakshmi Puja are as follows:
The Brahma Mahurat is from 4.46a.m to 5.36am (24th October’22)
The Abhijit Mahurat is from 11.43a.m to12.28pm (24th October’22)
The Vijaya Mahurat is from 1.58p.m to 2.43p.m
- Amavasya Tithi begins: 5.27pm (24th October ’22)
- Amavasya Tithi ends: 4.18pm (24th October’22)
- Lakshmi Puja Mahurat: 6.53pm to 8.16pm
- Pradosh Kaal: 5.43pm to 8.16pm
Significance of Lakshmi Puja , also Lord Ganesha and Goddess Saraswati as a part of it
On this day Goddess Lakshmi is said to have tied the knot with Lord Vishnu. It is also believed to be the day when she tours Earth with pots of good luck and wealth. These are then showered on the most brightly lit and cleanest homes.
It is believed that such abundant prosperity when showered will only last when unobstructed by calamities but accelerated by wisdom-knowledge. That is why Lord Ganesha, the great destroyer of obstacles and Saraswati the goddess of knowledge/wisdom are also prayed to together with Lakshmi during Lakshmi Puja.
Wisdom, Knowledge and the power to surmount troubles bring with them Sattvic qualities of hard work, sincerity, selflessness, and courage all of which have a dash of sublime action/energy- oriented Rajas too. But watch out! When Tamas creeps in with idleness, deceit, delusion, greed and excesses of gross Rajas, then Goddess Lakshmi decides to leave.
Lakshmi Puja is also the day when Ayodhya celebrated the return of divinities Rama, Sita and Laxman from the 14year exile, after defeating Ravana.
Another legend says this is the day when Krishna’s victory over Narakasura was celebrated.
Lakshmi Puja also celebrated as Chopda Puja/Sharda Puja
Entrepreneurs in Gujarat/ Rajasthan/Maharashtra also celebrate Chopda (book) Puja or Mahurat Puja on this day. All the books of accounts related to business are brought out including the new ones and worshipped. Motifs of Shubh Labh, Om, Swastik are made with Kumkum and Rice paste.
Now since everything is electronic, these motifs are made on the computer/laptop and puja done.
Sharda Puja is Goddess Saraswati’s Puja that is done on this day for her blessings of greater wisdom and knowledge that can help businesses grow and flourish.
Sharda Pooja is also important for students as they worship books and pray to the Goddess for greater academic progress
Lakshmi Puja : Key Puja rituals, mantras and important observances
1.Detox you home for Diwali
Clean the house inside out, right from the attic to every little cobweb accumulating corner. Get rid of all old broken unwanted things. Dust and broken things carry negative energy that is best done away with. There is a practice amongst Hindus to sprinkle Gangajal to purify the house.
2. Install Home shrine in the right direction for Diwali Lakshmi Puja:
Keep all the home shrine and the idols in the northeast or east. Keep it spotless. Decorate it with flowers
3. Decorate Main entrance for Diwali Lakshmi Puja
Take special care to clean up and embellish your entrance. This is called the Simha Dwara and it should be made as welcoming as possible. Hang torans to ward off negative energies. If you have pillars you could tie banana leaves around it that signify fertility and growth. Light Panchmukhi diyas on both sides of the door. Near the entrance, draw beautiful rangoli and motifs of Swastik, Om, Shubh Laabh signs.
4. Light up the house for Diwali and Lakshmi Puja:
Make the house glitter with lights, after all isn’t it called the ‘festival of lights.’ Spiritually Lakshmi Puja is an auspicious day to bring in the light and drive away darkness of every form from our lives.
So put up colourful lanterns, Light lamps around the House. Many homes use electrical lighting over the building, over the gardens and balconies that look gorgeous especially in the night.
5. If you must set up a chowki, keep these points in mind.
Use a low stool or a small table, clean it and cover it with a red cloth. Sprinkle grains in the centre of the chowki. Take a clean kalash or a copper pot. Fill it with water and drop some coins, grains, betel nut, marigold petals in it. Tie a few strung mango leaves around it. Place a small coconut over the kalash and draw the swastik symbol with Kumkum and rice paste on it. Now heap rice on the chowki and install the idols of Lakshmi, Ganesh and Saraswati. Goddess Lakshmi in the centre, Ganesha to the left and Saraswati to the right.
6. Perform Lakshmi Puja with proper Shodashopchara (Hinduism’s 16 steps of worshipping a deity).
Each step must be done with the respective mantras. Drik Panchang has a beautiful step by step process laid out along with the audio of the mantras for each step. The steps are:
Meditation and invocation:
Dhyana(meditation): Meditation on Bhagwati Lakshmi.
Aavahan (Invocation): Invoking the deity with a mantra, namaskar of joined palms, thumb turned inwards.
Welcome and offer seat .
Pushpanjali (offering flowers): Take 5 flowers in Anjali (palm of the joined hands and offer to Goddess Laxmi with the mantra.
Swagat (welcome): welcome mantra chanted with folded hands
Offer water for freshening up:
Paadhya (washing feet): Wash the feet of the idol while chanting mantra
Arghya (head abhishek) : Offer water for head abhishek along with Chandan, flowers and rice with a mantra accompanied by fruits.
Achyamanam (washing of face and mouth): water is offered for washing face and mouth
Bathing process:
Snana /Panchamrit snana : Snana is bathing the idol with regular water and Panchamrit snana is bathing the idol with ghee, honey, sugar, curd and milk.
Gandha Snana/Shudha snana: Gandha Snana is a scented bath with rose water or sandalwood water and Shudha is with plain water.
Offerings
Vastra: Offer new shiny clothes with the mantra
Madhuparka (milk and honey): Now offer milk and honey to the goddess with the mantra
Aabhushan : Offer jewelery with the mantra
Raktachandana (red sandalwood): Now offer red sandalwood to the goddess with the mantra
Sindhoor (vemillion): Offer Sindhoor with the mantra
Kumkum: offer this symbol of Akhand Saubhagya with the corresponding mantra
Abir Gulal : offer coloured powder with the mantra
Sugandhita dhravya: Offer guggal or other incense/dhoop
Akshata (unbroken rice): Offer unbroken rice to the Goddess.
Chandan Samarpana: Offer aromatic sandalwood paste with the mantra
Pushpa Samarpana: Offer Flowers to the goddess with the mantra.
Anga Puja:
A worship of Gods that represent the Body parts of Mahalaxmi.
Ashta -Siddhi Puja:
A worship of the 8 Siddhis (powers) that Goddess Laxmi embodies
Ashta Lakshmi Puja:
To be performed with unbroken rice sandalwood paste and flowers
More offerings
Dhoop Samarpan: offer dhoop especially Guggul to the Goddess
Deep Samarpan: Light a Panchmukhi diya and offer to goddess
Naivedya Samarpan: Offer rice kheer, sugar candy (batasha), among other sweets especially
Achamana Samarpan: Offer water with sandalwood paste for anointing hands
Taambool Samarpan: Now offer paan (betelnut)
Dakshina (gift): Now offer champak flowers, gold as gift
Pradakshina:
Now circumambulate from left to right of the Goddess
Vandana sahit pushpanjali :
Now do the Vandana prayers and offer flowers (lotus, rose, marigold) to the Goddess
Sashtanga Pranaam:
Now do Sashtanga namaskar along with Mantra
Kshama Prarthana:
Request the goddess to pardon errors committed unknowingly.
Repeat this for Lord Ganesha and Goddess Saraswati too.
7. Items believed to be close to the Goddess’s heart for Lakshmi Puja
Conch, cowrie shells
Blow the conch, it is reminiscent of Goddess Lakshmi’s abode in the primordial waters. It also destroys negative energy in the house. Offer cowrie shells too.
Lotus
Offer lotus flowers to Goddess Lakshmi as it refreshes the deep, water connection with her and is also auspicious too. Bael leaves, mogra, tuberose etc may be used for the pooja along with the popular marigold and rose flowers
Rice
Goddess Laxmi presides over Grains so rice kheer/halwa is offered to her during pooja.
Colours
Silken sarees of red/pink/ yellow gold, all signifying abundance and prosperity
Fruits and fragrances
Coconuts, plum, pomegranate, water chestnut are preferred in fruits. Kevada, rose, sandalwood amongst fragrances
Some mantras for Diwali Lakshmi Puja
Laxmi mantras
- Beej mantra: Om Hreem Shreem Laxmibhayo Namah
- Laxmi Gayatri mantra : Om Shree Mahalaxmyai cha vidmahe Vishnu patnyai cha dheemahi tanno laxmi prachodayat om.’
Ganpati mantra
- Beej mantra: ‘Om Gam Ganpataye Namah’
Combined Laxmi Vinayaka mantra
- Om Shreem Gam Saumyaya Ganpataye Vara Varada
Sarvajanam me vashamanaya svaha’
Saraswati Mantras
- Beej mantra Om Aim Kleem Sauh
- Maha Saraswati mantra: Om Aim Mahasaraswataye namah
- Saraswati Gayatri mantra : Om Aim Vagdeviai Vidmahe Kamarajaya dhimahi. Tanno devi Prachodayat.
Legends/ Stories around Lakshmi Puja
Goddess Lakshmi and the old woman
Long before Laxmi Puja came to be celebrated, Goddess was once on the tour of the Earth. There was mostly darkness as it was past twilight and hence she was having trouble navigating her way.
Finally, she found a small feeble light burning in a hut and decided to visit it. The door was answered by a very old woman who was surprised to have a visitor. She made the goddess comfortable and offered her whatever little food she had and a place to sleep.
Come morning, the Goddess has disappeared, but the hut was transformed into a mansion with pots of gold and jewellery everywhere.
This is the folklore behind celebrating Lakshmi Puja on that day.
The haughty King, his daughter and Goddess Lakshmi
Another story is of an egoistical king who once asked his four daughters the question that who gave them their daily bread. The first three pointed to him whereas the last one said that it was her fate that provided her all things. Livid with anger, he packed off this youngest daughter after marrying her to a beggarly priest.
Life became tough for her but she advised her husband never to insult any alms and to simply bring it back home.
One day the husband couldn’t get any alms. Dejected he picked up a dead snake lying in his path and returned home. His wife pleased that he had taken her advice seriously simply flung the dead snake on the roof.
Next morning while the king was having a bath by a lake, a kite swooped down on his necklace lying outside the lake. He flew away with it, but on his flight noticed the dead snake on the daughter thatched roof. Dropping the necklace near the hut he took off with the snake.
The poor husband found the necklace and the daughter recognized it. When the announcement came from the palace that whoever would find the kings necklace would get a handsome reward the priest went to the palace with the plan discussed with his wife.
While returning the necklace he refused all rewards and simply asked for one wish. That all the houses remain dark on Diwali night. It was granted.
Goddess Laxmi’s grace
Goddess Lakshmi found the entire kingdom dark on her Earth’s Diwali tour except for the king’s daughters house and graced it with her blessings.
From the very next day, the daughter and his poor husband found wealth and good luck pouring in from all quarters. But the king started losing his riches. Slowly but surely, the daughter grew richer and richer and soon outshined the now impoverished Kings past glory.
A note on the Solar eclipse on 25th October’22
The second solar eclispe of the year is happening on 25th October’22. This has caused a general confusion whether Diwali Lakshmi Puja and others should be performed or not.
Hinduism believes that a particular period called Sutak before and after the eclipse is inauspicious.
The Solar eclipse timings in Mumbai on 25th October’22 are 4.49pm to 5.42pm ending with sunset at 6.09pm.
The Sutak timings on 25th October’22 in Mumbai are 3.28am to 6.09 pm
But what is lesser known is that all the spiritual giants have proclaimed that for meditation and prayers eclipses are the best. Ofcourse certain restrictions on food and regarding safety of pregnant women are to be followed. These can be read here on Drik Panchang in detail.
But for the rest of us, this is a great time to pray harder and connect with Divinity faster !
