Varalakshmi Vratham

Varalakshmi Vratam is an important pooja performed by many women in the month of Sravanamasam / Aavani. In this month many women perform Mangalagouri vratam on Tuesdays and Mahalakshmi puja on Fridays.VaraLakshmi Vratham is performed on The 2nd firday of Sravana maasa or the firday 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 performs with utmost devotion. Those who fail to perform the Vratam  can do it so on any other Friday of the Sravanamasam.
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 of the Hindus. Vishnu is also called Ashta Lakshmi Padhi which is equivalent to saying that he is the asylum for the eight-Lakshmis or forces.
Lakshmi is a woman. So she will more readily sympathise with women. Hence this varalakshmi Vratam is performed by women invoking the blessings of Lakshmi on their family and bless them with health, wealth and  prosperity.

Preparation of Varalakshmi Vratham :
Goddess Lakshmi loves cleaner and tidier homes. Hence,the pooja room and the house is cleaned on previous day itself. Puja related vessels are cleaned and polished. On the Puja day Women woke up early morning clean the pooja room and make kolam (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 betelleaves, 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  :
Om Apavitrah Pavitro Va Sarvavastham Gatoapi Va,
Yah Smrait Pundarika Aksham Sa Vahy Abhyantarah Shuchih
Tilak is considered auspicious mark and Aachman is considered helping washing off sins committed by action, thought, and speech. Apply Tilak on your forehead and do ‘Aachman’ (drinking of holy water after accepting it in your palm) with the following mantra:
Om Keshavaya Namah, Om Narayanaya Namah, Om Madhavaya Namah, Om Govindaya Namah drop the water in a plate… and chant 20 names of narayana…
Om Vishnave namah
Om Madhusudayanaya namah
Om Trivikramaya namah
Om Vamanaya namah
Om Shridharaya namah
Om Rshikesaya namah
Om Padmanabhaya namah
Om Damodaraya namah
Om Sankarshanaya namah
Om vasudevaya namah
Om Pradyumnaya namah
Om Anirudhaya namah
Om Purushothamaya namah
Om Adhokshjaya namah
Om Narasimhaya namah
Om Achyutaya namah
Om Janardhanaya namah
Om Upendraya namah
Om Haraye namah
Om sri Krishnaya namah…

Sankalpam
Shubhe shobhane muhUrte Adya-brahmaNaH dvitIya-parArdhe Shveta-varAha kalpe vaivasvata-manvantare ashtAvimSatitame kaliyuge  prathame pAde jambU- dvipe bhArata-varshe bharatha-khaNDe meroH dakshiNe pArshve  —-shakAbde  asmin vartamAne vyAvahArike prabhavAdi shhashTi-samvatsarANAM madhye   —- nAma-samvatsare —-ayane —–Ritau  —-mAse    —pakshe   —  tithau — nakshatra-yuktAyAM shubha-yoga shubha-karaNa evamguNa viSeshaNa-viSishTAyAM asyAM — shubha-thithau  mamopAtta-samasta-durita-kshayadvArA  shrI-parameSvara-prItyarthaM asmAkaM saha-kuTumbAnAM kshema-sthairya-vIrya-vijaya-Ayur-Arogya-aiSvaryANAM abhivRiddhyarthaM  dharmArtha-kAma-moksha caturvidha-phala-purushArtha-siddhyarthaM ishTa-kAmyArtha-siddhyarthaM sarvAbhIshTa-siddhyarthaM sarvArishTa-shAntyartham ShrI Mahalakshmi Prithyadham – sri Varalashmi poojam karishye..
Start worshiping Lord Ganesha, who is believed to drive away all obstacles and evil forces. Offer prasadam or fruit to Ganesh and chant the mantra…

Shuklaambaradharam vishnum
shashivarnam chaturbhujam |
prasannavadanam dhyaayaet
sarva vighnopa shaantayae ||

Give Aarathi to Lord Ganesha and Start performing vara Lakshmi Pooja . Invoke Goddess  Mahalakshmi into the kalasha.

Om Shree Laxmi Devayay Namah

Oh Goddess Lakshmi ! We pray to you in benign solemnity to bestow your blessings and shower your wealth on us.

OM SHREEM HEEM SHREEM KAMLE KAMALALAYE PRASEED PRASEED,
SHREEM HEEM SHREEM , OM MAHALAXMI NAMAYE

Om and salutations to that feminine energy which bestows all manner of wealth, and for which  Shreem is the seed.
Drop the flowers at the feet of the goddess.

OM SARVA LOKASYA JANANIM SULA HASTAM TRILO CANAMSARVADE VAMA YIMI SAM DEVI
MAVA HAYA MY AHAM DEVIM AVAHA YAMI SWAHA
Then worship a couple of torams (a bunch of nine threads with nine knots) and tie one to the kalasha while the other one is tied around the right hand wrist of the lady performing the pooja ans start performing pooja.

Do the following while chanting the mantra ;
Offer Seat to the deity – Aum Idam aasaanam Shri Lammi Mata samarpa-yaami swaha
Touching the feet of the deity - AumPaada-yoha paadyam Sri Laxmi Mata samarpa-yaami  swaha
Giving deity water to drink – AumHastayor-arghyam Shri Lammi Mata samarpa-yaami swaha
Purifying area around deity with water -AumMukhe aachman-eeyam Shri Lammi Mata samarpa-yaami swaha
Vastram (Silk Cloth) – AumVastram Shri Lammi Mata samarpa-yaami swaha
Kacha Soot (Holy Thread) – AumYajno-paveetam Shri Lammi Mata samarpa-yaami swaha
Attar (Perfume) – AumGandham Shri Lammi Mata samarpa-yaami swaha
Chandan (Brown Sandalwood) – AumChandanam prati grihayatam Shri Lammi Mata samarpa-yaami swaha
Sindoor (Red Sandalwood) – AumSindooram Shri Lammi Mata samarpa-yaami swaha
Hardee (Yellow Tumeric) – Aumhaldeeyam Shri Lammi Mata samarpa-yaami swaha
With an incense arti the deity – Aumdhoopamaa-ghraa-payaami Shri Lammi Mata samarpa-yaami swaha
Akshat – Aumakshataya Shri Lammi Mata samarapa-yaami swaha

Now Recite/chant 108 Names of Maha Lakshmi Ashtotaram doing kumkum puja.

RECITE  Maha Lakshmi Ashtakam  AND  Sri AshtaLakhsmi Stotram

Pushpam (White Flower) – Aumpushpam Maalam Shri Lammi Mata samarpa-yaami swaha
Tambulam (Betal leaves, areca,fruits)- AumTambulam Shri Lammi Mata samarpa-yaami swaha
Naivedyam (Special dishes,sweets)   – Aum Naivedyam Shri Lammi Mata samarpa-yaamiswaha
Coins (silver) – Aumdakshinaam Shri Lammi Mata samarpa-yaami swaha
With a diya arti the deity – Aumdeepam darsha-yaami Shri Lammi Mata samarpa-yaami swaha
Circle the Deity with Karpoor – Aumkarpoor-aaraarti-kayam Shri Lammi Mata samarpa-yaami
“Samarpa-yaami” means not for me but for you God

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 directed 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 takes bath in the wee hours and prepare a mandapam and invites 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 to right hand and offers naivadyam to Goddess Lakshmi Devi. On the completion of the first circumstance, she heard she found Gajjelu, Andelu and other ornaments. On the second circumstance, they found kankanams made of navaratnams to their hands. On completion of the third circumstance, they found immense wealth. Then Charumathi offers Tambulam to the brahmin priests and distribute the vrata prasadam to the relatives and lead a happy life. Since then, Hindu women perform this vrata with utmost faith and trust till today. With this, Lord Eswara concludes telling the story to Goddess Parvathi.