Varalaksmi Vratam observed in Prasnthi Nilayam( Posted at 10:10 Hrs.IST on 1st Aug 2009)

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Praying for Plenty and Prosperity

Varalaksmi Vratam observed in Prasnthi Nilayam

Posted at 10:10 Hrs.IST on 1st Aug 2009

Varalakshmi

Vratam, propitiating the Goddess of plenty and prosperity, was observed

and celebrated with devotional fervour in Prasanthi Nilayam on 31st

July 2009. One thousand five hundred women from all over the world

participated in the function held in Sai Kulwant Hall in the immediate

Divine Presence of Bhagawan.

 

One of the most auspicious days dots in the Hindu almanac, Varalakshmi

Vratam had its trails to Prasanthi Nilayam in the year 2000 when the

festivity was celebrated for the first time in the Divine Presence.

Ever since, the festivity has grown in stature earning a permanent

place in the Prasanthi Calendar with thousands of women participating,

propitiating blessings from Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of prosperity

and wealth.

Popularly

known as “Varalakshmi Vrataâ€, it is performed by married Hindu women on

friday before the full moon day during the month of Sravana. The Vrata

is performed more in the Southern part of India, especially in the

states Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu and also in some parts

of Orissa and Maharashtra. Legend has it that this Vrata was suggested

to Mother Parvati by Lord Shiva for wealth and prosperity.

 

On the scheduled day, the auspicious friday morning, Sai Kulwant was a

scene of plenty and prosperity as 1500 housewives, shining in coloured

uniform attire, assembled in the vast Sai Kulwant Hall awaiting to take

part in the ritual. Assembled as early as at 7 am, it was a ‘perfect

assembly’ wherein women participants joined the allotted lines with

utmost discipline anticipating the Lord to come and bless the occasion.

 

 

 

 

The dais had a perfect setting with a mini temple of

Goddess Varalakshmi having two idols forming the backdrop. A riot of

flowers of various hues with buntings hanging from the top was

heralding grandeur and auspiciousness of the occasion. Ashta Lakshmi,

the symbolic representation of Goddess Mahalakshmi’s eight forces were

also on display in front of the dais adding splendor to the impressive

artistic decor enhancing the spiritual ambience at the venue.

Earlier the proceedings in the morning started with

the regular Veda Chanting. Bhagawan who came at 9:40 and received with

Poornakumbham to the accompaniment of Nadaswaram, took a detour to come

on stage. The Veda chanting continued till 10 a.m. when Bhagawan nodded

to start the proceedings of the ritual. The proceeding began with

Bhagawan lighting the ceremonial lamp.

The items for the ritual includes Kalasha covered

with mango and betel leaves filled with water symbolizing prosperity;

coconut smeared with vermillion and turmeric powder will be placed on

the Kalasha; a new cloth covered conically is placed on the coconut.

The ritual starts with the invocation of Lord

Ganesha, the remover of obstacles. Next to invoke is Goddess

Varalakshmi and proceed according to 'Sree Sukta Vidhana' with

'Shodasha Upachara' or 16 forms of ceremonial offerings to Goddess

Varalakshmi while reciting verses from the Sree Suktam. Then they chant

Lakshmi Ashtottara Shatanamam. Nine types of sweets as well as savories

are offered to the Goddess. Hymns are sung in praise of the deity.

Another woman is invited; who is considered to be Goddess Varalakshmi

and sweets as well savories are offered. In Prasanthi Nilayam, in the

Divine Presence, it is Sai Mahalakshmi who is adored and invocated as

Varalakshmi during the rituals.

Commencing the proceedings with Ganesha invocation

the Chief Priest gave a scintillating display of anchoring, detailing

the procedures interspersed with commentary on the greater significance

of the ritual in the Divine Presence. Propitiating Sai Mahalakshmi,

praying for world peace as a universal common goal, he continued the

proceedings breaking into a poem singing the glory of the attributelss

Lord Shiva. Calling Prasanthi Nilayam verily the Kailasa, the Chief

Priest commented that Lord Shiva with His consort and all the ganas are

very much in Prasanthi Nilayam and it was our great good fortune to

celebrate the auspicious occasion in the Divine Presence.

The ritual for the day commenced at 10:00 am lasted

for forty-five minutes. The Chief Priest went on narrating the greater

significance coupled with step by step instructions for the

participants to proceed with the ritual. Bhagawan is the Silent Witness

who confers His Blessings in most subtle way.. Throughout the ritual He

was onstage watching the proceedings silently. Upon the end of the

forty-five minute long ritual Bhagawan went for a complete round of the

‘disciplined assembly’ blessing the participants.

At the end of the puja, the Chief Priest narrated

the story of how the 'Varalakshmi Vrata' came in to practice: In

Kailasa, Goddess Parvati asked Lord Shiva as to whether there was any

form of worship that women could perform for fulfillment of all their

desires. Then Lord Shiva suggested that by performing the Varalakshmi

Vratam on the first friday of the Hindu month of Shraavana, a women

could attain all her desires such as a long & happy married life,

being blessed with children and grandchildren, leading a healthy &

prosperous life dedicated to right living and spiritual growth.

 

 

 

After attaining these instructions, the ever

compassionate mother appeaed in a dream of a pious lady by the name of

Charumathi, instructed and guided her to perform the Varalakshmi

Vratam. Upon waking up, she narrated the dream to her husband and her

in-laws and they encouraged her to perform it. So Charumathi performs

the vratam along with many other married women and they were blessed

with all auspiciousness and prosperity..

After the story

session, the ladies tied sacred thread on the right hand wrist of each

other and exchanged prasadam and other articles of worship. The session

concluded with Arati around 11am.

A sumptuous feast was arranged for all the participants in the South Indian Canteen.

Musical Concert by Anuradha Sriram

The evening was turned into a musical twilight with

a scintillating classical rendering by well known carnatic vocalist cum

playback singer Anuradha Sriram taking the stage, enthralling the

Divine and the capacity audience with her touch of mesmerizing

devotional numbers. Invoking Bhagawan addressibng Him as Father,

acknowledging His omnipresence in her life as a guiding force, the

singer said that it was a homecoming for her and it was her great good

fortune to be in His presence singing her heart out for Him.

 

 

 

Matching the perfect ambience set up by the

hallowed presence of Bhagawan, the celebrated singer matched her class

with elan rendering a diverse collection of devotional numbers that

lasted for seventy minutes. Singing both Carnatic and Hindustani, Mrs.

Anuradha often crossed the language barrier rendering pieces from

Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and even from Marati..

Starting with “Vatabhi Ganapathim†in Hamsadhwani,

she moved on to “Marugelara…†followed by a special song on the

occasion titled, “Ye Bhagyatha Lakshmi Bhagyatha…†invoking the

presiding deity for the auspicious day with passionate calling… While

M.S.Subalakshmi’s famous number on Bhagawan Sri Krishna “Kurai Onrum

Illai Maraimurthi Kanna…†would have taken the Divine to the wonderful

days of the illustrious singer singing in His presence, another number,

Lataji’s original piece on Shirdi Sai, “Mere Sai Teri Murat

Rahe Man Mein…†was a touching experience for the audience as the

singer went ecstatic with Sai in physical listening to her passionate

plea…She sang…â€Tumhi Mere Maatha… Tumhi Pitha Hamare….†These numbers

were received rounds of applause. A Thukkaram Abhang describing the

beauty of Vittala in Pandarpur, a composition in Rudrapriya Raga on

Mother Divine were the other numbers before signing off with the famous

meera bhajan "Payoji Maine Ram Ratan Dhan"! The singer was

accompanied by Sudheendra on the Mridangam Mrs. Nalina Mohan on Violin,

Rajendra on Tabla and Puranik on Harmonium.

Bhagawan blessed the artiste with a chain and

followed it up with sarees. Accompanists were also blessed with sarees

and safari pieces. This was followed by a short stint of Bhajans by

students before Manga Arathi was offered.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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