Varalakshmi Vrat is the most celebrated in India during Shravan month. Varalakshmi Puja day is one of the significant days to worship the goddess of wealth and prosperity. Varalakshmi, who is the consort of Lord Vishnu, is one of the forms of Goddess Mahalakshmi. It is believed that the Varalakshmi form of the goddess bestows boons and fulfills all desires of her devotees. Hence this form of the goddess is known as Vara + Lakshmi i.e. Goddess Lakshmi who bestows boons.
The Varalakshmi fasting is observed on the last Friday during Shravana Shukla Paksha and falls just few days ahead of Rakhi and Shravana Purnima.
Varalakshmi Vrat is suggested not only for women but also for men. However, in Andhra, Telangana and Maharashtra regions, Varalakshmi fasting in mainly performed by married women only. The Varalakshmi fasting is performed with the desire of worldly pleasures and it includes children, spouse, luxury and all sorts of earthly pleasures.
The Puja steps in Varalakshmi Puja Vidhi are similar to Maha Lakshmi Puja during Diwali. However it includes Puja steps and Mantra for Dorak and Vayana. The sacred thread which is tied during Varalakshmi Puja is known as Dorak and sweets offered to Varalakshmi is known as Vayana.
Varalakshmi Vratam Pooja Procedure
Post Ganapati Pooja and Sankalpam, starting pooja with the following Shloka:
Kalashasya mukhe vishNu kanTe rudra samaasrithaa moole thathra sthitho brahma madhye maathru ganaa smruthaa kukshouthu saagara ssarve sapta dweepa vasundharaa rigvedoda yajurveda saamavedaatharnaNa angaischa sahita ssarve kalashaambhu samaasrithaa ayanthu lakshmi poojaartham durithakshaya karaka gangecha yamune chaiva godaavari saraswathi marmade sindhu kaaveri jalesmin sannidhim kuru evam kalasha pooja
Varalakshmi Pooja Begins
chant the shlokam
Padmaasane padmakare sarvalokaika poojithe, narayana priye devi supreeetha bhava sarvadaa.
Dhyana, Avaahan
Visualize the Goddess Varalakshmi in mind and offer flower or akshathai to kalasha. Thereby we invoke the Goddess in the idol or image.
Sarvamangala Maangalye vishNu vaksha sthalalaye, Aavaahayaami devee thwaam supreetha bhava sarvadaa, Varalakshmi devatham aavaahayaami
Asan
Offer flowers at the feet and chant Aasanam Samarpayaami shlokam:
Suryaayutha nibha spoorthe sphurad rathna vibhushithaam, Simhaasana midham devee stheeyathaamsura pujithe, Rathna simhaasanaam samarpayaami
Paadya
Suvaistha jalam ramya sarva theertha samudh bhavam, Paadhyam gruhaaNa thwam sarva devanamaskruthe, Paadhyam samarpayaami
Arghya
Offer 1 spoon of water from the glass with water to the empty cup. Chant arghyam samarpayaami shlokam:
Shuddodakam cha pathraastham gandham pushpaadhi mishritham, Arghyam daasyaami They deveegruhaaNa sura pujithe, Arghyam samarpayaami
Achman
Offer 1 spoon of water from the cup with water to empty cup and chant Aachamanam samarpayaami shlokam:
SuvarNa kalashaa neetham chandaNa garu samyuktham, gruhaaNa aachamanam devee maayaadattham shubhapradhe, Aachamaneeyam samarpayaami
Panchaamrutha Snaanam (offering bath with Panchamritha)
Offer bath with few drops or a spoon of panchamritham to the Goddess by chanting the below shokam:
Paayodadhi gruthopeeTam sharkara madhu samyktham, Panchaamrutha snaana midham gruhaaNakamalaalaye, Panchaamrutha snaanam samarpayaami
Shuddodaka Snanam (offering bath with pure water)
Offer bath with few drops or a spoon of water to the Goddess by chanting the below shlokam:
Gangaajalam maayaa neetham mahaadeva shirasthitham, Shuddodaka snaama midhamgruhaaNa vidhu sodhari, Shuddodaka snaanam samarpayaami
Vastra yugmam
Offer a cotton thread made of cotton, haldi, kumkum & chandaNam paste by chanting the below shlokam:
Surarchitanghri yugaLe dukooLa vaasana priye, Vasthrayugmam prad
asyaami gruhaaNa hari vallabhe,Vasthra yugmam samarpayaami
Abharnam
Offer any jewellery or akshahai to Goddess by chanting this shlokam:
Keyur kankaNe divye haaranupura mekhala, VibhooshaNaaya moolyaaNi gruhaaNa rushi poojithe, AabharaNaani samarpayaami
Upaaveetham
Offer akshathai or flowers or chandNam paste to the Goddess by chanting this shlokam:
Thaptha hema krutham suthram muktaa dama vibhushithaam, Upaavitha midham devi gruhaaNathwam shubhapradhe, Upaaveetham samarpayaami
Gandha
Offer gandham (chandanam paste to the Goddess)
Karpoora kastoori rochanaadhi bhiranvitham, Gandham daasyaamyaham devee preethyartham prathi gruhyathaaam, Gandham samarpayaami
Akshathai
Offer akshathai to the Goddess
Akshatha dhavaLa devi shaaliam sthadula shubha, Haridra kumkumopetha gruhyathaa mabdhi purhrike,Akshathai samarpayaami
Pushpa
Offer flowers to the Goddess by chanting this shlokam:
Mallikaa jaaji kusumai champakairva kulaisthaatha,Shahapathrai scha kalharai poojayaami haripriye,Pushpai poojayaami
Adhanga Pooja
Offfer akshathai & flowers or gandham to the Goddess by chanting this shlokam:
Chanchalayai namaha paadhau poojayaami
Chapalayai namaha jaanuni poojayaami
Peethaambara dhaarayai namaha ooroo poojayaami
Kamala vasinyai namaha katim poojayaami
Padmaalayaalai namaha naabhim poojayaami
Madanamathre namaha sthanau poojayaami
Lalithaayai namaha bhujadhwayam poojayaami
Kambh kantyai namaha kantam poojayaami
Sumukhaayai namaha mukham poojayaami
Shreeyai namaha oshtau poojayaami
Sunasikaayai namaha naasikam poojayaami
Sunethrai namaha nethram poojayaami
Ramaayai namaha karNau poojayaami
Kamalaayai namaha shirah poojayaami
Varalakshmi namaha sarvaagaani poojayaami
Ashtottara Shatanaama Pooja
Now chant the Lakshmi Ashtottra shatanaamaavali(108 names of Goddess lakshmi)
Ohm ashtothara shatanaama poojaam samarpayaami
Dhoop
Offer dhoopam to the Goddess by chanting this shlokam:
Dashaangam guggulo peetham, Sungandham cha manoharam, Dhoopam daasyaami deveshi,Varalakshmi gruhaaNa tham dhoopam samarpayaami
Deep
Light a deepam by chanting this shlokam:
Ghrutakthavarthi samyuktam andhakaaram vinaashakam,Deepam daasyaami The devi gruhaaNamuditha bhavaa, Deepam samarpayaami
Naivadya
Offer naivedhyam (fruits/food items & coconut) by chanting this shlokam:
Naivedhyam shasraso peetham dadhi madhwajaya samyuktham, Naana bakshya phalopeethamgruhaaNa harivallabhe, Naivedhyam samarpayaami
While offering naivedhyam, offer water (Paneeyam) Ghanasaara sughandena mishritham pushvasitham, Paneeyam gruhyathaam devi sheethalam sumanoharam, Paneeyam samarpayaami
Thaamboolam
Offer thaamboolam (betel nuts, betel leaves, dry date fruits, rupee coins):
Pugeephala samyuktham nagavalli DaLair Yutham, Karpoora choorNa samyuktham, thaamboolam prathigruhyathaam, Thamboolam samarpayaami
Aarati
Offer aarthi with burning camphor to the Goddess by chanting this shlokam:
Neeraajanam samaaneetham karpooreNa samanvitham, Thubhyam daasyamyaham devi gruhyathaam VishNu vallabhe, Neeraajanam samarpayaami
Mantrapushpa
Offer akshathai by chanting this shlokam:
Padmaasane padmakare sarvalo kaika poojithe, NaarayNa priye devi supreetho bhava sarvadaa,Mantrapushpam samarpayaami
Pradakshina
Offer namaskaarams by chanting this shlokam:
Samastha lokaa jananee mamasthe vishNu vallabhe, Paahimaam bhaktha varadhe varalakshmi namonamaha, Sri Varalakshmi devathaa yai namaskaaraan samarapayaami
Then
Atha Thoragranthi Pooja (worshipping the Thoram or sacred thread):
Worship the Thoram or sacred thread by offeringgandham, haldi, kumkum, akshathai & flowers bychanting this Thoragranthi manthram:
Kamalaayai namaha prathamaa granthim poojayaami
Ramaayai namaha dwiteeya granthim poojayaami
Lokamaatre namaha thrutiya granthim poojayaami
Vishwajananyai namaha chathurtha granthim poojayaami
Mahaalakshim yai namaha panchama granthim poojayaami
Ksheeraabhithanayayai namaha sashtama granthim poojayaami
Vishwa SaaskshiNyai namaha saptama granthim poojayaami
Chandra Sodaryai namaha ashtama granthim poojayaami
Hari vallabhayai namaha navama granthim poojayaami
Thorabandhanam (tying the sacred thread):
Tie the sacred thread yourself to your right wrist while chanting the below mentioned Varalakshmi Vratham Thorabandhana Mantram:
Badnaami dakshiNe hasthe navasoothram shubha pradhaam, Puthra Pauthraabhi vrudincha sowbhaagyam dehi mey rame.
Vaayanaa Vidhi:
Evam sampoojya kaLyaaNeem varalakshmi swa shaktitha, Daathavyam dwaadashapoopamvaayanam hidwijathaye.
After performing Thorabandhanam, offer Vayanam to the Goddess. Then, offer to other marriedwomen.
Vayana Daana Mantram:
Offer vayanam to other married women by chanting this mantram:
Indiraa prathi gruhNaathu indiraa vai dadaathi cha,
Indiraa thaarako bhabhyam indiraayai namo namaha.
Ithi pooja vidhaanam sampoorNam
(It concludes the Varalakshmi Vratham Pooja procedure)
Conclusion
Take theerham and prasadam and also distribute among other devotees. After the completion of the Varalakshmi Pooja, the coconut which is used on the top of the Kalasham should be broken and thewater in it should be thrown to any plant like Tulsi or any other flowering plants which are away from the stamping of human. The biodegradable waste like flowers, turmeric,kumkum, and many other material should be thrown in a well or in nearby fresh flowing water whichare not stamped by human.
Celebrate the Vara Lakshmi Vratham in 2017 with sheer joy and enthusiasm to get the blessings of Varalakshmi. Happy Varalaxmi Vratham 2017!
