Significance of Mahalakshmi Jayanti

Mahalakshmi Jayanti is the birthday of Goddess Lakshmi, the consort of Vishnu, and the Goddess of wealth, good fortune, and prosperity. It falls on the Poornima or full moon day in Falgun month. On this holy day, devout Hindus worship Lakshmi and invoke her blessings. The festival is also called Madan Purnima or Vasant Purnima. In some places, people observe the festival as Uttara Phalguninakshatram. It was on this day that the Goddess emerged from the Milky ocean. The name Lakshmi comes from the Sanskrit word, ‘Laksya’, meaning ‘aim’ or ‘destination’. Whenever Vishnu takes one of his earthly avatars, Lakshmi too incarnates to unite with him. For instance, when Vishnu was born as Rama, she was born as Sita, and when he was born as Krishna, she was Rukmini. As wealth and prosperity are needed to live well, Mahalakshmi is an important deity for Hindus. One can find her idol or image in most Hindu homes and shops. People worship her daily to receive her blessings which are necessary to attract prosperity and abundance. It is said that Lakshmi will not grace a home that is unclean or where the womenfolk are not happy. She hates discord, so she avoids places where there are constant fights and arguments. 

There is an interesting myth about the birth of Lakshmi. Let us see what it is.

Birth of Goddess Lakshmi

Lakshmi’s birth story has many versions, but the most popular is the Samudra Manthan story which describes her emerging from the sea during the churning of the Milky Ocean. 

Sage Durvasa once offered Lord Indra a flower garland, but Indra put it around the forehead of his elephant Airavata. The elephant flung the garland to the ground. This made the short-tempered Durvasa fly into a rage. Angered by Indra’s disrespect, he curses Indra saying that he had a big ego and was arrogant. He cursed Indra to lose all his wealth. 

Soon, Durvasa’s curse began to take effect. The gods began to lose their vigor and energy. The plants began to die, and men stopped doing acts of charity. Minds became corrupted, and desires ran amok.

Sensing that the gods were weak, the asuras or demons invaded heaven and defeated them. Chaos reigned. The gods approached Vishnu for a remedy. He told them to churn the Milky Ocean along with the demons and get the elixir of immortality, Amrit, which had the power to restore their strength and power. 

Thus the ocean was churned, using Mount Mandara as the rod and the serpent Vasuki as the rope. When the mountain was in danger of sinking in the ocean, Vishnu took the Koorma (tortoise) avatar and carried it on his back. Many exquisite things came out of the ocean during the churning. They included the wish-granting cow and Kalpavriksha, the wish-granting tree. Dhanvantari also emerged from the ocean, bearing a pot of elixir. Mahalakshmi emerged all in white and holding a pair of lotuses. The day she emerged from the ocean was later celebrated as Mahalakshmi Jayanthi. The gods managed to drink the elixir without sharing it with the demons, as promised. They regained their strength, fought the demons, and recovered their kingdom. 

Significance of Mahalakshmi Jayanti:

Devotees invoke Lakshmi’s blessings by worshipping her with true devotion. Mantras are chanted, and Yantras are worshipped to please her. Poojas and Homas are also performed to appease her. If she is pleased, she showers many blessings on her devotees. She can also bestow spiritual knowledge and mental peace. Lakshmi Pooja is a very powerful ritual that attracts her grace. She can offer relief from financial problems and success in all aspects of life. This Pooja is an important ritual during Diwali.

Legend of Lakshmi’s birth

Lakshmi is also known as Shri. The Vishnu Purana says that she is the daughter of Sage Bhrigu and Khyaati. In this version, she left heaven and began to reside in the depths of the Ksheera Sagara or Milky ocean after Sage Durvasa’s curse on Indra began to take effect. She is also the sister of Shukracharya, the guru of the asuras, and the planet, Chandra (Moon). Chandra also emerged from the ocean during the churning. Lakshmi represents Vishnu's spiritual feminine energy, as Adi Param Prakriti, which empowers devotees and transports them to the spiritual plane. She is also the goddess of beauty. She has a golden complexion and long hair. She wears a red or golden costume and is adorned with gold ornaments as well as a golden ruby-studded crown. Her right-hand shows Abhay mudra and Gyan mudra representing power and intelligence. She has a pot of gold and a sheaf of paddy in her left hand, which signify her power to bestow wealth and prosperity.

Rituals/ Celebrations:

Place an image or idol of Lakshmi on an altar and light a lamp with four wicks. Place a Shankh or Conch above it. Perform Abishek for the idol using Roli and Chawal. Offer flowers and garlands and perform Aarti. Offer sweets as bhog and distribute them among the devotees after the prayers.