Hindu Feasts, Fasts and Ceremonies/Chapter 17
17. The Varalakshmi Worship
LAKSHMI, the bride of Vishnu, is represented as the goddess of Prosperity and abundance as also of Love and Beauty, in the Hindu Mythology: the designation of vara indicates the power, generally credited to her, of granting boons to her devotees. A day is specially set apart for her special worship. The evening is both a religious and festive occasion to the Hindu ladies and children, and soon after sunset the Varalakshmi is worshipped in every Hindu household on a large scale with flowers, food, puddings and sweets of several kinds. A figure of the Goddess of Prosperity is painted on a brass or copper vessel and placed in the hall or court of the house under a small leafy canopy erected for the occasion. The Brahman priest is invited to repeat the form of the worship and the oldest married lady of the house who has observed a fast during the whole day performs the puja of Varalakshmi, soon after sunset, with sincere devotion. The priest receives his fees and then the eager childre partake of the puddings and sweetmeats first offered to the goddess during the course of the worship. The several Puranas speak highly of the powers of Lakshmi, who is represented as the essence of wealth and prosperity and the mother of the universe, eternal and imperishable. As Vishnu is supposed to be all-pervading, so also is Lakshmi considered to be omnipresent. Vishnu is understanding, Lakshmi is intellect; Vishnu is desire, and Lakshmi is wish. He is meaning; she is speech. She is the moon, the unfading light, the moving principle of the whole world. She is represented to have sprung from the waves of the milk ocean, when it was churned by the demons and the gods seated on a full-blown lotus and holding a water-lily (nilotpala) in her hand and radiant with beauty. As soon as she was observed to rise up, heavenly musicians sang sweet songs and celestial nymphs danced. The holy Ganges and other sacred river goddesses attended for her ablutions. The elephants of the skies, taking up their pure waters in gold vases, poured them over her—the queen of the world. The ocean of milk presented her with a wreath of never-fading flowers and the artist of the gods decorated her with heavenly jewels and gems. The picture of Lakshmi is generally drawn thus in this night’s worship—with the goddess seated on a full-blown lotus, elephants on both sides pouring water over her from gold vases lifted up in their trunks, &c. After Lakshmi was thus bathed, attired and adorned, she cast herself on the breast of Hari—Vishnu—and became his bride ever since that time. Rudra, the chief of the gods, extolled her powers as soon as she. sprang out of the ocean and called her the mother of all beings, the superhuman power incarnate, and the purifier of the universe. Lakshmi to a Hindu is the presiding deity of Prosperity, and her worship is deemed to bring good fortune in every household.
The following account of Lakshmi is from the Ramayana translated by R. T. H. Griffiths:—
"When many a year had fled
Up floated, on her lotus bed,
A maiden fair, and tender-eyed,
In the young flush of beauty’s pride.
She shone with pearl and golden sheen,
And seals of glory stamped her queen.
On each round arm glowed many a gem,
On her smooth brows a diadem.
Rolling in waves beneath her crown,
The glory of her hair rolled down.
Pearls on her neck of price untold,
The lady shone like burnished gold.
Queen of the gods, she leapt to land,
A lotus in her perfect hand,
And fondly, of the lotus sprung,
To lotus-bearing Vishnu clung.
Her, gods above and men below
As Beauty’s Queen and Fortune know.”
OOOO