Varalakshmi Vratham is a Ritual to worship the goddess Lakshmi. Varalakshmi Pooja is celebrated on the friday, before the full moon day (purnima) in the traditional month of Sravan (Sravanam/Aadi/Sawan). This year Varalakshmi Vratham falls on 16th August 2013.
Varalakshmi means the boon granting goddess. Worshipping Goddess Lakshmi on Varalakshmi Vratham is equivalent to worshipping Ashtalaksmi - the eight goddesses known as Sri (Wealth), Bhu (Earth), Sarasvati (learning), Priti (love), Kirti (Fame), Santi (Peace), Tushti (Pleasure) and Pushti (Strength).
VARALAKSHMI VRATHAM STORY
Once great sage Suuta explains Saunaka and other sages a Vratam(ritual) which when performed by ladies would fetch them all the prosperity and other wishes that a lady wants. He tells them that this was actually narrated by Lord Shiva to goddess Parvati.Once in Kailasam (the abode of Lord Shiva ) Parvati approaches Lord Shiva and asks him " what is the vrat that has to be performed by ladies so that they will get all the benefits that they long for like children, grandchildren, long life to husbands etc. Lord Shiva tells that there is one such Vratam and it is the "VaraLakshmi Vratam". The meaning being Vara is a boon and VaraLakshmi the goddess who will be granting the boon.Lord Shiva tells Parvati that this pooja should be performed on a Friday that comes just before the Full moon day of Sravana Month. The Friday before the Sravana Poornima.Parvati then asks the procedure and the the history of the benefits of the vrat.Shiva starts to narrate the story of the benefits.Once there was a city by name Kundi in the country of Magadha. The town was almost built with gold, even the walls, the fencing walls, doors, houses everything was made of gold. In that town lived a lady by the name of Charumati, who was a perfect example for a Indian women who worship their husbands, serve the parent in laws and do the duty of a wife, daughter in law and mother to perfection. Goddess Lakshmi was very much impressed with Charumati. Goddess Lakshmi appeared to Charumati in her dream and told that she was pleased with the way she was doing her duties and told her to worship her on a Friday that comes just before the full moon day of the Sravana Month and she would grant her any wish that she would want.In the dream itself Charumati worshipped Goddess Lakshmi with the following slokaNamsathe sarvalokanam jananya punya murthayeSaranye tri jaga dwandye Vishnu vakshasthalayeAnd many others.Charumati prayed to the goddess saying " oh the one who is the mother of all ! the one who gets your blessings are the lucky ones who will be educated, rich. It is because of the good deeds that I have done in my previous birth that you appeared before me and blessed me.She immediately got up from the sleep and sees around and doesn't find the goddess and so is convinced that it was a dream. She explains the dream to her husband and in laws, who encourage her to perform the vrat. Charumati tells the same experience to all the ladies neighbouring her house. Everyone is eagerly waiting for Sravana Month.Finally the Firday before the Full moon of the sravana month arrives and the all the ladies start to prepare for the pooja. They get up early in the morning, take a head bath, wear silk sarees. They clean up with the place with cowdung called Gomayam. They put up a altar called as Mandap and on that a stool called Asanam (chair). On that Asan they pour the rice and on the rice setup the Kalash.Kalash is nothing but a vessel that is normally used to hold water, but a smaller size vessel on top of which a coconut in the inverted position is kept. The top the coconut is wrapped up with a piece of cloth. Then they invite (Avahana) goddess Lakshmi to come with all the Mantras.All the ladies performed the pooja to the goddess, along with performing the 16 offers (Shodaso upachara ).After completing the pooja they tied thread with nine knots to their right hand wrist and started doing Pradakshina ( rotating around the idol chanting the name of the Goddess Lakshmi).Once they started the pradakshini at the completion of the first round they heard the sound of anklets and see that they have been adorned with anklets.By the end of second round they had bangles studded with nine types of diamonds and by the time they finished the third round they were fully adorned with jewelery on their bodies. They were happy that they were being blessed by the Goddess Lakshmi.Even the houses have turned to gold and they were also blessed with all the form of vehicles and animals like cows, horses, and elephants.To take the rest of ladies to their home, their chariots and other vehicles reached Charumatis home. All the ladies along with Charumati seeked the blessings of the Brahmins who helped them in performing the pooja, gave them the fees(Dakshina) along with Tamboolam (little quantity of betle nut, betlenut leaves and a fruit). They also gave the Brahmin 12 Kudumus(a recipe prepared on this day). Brahmins blessed them and all the ladies left to their houses happily.They kept on discussing the wealth that Charumati and they acquired and how lucky they were to be called by Charumati. They all praised her for not keeping the Vrat to herself but telling to all the others so that every one can prosper.From that day onwards, it had become a part of their yearly ritual to perform this Vrat and lived happily with their sons and grandsons ever after.Lord Shiva concludes the story by telling that " Goddess Parvati, by doing this Vrat and by spreading this Vrat and helping others also to do it will bring prosperity not only to family but also to the kid and kin. By hearing or reading this story, one is blessed with prosperity"Suutha ends the story stating that " I hope you all have heard how Charumati selfless helped others and wished for their prosperity, it is this virtue that is liked by the Goddess and the one with this virtue will always be dearer to the Goddess. The Goddess would provide every thing that is needed by her devotees with this virtue."source:http://hindusphere.com/
