दीवाली लक्ष्मी पूजा

When & why

The worship of Mahalakshmi — the goddess of wealth, fortune, and wellbeing — on the night of Diwali, the Amavasya (new moon) of Kartik. It is kept in the Pradosh Kaal, the period after sunset, and householders favour a window in which a "fixed" (sthira) lagna prevails, by which the goddess is said to settle and stay in the home. Lakshmi is worshipped together with Ganesha — the remover of obstacles — and often with the kalash, the Navagraha, and Kubera, the keeper of treasure; trading families also worship their account books and open the new year's ledger. It is performed for prosperity, the welfare of the household, and an auspicious start.

Samagri checklist

Sankalpa

Before the puja

• शुद्धिPurification

  Bathe and wear clean clothes. Sit on an āsana facing east or north, with the puja space wiped clean. Sprinkle a little water over the samagri and over yourself, do ācamana (sip water three times), and steady the breath before beginning.

• संकल्पSankalpa

  Take a little akshat and water in the right palm and silently make the Sankalpa — the dedication of the puja: your gotra and name, the place, today's tithi and nakshatra, and the intention for which the puja is performed. Release the water at the close of the dedication.

• गणेश-पूजनGanesh Pujan

  On Diwali, Ganesha is worshipped alongside Lakshmi — placed to her left. Invoke Shri Ganesha, offer akshat, durva, sandalwood, and a flower, so the worship proceeds without obstacle.

• कलश · नवग्रह स्थापनाKalash & Navagraha Sthapana

  Establish the kalash beside the images, and worship the Navagraha (nine planets) — many households mark nine slots of akshat for them on a cloth alongside. Invoke Varuna in the kalash water before the main puja begins.

The sixteen upacharas

1. 1

   Step 1

   ध्यान · आवाहनMeditation & Invocation

   Meditate on Mahalakshmi — seated on a lotus, golden-hued, holding lotuses, her hands raised in the gestures of blessing and of pouring forth wealth. Invoke her presence, with Ganesha, into the images.

2. 2

   Step 2

   आसनSeat

   Offer a seat — symbolically, a few akshat (unbroken rice grains) or flowers placed before the image, requesting the deity to be seated.

3. 3

   Step 3

   पाद्यWater for the feet

   Offer pādya — a few drops of clean water at the feet of the image, as water to wash the feet of an honoured guest.

4. 4

   Step 4

   अर्घ्यArghya

   Offer arghya — water mixed with akshat and a flower, poured from a small vessel or conch as a respectful offering for the hands.

5. 5

   Step 5

   आचमनWater to sip

   Offer ācamanīya — a small spoonful of clean water, as water for the deity to sip.

6. 6

   Step 6

   मधुपर्कHoney-curd-ghee

   Offer madhuparka — a small portion of honey, curd, and ghee mixed together, the traditional sweet welcome for a revered guest.

7. 7

   Step 7

   स्नानBathing

   Bathe the images with panchamrita — milk, curd, ghee, honey, and sugar — and then with clean water, drying them gently before dressing.

8. 8

   Step 8

   वस्त्रVesture

   Offer fresh cloth — a small clean piece of cotton or cloth placed at the base of the image.

9. 9

   Step 9

   यज्ञोपवीतSacred thread

   Offer a fresh sacred thread (yajñopavīta), placed across the shoulder of the image — customarily offered to male deities.

10. 10

    Step 10

    गन्धSandalwood paste

    Apply gandha — fragrant sandalwood paste — as a small mark on the forehead of the image, with the ring finger.

11. 11

    Step 11

    पुष्प · अर्चनाFlowers & Name-archana

    Offer lotus flowers, kamalgatta (lotus seeds), and marigolds, one at a time, while reciting the name-mantra of Mahalakshmi. The lotus is dear to her and should be included.

    Mantra

    ॐ श्रीं महालक्ष्म्यै नमः

    oṁ śrīṁ mahālakṣmyai namaḥ

    Om — with the seed-syllable śrīṁ, salutations to Mahalakshmi.

    Transliteration is under scholarly review — treat as provisional.

12. 12

    Step 12

    धूपIncense

    Light incense (dhūpa or an agarbatti) and offer it, circling it gently before the image.

13. 13

    Step 13

    दीपLamp

    Light a ghee or oil lamp and offer it before the image, then set it to the right.

14. 14

    Step 14

    नैवेद्यFood offering

    Offer kheel (puffed paddy) and batashe, sweets, and seasonal fruit — the customary Diwali naivedya — placed on a clean dish.

15. 15

    Step 15

    ताम्बूलBetel & areca

    Offer tāmbūla — betel leaves with a piece of areca nut, a clove, and a cardamom.

16. 16

    Step 16

    नीराजन · आरतीCamphor Aarti

    Conclude the worship with the aarti — light camphor, circle it clockwise before the image, and sing the deity's aarti. The puja proper ends here; what follows is the closing.

Closing the puja

• कुबेर · बही-खाता पूजनKubera & Account-book Pujan

  Worship Kubera, the keeper of treasure, at the cash box or safe with akshat and a flower. Trading families also worship the account books (bahi-khata) and open a fresh ledger for the new year, marking it with a swastika and "Shubh-Labh".

  When this appliesThe account-book worship is kept chiefly by trading and business households.

• प्रदक्षिणाPradakshina

  Circumambulate the image clockwise three times, holding a flower — or, if the image is large and fixed, turn yourself clockwise in place. Then bow.

  Mantra

  यानि कानि च पापानि जन्मान्तरकृतानि च । तानि तानि विनश्यन्तु प्रदक्षिणपदे पदे ॥

  yāni kāni ca pāpāni janmāntara-kṛtāni ca | tāni tāni vinaśyantu pradakṣiṇa-pade pade ||

  Whatever sins have been committed, in this birth or in former births — may they all be destroyed, step by step, with every circumambulation.

  Transliteration is under scholarly review — treat as provisional.

• क्षमा-प्रार्थनाKshama-prarthana

  Bow with folded hands and offer the Kshama-prarthana — a request that the deity forgive any shortfall of mantra, of rite, or of devotion during the puja, and accept it as complete.

  Mantra

  मन्त्रहीनं क्रियाहीनं भक्तिहीनं सुरेश्वर । यत्पूजितं मया देव परिपूर्णं तदस्तु मे ॥

  mantrahīnaṁ kriyāhīnaṁ bhaktihīnaṁ sureśvara | yat pūjitaṁ mayā deva paripūrṇaṁ tad astu me ||

  O Lord of the gods — whatever I have worshipped here lacking in mantra, lacking in proper rite, lacking in devotion — let it, O Lord, become complete by your grace.

  Transliteration is under scholarly review — treat as provisional.

• दीपदानLighting the Diyas

  After the puja, light the row of diyas and place them through the home — at the threshold, around the courtyard, and by water — so the home is filled with light on the night of Diwali. Distribute prasad.

Read within the puja

After the puja

• Lakshmi Aarti
• Lakshmi Chalisa
• Jaap — Om Shrim Mahalakshmyai Namah
• Diwali

Regional & family variants

• Timing — Pradosh and sthira lagna

  Diwali Lakshmi Puja is kept in the Pradosh Kaal after sunset; many households further prefer a window within it in which a fixed (sthira) lagna — such as Vrishabha (Taurus) — prevails. The exact window changes every year and by place, and is read from a panchang.

• A regional difference

  In Bengal and parts of eastern India, the Diwali new-moon night is kept as Kali Puja — the worship of Kali — rather than as Lakshmi Puja; there, Lakshmi is worshipped instead on the Kojagari Purnima earlier in Ashwin.

Sources