
27. Lakshmee Puja. 
» By Panprr Yoorsa Coanpra Suastri-SaAMKHYARATNA- 
The word Lakshmee is pack from the root Lakshi, fe see. 
etymological meaning is—one 
Etymological meaning, loo ks upon, 2.¢ seins a an aeeroeds! ‘aa 
ct ate eal attributes persevering man, synonyms are— 
Harip ife 
arfafe:, sar eig*; (mother of the Univecee’, Sree wealth 
Satay: | and beauty), Padmalaya (one whose abode 
i e lotus), etc. She, being believed 
to be the wife of Vishnu and the predominating deity of wealth 
and beauty, is worshipped by every Hindu householder of India. 
When Lakshmee is propitious, her devotee gets all sorts of pros- 
perity. 
Once upon a time Indra, the king of meee beta ¢ cursed by 
urbasha, Rishi, forsaken by 
Origin of her worship. Lakshmee, and, ‘eicetians se lost all his 
qu, wataew prosperity. The other gods and god- 
HIRE - ware, mh os Afterwards they went to Baikuntha, the 
WUTSS Fl AMAA — abode of Vishnu, and oer Laksh- 
WLR WAT: | mee, by which act they recovered their 
former prosperous iain. Hence the 
introduction of her worship in heaven. Mann, the son of Brahma 
and progenitor of mankind, having heard from Indra of the bless- 
ings he had obtained from the worship of Lakshmee, introduced 
her worship on ear 
Lakshmee is ites ar by Hindus in two forms. The first 
, preparing a female figure consisting 
The forms of Lakshmee— of two hands and feet. ‘The colour of the 
drawings and paintings. figure is yellow. Seated on a lotus she 
Vide wa@tratcag | holds a lotus in each of her hands. =p 
wears a red cloth and various kinds of 
ornaments.' The second form of her worship 1 is a basket full of 
paddy, upon which a half-opened cocoanut is placed, and on the 
ne side of this cocoanut there is placed a shell filled with water 


. This form being a Pouranika one, is worshipped by the Hindu — 
holders of all parts of India when they have a mind to do so, without nag 
tion of caste or sub-caste. Bat it is sometimes 8 by an — ice 
filled up with water, and having a small 1c! » 
‘also in the several places of upper 
Presidencies of M regen eh seger eee ‘ dastlat 46 that of 
Assam. It is strange enough 
Lakshmeepuja is solemnized by the —- in the month Fath of Kertic (October). 
