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~A very special message from our beloved Amma~
There are three attributes that are necessary for receiving the grace of Sri Maha Lakshmi. They are balam, or strength; sauryam, or heroism; and buddhi, or intellect that is quick and powerful. No matter who it may be, or whichever country in which one resides, wherever these three attributes are present, that place will flourish with abhi vruddhi, progress and abundance, and Sri Maha Lakshmi will surely dwell in that place. Shravana Masa is the lunar month that begins two weeks after Guru Purnima occurs. When we worship Mother Lakshmi during the month of Shravana, she drives away the three sufferings of ashanti, or peacelessness, vedana, or worries, and also mental depression. During this month, one should worship Sri Maha Lakshmi to receive her grace and drive away the ashta kashtas, which are the eight types of hardships that people face in life.
Our beloved Mother Sri Lakshmi Devi, one
of whose names is "Loka Mata"; Sri Vara Lakshmi Vratam: August 20, 2010
On the auspicious occasion of Varalakshmi
Vratam, a special kalasam is prepared. Certain items are arranged to
represent Mother Lakshmi, like the coconut, leaves, and the metal kalasam,
or pot. Specific mantras are chanted, which energize the water in the
kalasam with the divine vibrations of Sri Lakshmi Devi. In this way,
Mother Lakshmi’s powerful energy is fully invoked within the sacred
kalasam. In this world, the most important blessing necessary for men, women,
and children alike is Maha Lakshmi kataksham, or the most loving grace
of Sri Maha Lakshmi, our beloved Divine Mother. The worship of Sri Vara
Lakshmi on Vara Lakshmi Vratam (August 20, 2010) bestows good health, knowledge,
good discrimination, family welfare, noble positions, fame, prestige
and wealth. In addition to Vara Lakshmi Vratam, the four Tuesdays through
September 10 are known as Shravana Mangalavaras, and are very powerful
days for the worship of Gauri Devi, the Divine Mother and consort of
Lord Shiva. In this Shravana Masa, the four Fridays are most important
for the worship of Sri Maha Lakshmi. Goddess Sri Maha Lakshmi is Aishwarya
Pradayini, the bestower of every kind of true wealth, whether financial,
spiritual or emotional.
Sri Lalitambika Shakti Pitham is the most powerful and auspicious seat of Goddess Sri Lalitambika. This pitham is a uniquely powerful temple which has been constructed in Penusila Kshetram. Sri Lalitambika is the embodiment of the three main energies of Divine Mother, known as Sri Maha Lakshmi, Sri Maha Saraswati, and Sri Maha Shakti. During the most sacred month of Shravana, numerous powerful worship ceremonies will take place in this Trishakti Pitham. These unique ceremonies will attract Mother Lakshmi’s powerful divine radiance, bringing her abundant blessings to Mother Earth for the benefit of all beings. Each and every one of the eight forms of Lakshmi will be worshipped in loving detail, so that her blessings will pour down like a rushing river of pure, nectarean milk. There are many meanings to the word “Sri;” one among them is simply “Lakshmi.” In order to please Mother Lakshmi and receive boons from her, these four Fridays during Shravana are most auspicious. Those who worship Sri Maha Lakshmi on these four days with utmost devotion and dedication are sure to receive her most compassionate grace. Though we normally refer to “Ashta Lakshmis,” or her eight main forms, Mother Lakshmi actually comes in numerous forms to bless her children. Some of the most important forms follow.
Divine Mother shines brilliantly from top to bottom with the effulgence of golden rays of light; this light is most pleasant and is much like the light emanating from millions of full moons. Sri Maha Lakshmi’s
face is filled with tranquility, and she wears a subtle and gentle smile
upon her face. When she is worshipped with utmost faith and devotion
on all four Fridays of the Shravana Masa, we can receive her daya,
her most loving compassion, and thereby attain the highest fulfillment
of our lives. On All Four Sravana Fridays during August & September 2010 Mother Lakshmi will be worshipped with great love, devotion and authenticity at Penusila Ashram The following auspicious ceremonies may be sponsored in your name for a sponsorship donation as per the sponsorship form. You and your family will be included in the powerful sankalpa, and in this way, you will receive the full blessing of all the uniquely auspicious pujas and abhishekas performed on all four Fridays during Shravana. This is a precious opportunity which Amma has made available this year.
The auspicious Shravana worship of Sri Maha Lakshmi will begin each Friday as the divine waters from 108 kalasams, or specially energized pitchers, will be ceremoniously poured over Sri Maha Lakshmi Devi, accompanied by the sacred chanting of Sri Suktam, the most powerful Vedic hymn for Lakshmi Devi. The kalasas contain specially charged water, including water from the most sacred Ganges River.
Then, Shodasa Abhishekas, sixteen types of sacred offerings will be lovingly poured over Sri Maha Lakshmi Devi’s divine form. The sixteen offerings include milk, yogurt, honey, fruit juices, sugar, coconut water, fruit pieces, waters from sacred rivers, water charged with the vibrations of nine jewels, kumkum, turmeric, sandalwood powder, water charged with the divine power of gold, sugarcane juice, flowers, and perfumed water. Each of these sixteen items carries a slightly different energy which brings different types of blessings into our lives, whether for financial wealth, emotional peace, or harmony in the family.
After offering these sixteen items, ashta gandha dhupam, or eight types of fragrances will be offered to Sri Maha Lakshmi Devi. Then, some beautiful nine-yard silk saris are offered to Devi. Sri Maha Lakshmi Devi will then be adorned with many types of jewels and ornaments as a gesture of intense love and affection. When we see Mother Lakshmi dressed in such beautiful colors and sparkling with gold and gems, we get a tiny glimpse of the vast cosmic glory of Mother, who contains the light of billions of suns and moons put together Then, Sri Maha Lakshmi Devi is worshipped with the chanting of her 1008 divine names as 1008 lotuses are offered at her lotus feet.
This is followed by worship with very rare and auspicious sixteen-petaled gold lotuses. When gold is offered to Mother, she showers the Earth with her cosmic radiance, and the offering of lotuses attracts the divine energy of purity and true abundance. Then, Sri Maha Lakshmi Devi is offered maha naivedyam, the consecrated food which has been carefully prepared with love and faith. When we offer food to Mother, she ensures abundance of food for all her children. Finally, the auspicious harati ceremony is performed, which celebrates the offering of our own souls to Mother. Special lotuses and other sacred articles are offered to Mother as auspicious divine music is played in her presence. This ceremony continues with the offering of many types of scented smoke and trays with different numbers of lights, according to Amma’s specific guidance. Harati culminates with maha mangala harati, the final supremely auspicious offering of 108 auspicious lights.
This complete worship program will be performed from 5:00 - 8:30 AM, and then again from 9:00 - 1:00 PM. There is also a powerful homa program each Friday during Shravana, and this has been explained more fully below. The gentle evening time is also very sacred to Sri Maha Lakshmi Devi, and especially Friday evenings. The special Shravana evening worship program begins at 6:00 PM, with the chanting of 1008 divine names of Sri Maha Lakshmi Devi as kumkum is offered to her lotus feet. These 1008 divine names are actually powerful mantras that each invoke a potent aspect of Mother Lakshmi’s special energy. Kumkum is a bright red powder made from turmeric, and it is very auspicious for Divine Mother. Its red color allows it to attract all the energy of the sacred mantras, so that it becomes powerfully charged with Lakshmi Devi’s divine vibrations. This kumkum is then distributed to attendees and puja sponsors, so that all may benefit. As in the morning program, the lotus feet of Sri Maha Lakshmi Devi will then be worshipped with sixteen-petaled golden lotuses,followed by the worship of Sri Maha Lakshmi Devi together with all eight forms of Mother Lakshmi, the Ashta Lakshmi Devis. During the evening worship, the entire temple compound will be decorated with beautiful, golden ghee lights. Finally, we will have the uyyala seva, in which the devotees gently rock Mother in a swing while singing sweet lullabies. Whenever we offer this seva to Mother, wishing her good rest, she puts a special energy of peaceful restfulness over us, like a blanket of gentle, motherly love. For the evening session, there will be offerings of maha mantra pushpam, great sound flowers in praise of the Supreme Consciousness; Veda parayana seva, the chanting of hymns from holy Vedas, ekanta seva, in which Mother is worshipped in private solitude, and the final maha mangala harati, signifying the final merging of the individual consciousness with Mother’s supreme consciousness. All in all, there will be three puja sessions each Shravana Friday,
and one powerful homa session. These four special worship sessions will
allow the magnificent energy of Sri Maha Lakshmi to build to a tremendous
peak each Friday, thus attracting her most loving grace in exuberant
abundance. Though it may be attempted, it is not possible to describe
the incredible blessing power of these ceremonies in words. Devotees
may participate in these powerful ceremonies by sponsoring the Sri Maha
Lakshmi Devi worship programs on all four Fridays. This is a wonderful
opportunity for devotees to remove their hardships, draw the radiance
of Sri Maha Lakshmi Devi into their lives, and achieve their highest
spiritual fulfillment. The Special Radiance of Sri Maha Lakshmi Homa
Each Friday during Shravana , Mother Cow
is worshipped, indicating the need to respect
Traditional Poorna Kumbham( filled pot) and musicians herald Amma's arrival at the homa
Each pink lotus is decorated with kumkum
and encircled by four red glass bangles - The following auspicious homas may be sponsored in your name for a sponsorship donation as per the sponsorship form. You and your family will be included in the powerful sankalpa, and in this way, you will receive the full blessing of all the uniquely auspicious homas performed on all four Fridays during Shravana. This is a precious opportunity which Amma has made available this year. Each Friday during Shravana, a special homa for Sri Maha Lakshmi Devi will be performed with 1008 lotuses. A number of other homa ceremonies will also be done, in order to attract various aspects of divine grace for healing different problems. These homas include Sri Lakshmi Ganesha homa, Sri Narayana Mula Mantra Homa, Sri Maha Lakshmi Samputita Sri Sukta Homa, Sri Kamalatmika Lakshminarayana Hrudaya Homa, Sri Maha Lakshmi Mula Mantra Homa, and Sri Maha Lakshmi Gayatri Homa.
These homas have the power to heal problems in family relationships, encourage harmony between husband and wife, and attract every kind of prosperity into one’s home. As always, the homa ceremony will end with purnahuti, the supreme offering to the homa fire, mangala harati, the offering of auspicious lights, and naivedyam, the offering of consecrated food.
Truly, Sri Maha Lakshmi represents subtle light, subtler than the subtlest tejas, or divine effulgence. In the physical world, the closest phenomenon through which one can witness this most subtle effulgence is the yajna, the sacred fire ceremony. The Veda rishis say that the power of the yajna fire is the effulgence of Sri Maha Lakshmi Devi. A rishi, or sage, means “a being with immense faith.” During a homa ceremony, numerous mantras are chanted by a group of highly trained Brahmin priests. A mantra is an assembly of specific syllables combined with the power of divine thought and principle. When a mantra is chanted repeatedly by a single person or by a group of people for 108 times or even 1008 times, these sound waves create circular energy waves that emanate outwards to create a field with a supreme potential. This energy field cannot be witnessed by the naked eye. However, a flow of supreme, divine energy is generated in this field. What happens to this flow of energy? As the field expands rapidly, the energy flows through the entire atmosphere of the Earth, enveloping it in divine energy. This cosmic flow of energy can create wondrous things in this external world according to one’s noble wishes. The seed letters contained within a mantra are indestructible. The powerful effulgence of these seed letters fills those who hear the mantras and also those beings for whom these seed letters are being chanted. The circular waves of power and energy that emanate from the chanting of the mantras can traverse this entire cosmos. Not only this, these waves enter deeply into the inner minds of those for whose benefit is the mantras are being chanted. This phenomenon is not limited by how far away the beneficiaries reside. Prana shakti, or life energy, can travel wherever bhavana
shakti, the
power of thought, can travel. There is much potency even in the casual
words spoken by a person. But compared to the power of casually spoken
words, the power of mantra is far more powerful. With a power that is
beyond this external world, the radiance of a mantra can spread throughout
all the galaxies of this universe. The radiance of a mantra also enters
into the inner world, and awakens the energy centers of the subtle body,
no matter how fast asleep these centers may be. Thus, they fill the individual
with indescribable effulgence. Those who are immersed in the chanting
of a mantra will radiate a light and power that is completely beyond
this external world. The inner consciousness of these practitioners will
blossom at once.
The purnahuti, the final offering,
has been prepared with many auspicious offerings, including fruits,
kumkum, turmeric, sandalwood powder, sindhur, coconuts,honey, nuts,
and special herbs Amma assures her sweet babies that when any homa and mantra chanting
is performed for our benefit, our inner consciousness will be linked
with the waves of divine effulgence that emanate from the sounds of this
mantra chanting, such that we are sure to receive the complete blessing
and divine grace! Hari Om Tat Sat Vara Lakshmi Vratam and Shravana Sponsorship Options: Sri Maha Lakshmi Devi is the form of the Divine Mother who provides her children with all forms of wealth—wealth of devotion, health, material prosperity and abundance. The following four sponsorship options are available during Shravana.
2010 Sponsorship Options for Vara Lakshmi Vratam □ Vara Maha Lakshmi Vratam Homa & Puja 20th August PUJA □ Shravana Ashta Lakshmi Puja 20th August □ Shravana Maha Lakshmi Puja 27th August □ Shravana Ashta Lakshmi Puja 3rd September □ Shravana Maha Lakshmi Puja 10th September HOMA □ Shravana Ashta Lakshmi Homa 20th August □ Shravana Maha Lakshmi Homa 27th August □ Shravana Ashta Lakshmi Homa 3rd September □ Shravana Maha Lakshmi Homa 10th September
Photos from Vara Lakshmi Homas and Abhishekams at Amma's Ashram Related resources for Guidance on Vara Lakshmi Vratam and the month of Shravana
Additional Resources for Learning and Practice
On
the holy occasion of Sri Vara Lakshmi Vratam, may the Om Shantih Shantih Shantihi | ||||
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