Illuminated with the glow of numerous diya’s, adorned with rangolis gracing their entrances, and fragrant from the decoration of flowers, every house is a sight to behold on Diwali. Seeking to dispel darkness and celebrating the prevalence of god over evil, Hindus worldwide celebrate this auspicious festival with a lot of joy and enthusiasm.
While Diwali is synonymous with diyas and rangolis, the festival of lights is never complete without performing the Lakshmi-Ganesh puja. Devotees clean their houses, decorate them, dress in their finest attires, and pray to Lord Ganesh and Goddess Lakshmi for good luck, prosperity, and financial success.
However, not many people know the reason behind worshiping Lord Ganesha and Devi Lakshmi during this festival.
Goddess Lakshmi is the wife of Lord Vishnu and is seen with him in various depictions of the preserver of the universe in his abode in Vaikuntha. However, every Diwali, she is worshiped with Lord Ganesha instead of Lord Vishnu.
Once upon a time, in Vaikuntha in the depths of Ksheer Sagar, Lord Vishnu was having a conversation with his beloved wife, Goddess Lakshmi. Priding herself on her abilities to give the boon of wealth and financial gains, the Devi was singing praises of her powers and gifts. Lord Vishnu very wittily replied, “You have all the qualities of making a person happy. However, what good are these when you haven’t yet experienced the joy of motherhood?”
This struck the heart of the Goddess and caused her deep despair. To overcome the pain, she sought the help of Goddess Parvati, who had two sons, Lord Ganesha and Lord Kartikeya. After expressing grief, Goddess Lakshmi requested Devi Parvati to let her adopt one of her sons. Reluctant in the beginning, Goddess Parvati worried whether Goddess Lakshmi could take care of her sons.
Addressing her concerns, Goddess Lakshmi promised to shower all her affection on Lord Ganesha and Lord Kartikeya and employ all her servants for them.
Upon receiving assurance from Devi Lakshmi, Goddess Parvati gave her son Lord Ganesha to her. Goddess Lakshmi was so elated that she blessed Lord Ganesha with all her powers and accomplishments. She also declared that no Lakshmi Puja will ever be complete without offering prayers to Lord Ganesha first.
Lord Ganesha is the bestower of wisdom and intellect. He is the Vighnaharta, the one who rids us of all obstacles of life. He is the lord of all things auspicious, hence Shubh.
Goddess Lakshmi, on the other hand, is the giver of wealth and material success. She brings financial gains to the ones who worship her with a pure heart, hence Labh.
Diwali is the festival when one seeks the presence of Shubh-Labh in their lives. Asking for the presence of just wealth in our lives is important to attain wealth has no point because no amount of money can make us happy if we do not have the wisdom to use it wisely. Devotees offer their prayers to both deities to overcome all the obstacles that are encountered on the way to attain wealth.
While we pray to the goddess of wealth and prosperity for Labh, we also know that it is only fruitful when we have Shubh in our lives.
Performing the Lakshmi-Ganesh puja on Diwali is considered to be very auspicious. To perform this puja correctly, some directions and guidelines must be followed.
Before starting with the puja, a lot of preparations are required. Start the preparations by cleaning the entire house. This must be followed by taking a shower. Any puja must be performed with a clean mind and body in a clean environment. It is said that Goddess Lakshmi never graces a house with her presence that is not clean.
Apart from cleaning the house, purifying it by sprinkling Gangajal all over it and decorating it with marigold flowers and mango leaves is very important. Putting up lights before performing the puja is also customary.
Take a puja kalash that is made of copper, silver, or bronze. Fill three-quarters of it with water and place a betel nut, a marigold flower, a clean coin, and rice grains. At the opening of the pot, arrange five mango leaves in a circular fashion and place a coconut in the opening.
Spread a red cloth on a raised platform and place some rice grains in the middle. Be mindful that the clothes are clean and new. After placing the rice on the cloth, place the idols of Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesh on the grains and place the puja kalash along with them.
Begin the puja by lighting a camphor and some incense sticks. Offer the first prayer to Lord Ganesha and then worship Goddess Lakshmi as is the tradition of Diwali. Chant mantras and sing aartis for both the deities and offer flowers, batashas, betel leaves, fruits, sweets, etc to them.
Close the puja by singing the Lakshmi aarti and offering gratitude to the goddess. Apply the tilak to everyone present and distribute the prasad.
Check out this book: How to Worship Goddess Lakshmi, Shri Mahalakshmi Deepawali Poojan Vidhan
The idols of Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha must be placed in the northeast direction of the house. Lord Ganesh must always be placed on the left side of Goddess Lakshmi. The idols must be in a seated position, and worshiping the deities in a standing posture must be avoided.
Having an idol or photo of Goddess Lakshmi in a standing position must be avoided since it is considered inauspicious. To attract blessings and boons of wealth and prosperity from the goddess, she should always be worshiped in a seated position.
The multicolored thread of festivals runs through the fabric of the rich culture and heritage of India, and every festival represents values that are necessary for living a fulfilled life.
Being one of them, Diwali falls on the Amavasya of the Ashwin month and is the darkest night of the year. However, we can remove that darkness with the lights of many diyas. This just symbolizes that the might of an obstacle is never bigger than the hearts that stand united against it. Exchanging presents and savoring the finest delicacies are just part of Diwali celebrations.
Behind the glitz of Diwali are the feelings of love and affection for each other. Another very important aspect of these celebrations is the Lakshmi-Ganesh puja. This puja is performed to invite the blessings of Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha and attract financial prosperity and good fortune. We celebrate enlightenment and dharma and realize the value of mental strength and spiritual peace along with financial success in life.
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