Varalakshmi Vrata is
a festival to propitiate the goddess Lakshmi, the consort of Vishnu, one of the
Hindu Trinity. Varalakshmi is one who grants boons (Varam). It is an important pooja performed by many
married women in South India and Maharashtra.
The Hindu festival is celebrated on the Second Friday or the Friday before full
moon day -Poornima in the month of Śravaṇā (Sawan in hindi) which
corresponds to the English months of August- September.
This pooja can be done with no restriction to caste or creed.
To this day many women observe this traditional festival praying
Varamahalakshmi for her blesses in form wealth and well being of their family.
Vishnu is also called Ashta
Lakshmi Padhi which is equivalent to saying that he is the asylum for the
eight-Lakshmis or forces. Eight forces or energies are recognised and they are
known as Siri (Wealth), Bhu (Earth), Sarasvathi (learning), Prithvi (also
Earth), Keerthi (Fame), Shanthi (Peace), Santhushti(Pleasure) and
Pushti(Strength). Each one of these forces is called a Lakshmi and all the
eight forces are called the Ashta Lakshmis or the eight Lakshmis of the Hindus.
This Festival is also called as Varalakshmi Vratham, Varamahalakshmi Vratham, Lakshmi Vratham / Vratha
Worshipping Goddess Lakshmi on Varalakshmi
Vrata day is equivalent to worshipping Ashta lakshmi
The importance of Varalakshmi
Puja is mentioned in the Skanda Purana. It is believed that importance of
Varalakshmi Puja was narrated to Goddess Parvati by Lord Shiva. Goddess Parvati wanted to know about a
Vrata that is highly beneficial to a woman, which will help her lead a happy
and prosperous life on earth. Lord Shiva then mentioned about the
Varamahalakshmi Vratam.
According to a legend, In the kingdom of Magadha
of yore, there lived a Brahmin woman called Charumathi in a town named Kundina.
The prosperous town was the home of Charumathi and her husband. Impressed by
her devotion to her family, Goddess Mahalakshmi appeared
in her dream and asked her to worship Vara-Lakshmi (Vara = boon, Lakshmi =
goddess of wealth) and seek to fulfill her wishes. Varalakshmi is yet another
form of Lord Vishnu's consort, Lakshmi, the goddess of
wealth. The prayer/worship was prescribed to be offered on the Friday of Sravana month
preceding the night of full moon.
When Charumathi explained her dream to her family, she found
them encouraging her to perform the pooja. Many other women of the village
joined her in performing the pooja in a traditional way and offered many sweet
dishes to the Goddess Varalakshmi.
How to perform puja:
The Vratha is as follows.
Early in the morning women after taking bath, make a rangoli on the place where
the kalasha is placed.
Next is the preparation of the ‘kalasham or
kalash.’ A bronze or silver pot is selected and is cleaned thoroughly and a
swastika symbol is drawn and is smeared with sandalwood paste. The kalasham pot
is filled with raw rice or water, coins, a single whole lime, five different
kinds of leaves, and beetle nut. The items used to fill the kalasham vary from
region to region and includes turmeric, comb, mirror, small black bangles and
black beads.
The kalasham up to the neck is sometimes
covered with a cloth and mango leaves are placed on the mouth of the kalasham.
Finally, a coconut smeared with turmeric is
used to close the mouth of the kalasham. To this coconut, an image of Goddess
Lakshmi is fixed or the image of Lakshmi is drawn using turmeric powder. Now
the kalasham symbolically represents Goddess Lakshmi.
The kalasham is usually placed on a bed of
rice.
First Lord Ganesha is worshipped. Then begins
the Varalakshmi Puja. The puja consists of singing slokas dedicated to Goddess
Lakshmi like the Lakshmi Sahasranamam. Naivedyam is offered. Arati is performed
The raksha is worshiped for a second time and
tied to the right hand of the woman. Articles are given as charity to
sumangalis (married woman).
Thamboolam – betel leaf, areca nut and slaked
lime – is offered to women in the locality and in the evening an arati is
offered.
The next day, that is on Saturday, after taking
a bath the kalasham is dismantled and the water in the kalasham is sprinkled in
the house. If rice is used then it is mixed with rice in the house.
There are no hard and fast rules in performing
the Varalakshmi Puja and you can be flexible on the puja items. Even a simple
prayer will please Goddess Lakshmi.
Requirements for Varamahalakshmi Puja
This is only a general list of things required. The puja requirements vary from region to region.
- Picture or image or idol of Maha Lakshmi.
- A Kalash pot for Purna Kumbha – clay or silver.
- Lamps, bells, agarbathis – usual puja articles.
- Usual decorations for puja.
- Cotton dress for the idol or garlands
- A piece of blouse to cover the idol.
- Threads or Saradu
- Mirror
- Bananas
- Locally available fruits
- Dhruva grass
- Fragrant leaves
- Betel leaves
- Betel nuts
- Banana leaf with tip or a tray
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