To ramya about Lakshmi Puja and Pot

[Guest guest]

Dear ramya ~ thank you so much for posting this information. This too is

"class" (learning). I did not know about the worship of Lakshmi after Navaratri,

and so, even though I loved the pictures, I was puzzled about the Laksmi

murti. Now I understand. Maa and Swamiji teach us in so many ways. But those of

you who are at the Mandir teach us also. You help fill in some of the gaps.

And I am very thankful ~ Linda P.S. How long does this worship of Laksmi last?

:::wondering if she should get the Laksmi Puja Book:::

Jai Maa ~ Jai Swamiji ~ Linda

 

ramya wrote:

 

Swamiji said that in the New Moon day called Mahalaya (the day before

NAvaratri officially begins) is the great dissolution. Through out

the Nine days of Navaratri we pray to Divine Mother...

On the 10 th day (Vijaya Dashami) there is Visarjan - Traditionally,

the forms of Divine Mother and taken to the ocean and once more we

worship Mother as being manifested in all of creation.

 

On the Full Moon following Navaratri celebrations, we do Lakshmi

Puja. The new creation has begun -- and we worship Mother Lakshmi!

 

"Lakshya" means goal - and Mother Lakshmi helps us in formulating and

sustaining us as we strive to reach our highest ideals. So we worship

Mother Lakshmi and pray to Her to help us be pure instruments in Her

new creation!!!

 

Lakshmi also symbolizes prosperity and wealth - Swamiji says that

what we value is our wealth - so our goals and aspirations are our

wealth. Another aspect of wealth traditionally was the harvest - and

you can see in this picture green shoots rising from a plate in the

altar. Shree Maa Herself planted rice seeds (we call it paddy in

India) and barley in a tray at the beginning of Navaratri and they

grew to be those shoots. She used rice flour with water to draw Feet

of Divine Mother all over the temple.

 

What a beautiful celebration -- and now we wait in eager anticipation

for Mother to come as Kali Maa and take away all our darkness!