Varalakshmi means ‘the Lakshmi who grants boons (varams). She is the Goddess of wealth and good fortune and the consort of Lord Vishnu. Varalakshmi Vratham is a fast that is mostly observed by married women for the welfare of their families.
Mythology says that Goddess Lakshmi herself came in the dream of a pious woman called Charumathi and told her to observe the vratham. She also explained how to do the Pooja. Charumathi won the Goddess’ favors because she was very devoted to her family. After Charumathi began doing the Pooja, other women too began doing it, and it soon became a tradition. It is believed that observing Varalakshmi Vratham can bestow health, wealth, and prosperity to the woman’s family. It can also bestow longevity for her husband and progeny for childless women.
Doing this vratham is equivalent to worshipping the Ashta Lakshmis or 8 forms of Lakshmi.
As with any vratham, there are some rules to be observed during the fast. Let us see what they are.
Varalakshmi Vratham Fasting Rules
Do not drink tea or coffee.
Avoid meals. You can eat fruits at night after the Pooja.
Avoid doing the Pooja if you are menstruating. You can do it on the first Friday after your periods end.
Pregnant women can perform the Pooja if their health permits it.
Varalakshmi Vratham Procedure
The preparations for the vratham start from the previous day. All the Pooja items should be assembled on Thursday itself.
On Friday, the day of Varalakshmi vratham, rise early in the morning and take a bath. The best time for waking up in the morning ‘Brahma Muhurtham’, around 4 am, just before sunrise.
Once the morning rituals are over, clean the house and the surrounding areas. Then draw a ‘kolam’ (rangoli) in the Pooja area.
The next step is to prepare the ‘Kalasha’. For this, you need a silver or bronze pot. Clean it well and smear it with sandalwood paste. Draw a ‘swastika’ symbol on the Kalasha. Then fill the Kalasha with water or raw rice, one lime, coins, betel nut, and five different kinds of leaves.
The items used for filling the ‘Kalasham’ may vary from region to region. In some places, turmeric, black beads, a mirror, small black bangles, or comb may be used for filling it.
Cover the neck of the Kalasha with a clean cloth. Also, cover its mouth with mango leaves.
Finally, cover the Kalasha mouth with a coconut smeared with turmeric. Stick a picture of Goddess Lakshmi on the coconut. Alternatively, you can draw a picture of the Goddess with turmeric powder. Now, the Kalasha is a symbol of Goddess Varalakshmi.
Place the Kalasha on a heap of rice. Begin with the Ganapati Pooja. Start the Varalakshmi Pooja by chanting Slokas like ‘Lakshmi Sahasranamam,’ which praise Goddess Lakshmi.
Make some sweets for the offerings. In south India, Pongal is often offered as Prasad.
Finally, perform Aarti on the Kalasha. Tie a yellow thread around your hand during the Pooja. (This is for women).
In some places, devotees place a mirror behind the Kalasham.
Women who observe the Varalakshmi Vrat must avoid eating certain foods. This varies from region to region. In certain places, the fast is kept until the end of the Pooja.
After the Pooja, on Saturday, take a bath and dismantle the Kalasha. Sprinkle the water inside the Kalasha all over the house. If you used rice, mix it along with the rice you store in your house.
Benefits of Varalakshmi Vratham
Varalakshmi Vratham is a very powerful vratham as Lord Shiva himself had recommended it to Goddess Parvati. This is mentioned in Skanda Purana. Supposedly, Parvati wanted to know if there was any ritual that could benefit all women. Shiva then told her the story of Charumathi and how Goddess Lakshmi appeared to her in her dream and told her to perform Varalakshmi Vratham for her family’s welfare. Thus began the tradition of observing Varalakshmi vratham on the 2nd Friday or the Friday before Pournami in Aadi/Shravan month during Shukla Paksha.
Let us explore the benefits of this Vratham:
· Wealth, good fortune, fame, and progeny.
· Peace, positivity, and harmony in the family.
· Removal of financial problems and profits in business ventures.
· Bestows good health and longevity for self, husband, and the entire family.
· Protection from negative energies.
· Fulfills all materialistic desires
· Helps attain success.
Varalakshmi Vratham 2022 is on August 12
