Varalakshmi Vrata Puja

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Dear Members,

 

 

 

 

As promised earlier I am posting on Varalaskhmi vrata.Hope you find it interesting.

 

 

 

Fridays are sacred to the Mother Goddess, also known as Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth. And the Friday that precedes the full moon day in the month of Aavani(shravana.) (July- August) is especially auspicious. It is on this day that the Varalakshmi Nonbu(vrata) or the Fast of Varalakshmi is observed. "Vara" means a boon; Varalakshmi is believed to be the given of bounty and boons.

 

A story in this regard will act as a warm up before the actual posting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

King Bhadrasravas was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. His wife, Queen Surachandrika was the epitome of chastity. They had married off their only daughter , the princess Shyamabaala to a virtuous king, Maladaran. One day her maid servant came in to her boudoir and announced, "Your Majesty, an old woman is waiting outside and insists on meeting you."

While she was telling this, a very much married, content and happy woman of 45 came up behind her and stood looking benignly at the queen. Surachandrika lost her temper. "Why you old hag, what temerity. You come here unannounced into the Queen's chamber and stand there looking like a dolt. If it is alms you want, come by the back door. My maid will give you plenty” she snapped.

The lady was not ruffled. She smiled and spoke to the furious Queen in a sweet, cajoling voice as one would talk to a child. “Daughter, I give and the world is filled to plenty. And you mistake me for a beggar…! You miss your darling daughter. That is why I wanted to bless you with a strong and glorious son. Even if you are the Queen, you should learn to control your tongue. They are the most important ornaments for a woman.”

The Queen did not say a word. She bodily dragged the elderly woman by her hair and dumped her unceremoniously on the hard ground. At that time, the Queen’s daughter Shyamabaala arrived on the scene. She helped the woman to her feet and spoke to her soothingly. After apologizing on behalf of her mother, the Princess soother her; seeing she was a married woman, Shyamabaala seated her on a wooden plank and offering Sumanagali Pooja she satiated her with the usual gifts of black beads, silk sarees, turmeric, bangles, mirrors, betel nut, turmeric and fruits.

The Queen on the other hand was feeling the effects of having spurned the Goddess of Plenty and Wealth. The monsoons did not come, the fields were parched and cattle were dying by the hundreds. The kingdom’s subjects were moving out of the city in droves. Surachandrika could not believe her eyes. She ran in tears to the old woman and prostrated before her with a pot full of gold. The same instant, the gold turned into coal.

 

 

Surachandrika’s husband smile resignedly. “There is no use bemoaning your fate now. You insulted the good and auspicious presence of the Mother Goddess. You felt you were omnipotent. Now it is time for you to repent.”

But the Goddess in all her mercy, restored Surachandrika to her former glory and taught her how to observe the Varalakshmi Fast.

 

Usually Varalakshmi Nonbu falls on the Friday before the full moon day in the month of Aavani(shravan masa) . The Fast is not something you can just observe. It is a tradition that is handed down over generations, and women who have not been formally initiated cannot observe this fast though they be married.

 

(Southindian lady effortlessly and speedily drawing a kolam amidst her various duties for the big day!)

 

 

 

 

 

The women get up early in the morning and clean their homes with a paste of cowdung and ater; this is usually a germicide and give the floor a shining and auspicious yellow colour. Next the place is decorated with Kolams , the traditional designs of rice and water. It is set off with a beautiful border of maroon, for which thick red brick powder is used.

A mandap or a small wooden structure symbolic of a temple is set on the main kolam. This is then spread with ripe grains of paddy to symbolize fertility. On this rich spread is placed a brass plate which is in turn spread with pure white rice. Cool river water is filled in a silver pitcher and set in the middle of the rice spread.

The pitcher is marked with dabs of sandalwood and Sindoor , the forehead markings of married women. A coconut (which stands for happiness and long life) is fitted inside the neck of the pitcher and bordered with mango leaves.

Next, a small figurine of Goddess Lakshmi is placed before the pitcher. The figurine is decorated with silk tassels and jewels especially made for such an occassion. Some people even go to the extent of doing up the hair of the Goddess with garlands. The puja takes place for over half an hour and is marked by the recitation of appropriate mantras. After the pooja is over, the married woman who has initiated the fast, gives betel leaves, sweets and money to a Brahmin boy as a mark of respect. Sometimes gifts are also given to mendicants and other married women.

The matriarch of the group ties threads dyed yellow on the wrists of all the other women; the threads are strung with a few flowers and have 9 knots in them.

The goddess, variously called Devi, Ambal, Lakshmi, Shakthi, is one of the most important figures in the Hindu pantheon. Tradition tells us to pray to the Goddess first, because with her kind and benevolent heart, she will intercede with the Lord for the granting of any boon. While the goddess represents everything from power to prosperity, in the form of Lakshmi, the consort of Lord Vishnu, she is a symbol of wealth. Visitors to the hill shrine of Tirupati, after offering worship at the sanctum sanctorum of Lord Srinivasa, circumambulate the shrine and then come to the figurine of Goddess Lakshmi set high up in the wall. She is in standing posture with gold coins pouring out of her hand. They reach up and touch her feet. Even children too small to reach the image are lifted up and the ritual is gone through.

In Chennai, one of the most popular shrines is the Ashtalakshmi Temple in Besant Nagar. Located close to the sea, the winding steps take one to one manifestation of Lakshmi after the other. It is said that Lakshmi will enter the house of anyone who thinks of her and bless them. There are many festivals in the year dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi. Among them, Varalakshmi Vratham is unique because it is marked by strict observance of certain practices and austerities. It is also called Varalakshmi Nonbu. The puja falls on the Friday before the full moon in the Tamil month of Aadi. This year, it occurs on August 8.

The name Varalakshmi itself can be interpreted in two ways. In one sense, Varalakshmi is one who grants boons. In another, she is the Goddess who is invited into the home and honoured. The different types of benefits that will accrue thanks to performing the Varalakshmi puja are "dhan" (money), "dhanyam" (grains or food), "arogyam" (health), "sampath" (property), "sathsanthanam" (virtuous offspring) and "dheerga saumangalyam" (longevity of the husband).

 

Performing the Varalakshmi puja is said to be equivalent to worshipping all the different forms of Lakshmi. The evening before the day of the puja, the area for its performance is cleaned and decorated.

Use of kalasam for the puja:

A bronze or silver kalasam (special pot) is filled with rice or water and coins, a whole lime, five types of leaves and betel leaves and betel nut. The kalasam is smeared with sandal paste and covered with a new cloth up to the neck. A coconut applied with turmeric paste is placed on top with mango leaves around. An image of the Goddess made of different materials, including cloth, is affixed to this. The kalasam is deemed to be the Goddess herself. Offerings of pongal are made and arathi is performed.

The next morning, before rahu kalam, the kalasam is placed on a bed of rice. This signifies that Lakshmi has entered the house. After the installation, a puja beginning with an invocation to Lord Vinayaka begins. During the puja, the Lakshmi Sahasranamam and other slokas dedicated to Varalakshmi are chanted. Different types of sweets are offered to the Goddess.

The women and girls of the house tie yellow coloured saradu or thread around their wrists. Thamboolam is given to other "sumangalis" (married women) who are invited to the house that evening. The woman who has performed the puja observes a fast on that day, eating only certain things. The following day the holy water in the kalasam is sprinkled throughout the house. If rice has been used in the place of water then it is mixed with the rice stored in the house.

There is another legend behind the Varalakshmi puja and vratam is as fascinating as the first story which I narrated. It was a game of dice which caused a small tiff between Lord Shiva and Parvati as to who was the victor. An honest gana, Chitranemi, was asked to arbitrate and he decided in Shiva's favour. An angry Parvati cursed him to suffer from leprosy. When Shiva pleaded with her, she gave in and said the day women in the world observed Varalakshmi puja, Chitranemi would get deliverance. Chitranemi got relief when he observed some women performing the puja. Ever since then, this vratham has been observed.

 

After pooja, neivedhyam to be kept and do karpoora aarathi. After aarathi, ladies must tie the nonbu saradu in their right hand, reciting the sloka given in the book. After that we give thamboolam to ladies. In the evening, fresh flowers are placed and the decorations are refreshened, adding new flowers. For the neivedhyam, prepare Bengal gram(konda kadalai ) sundal. I love sundal and also cooking very much and have given my recipe for the same hope you like it.

The recipe is however made out of chickpeas(gorbanzo beans) which is also acceptable.My wife does it a bit different in kerala style.

 

SUNDAL (GARBANZO BEANS DISH)

 

 

This is a vegetable dish. It can be had as a side dish with chapatis or rice & rasam. But it can also be had like that. INGREDIENTS: 1 can garbanzo beans (or fresh kabuli channa)grated coconut3 green chillies (chopped finely)1 tsp channa dhal1 tsp urad dhal1 tsp mustard seeds1 tsp turmeric powderSalt to taste1 tsp oil1 tbsp lemon juicewatercoriander leaves (chopped finely) METHOD:

If you are using fresh garbanzo beans (kabuli channa), then soak it overnight in water.

In a heavy bottomed pan, heat oil.

Put the two dhals, turmeric powder, mustard seeds and allow it to splutter.

To this, add the garbanzo beans and water just to cover the lentil.

Cook the garbazo beans.

When 3/4th done, add salt to it and cook it for a few mins more by stirring it.

Now add the coconut(optional), lemon juice & coriander leaves

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This day being a friday, giving thamboolam for many ladies is preferable. We can give coconut or any other gift along with the thamboolam. In the night, we show mangala aarathi.

Next morning, we place a few new flowers and do punar pooja as given in the book. We can do this pooja with the things available. The evening pooja continues for three days from Friday. After that we remove the amman from the pooja.

 

The next morning the Goddess is also welcomed to the specially erected pandal by singing the song "Varalakshmi Raave ma intikki". The kalasam is placed on a bed of raw rice spread over a plantain leaf. Pooja is begun with an invocation to Lord Ganesha. During the Pooja the Lakshmi Sahasranamam and other slokas are chanted.

After doing the pooja that would include the Lakshmi Ashtothram and Sahasranamam a yellow thread called 'saradu' is tied by the women on their right wrists. The women who do the Nonbu fast that day eating only certain foods that have been offered to the Goddess first.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The day after doing the punar pooja, the holy water is sprinkled through out the house or the rice is added to The evening women visit one another and exchange of thamboolam. The next day is the storage day for the puja articles.

Special temples dedicated to Maha Lakshmi exist in Doddagaddavalli in Mysore as well as in Kolhapur in Maharashtra. Lakshmi is said to have worshipped Lord Siva in the temples of Tiruvadi near Tanjore, in Tiruninriyur near Vaithiswarankoil, in Tiruthengur near Tiruvarur and Tiruppathur in the Ramnad district, and consequently these places are considered to be specially important for the observance of Vara Lakshmi Vrata and other Vratas invoking the blessings of Lakshmi.

 

Om varalakshmi Namasthethu

Maya Maye' Abhayankari!

Yours Yogically,

Shreeram Balijepalli

 

 

 

 

 

Purity, Powers, Parabrahmam...

 

 

 

 

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