"Vara-Maha-lakshmi Vratha"- is a day dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi. May the Bountiful Goddess bless everyone with the Good fortune! :: Significance of Varalakshmi Vrata :: Varalakshmi Vrata is an important pooja performed in the Hindu month of Shravan. In this month, many women perform Mangalagouri vratam on Tuesdays and Mahalakshmi puja on Fridays.VaraLakshmi Vratham is performed on The 2nd friday of Sravana maasa or the friday before full moon day (Pournami). It is believed that worship of Goddess Lakshmi on this day will bring health, wealth and prosperity. Vara means boon. Needless to say, performing puja (in the form of a Vratam) to Goddess Varalakshmi will bring in boons to those who perform with utmost devotion. Those who fail to perform the Vratam on the prescribed day can do so on any other Friday of the Shravan maas. Eight forces or energies are recognised and they are known as: Sri (Wealth), Bhu (Earth), Sarasvati (learning), Priti (love), Kirti (Fame), Santi (Peace), Tushti(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. Vishnu is also called Ashta Lakshmi Pati which is equivalent to saying that he is the asylum for the eight-Lakshmis or forces. Hence this Varalakshmi Vratam is performed by women to invok the blessings of Lakshmi on their family and bless them with health, wealth and prosperity. :: Preparation of Varalakshmi Vratham :: Goddess Lakshmi loves clean and tidy homes. Hence,the pooja room and the house is cleaned on the previous day itself. Puja related vessels are cleaned and polished. On the Puja day, Women wa ke up earlyun the morning clean the pooja room and put rangoli with rice flour. Keep a flat wooden platform/ plate spread a blouse piece over it. Over the blouse piece spread a cup of rice . Place a cloth and spread some raw rice on it and place kalash on it. The Kalash is half-filled with water and decorated with betel leaves, usually five in number.The Kalash tray can be filled with turmeric, kumkum, sandalwood and other Pooja items.. The coconut is applied with turmeric and is richly decorated with kumkum. Now close it with with coconut with red cloth folded like pyramid,(look like a cap). The features of the Goddess are also drawn on the coconut to make the image of Her to facilitate worship. Jewelry is put round the coconut. Decorate and place some flowers. Steps in performing Varalakshmi Vratham Puja & process :: Varalakshmi Vratam Story :: The story happens in a beautiful town called Kundinagaram located in the Kingdom of Vidarbha (Vidarba Rajyam). In that Kundinagram town, Goddess Adilakshmi, being pleased by her devotion tells Charumathi in a dream and directs her to perform the vrata to enable Her to fulfil her desires. Charumathi wakes up and tells her husband about the dream. Charumathi along with some neighbourhood women take bath in the wee hours of the morning and prepare a mandapam and invite Varalakshmi Devi. She recites the following sloka along with other women with utmost faith and devotion. Lakshmi Ksheerasamudra rajatanyam sri rangadhameswareem Dasibootha samastha devavanitham lokaika deepamkuram Sri manmanda kataksha labdhivibhat brahmendra gangadharam Twamtrayamlokyakutumbhineem sasijavandemukunda priyam Then she wore nine threads Thoranam in her right hand and offers naivadyam to Goddess Lakshmi Devi. On the completion of the first round, she heard the sound of anklets and other ornaments. On completing the second round, they found kankanams made of navaratnams to their hands. On completion of the third circumambulance, they found immense wealth. Then Charumathi offers Tambulam to the brahmin priests and distributes the vrata prasadam to the relatives and lead a happy life. Since then, Hindu women perform this vrata with utmost faith. With this, Lord Eswara concludes telling the story to Goddess Parvathi. from the Desk of - Usha Swarup
