VOICE OF THE RISHIS - 31

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PRIYA BHAGAVAT BANDUVULLARA!

 

VOICE OF THE RISHIS – 31

 

" UDANTU MAAYAAANTHA RAAYAASCHA BAAHYA ALAKSHMEEH "

--SREE SOOKTAM

(RIG-VEDA, PARISISHATAM)

 

" Hence, you evil forces causing inward and outward

poverty " . The word `Alakshmi' carries several aspects. ` Alakshmi'

is a term containing all the evil influences, all the undesirables,

and ever to be distanced by every effort. The opposite is the

positive `Lakshmi', which contains all heavenly aspects, peace,

progress and prosperity.

 

And that is intended in this prayer. This is taken

from " Sreesooktam " . We have `Sreesooktam' praising, Lakshmi in the

feminine gender, the cohort of Lord Vishnu. And Purushsooktam

contains evocation of eulogies of the compassion and immense powers

of the Lord. In all Vaisnava Temples, the priests invariably during

the holy rituals chant Sreesooktam and Purushsooktam in chorus.

 

And this text is an invocation to the Goddess Sreemahalakshmi

to remove (udantu) the evil influences, `Alaxmi' which generally

indicates poverty, ignorance, illiteracy, uncleanness etc., This is

also indicative of evil and undesirable characteristics within

(antarayaascha), and without (baahya). Oh! Goddess Laxmi, drive out

the indwelling and external deleterious forces from e " , is the great

invocation.

 

Here the sacred leaves of Bilwa tree are also mentioned. The

Bilwatree (eegle marmelos) and the Tulsi Plant (Bacil, acimum

sanctum) are the two plants considered extremely holy in the Vedic

texts. Ayurveda or the Herbal Science of Medicine was eloquent on

the healing, beneficial effects of these herbs.