Varalakshmi Puja 2022: Legends And Stories Associated With The Origin Of This Festival

Varalakshmi Puja 2022 is on 12 August, Friday and this auspicious festival is dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth and prosperity. According to the Hindu calendar, every year, the Varalakshmi festival is celebrated on the first Friday of the Shukla Paksha of the Shravan month.

It is said that whoever performs the Varalakshmi pooja and vrat whole-heartedly, they are blessed with whatever he/she wishes for.

It is believed that when the Varamahalakshmi is worshipped, it is equivalent to worshipping all the forms of Maha Lakshmi together. It is said that by performing this puja with a true and pious heart, one can gain many benefits like Dhanam (money), Dhanyam (food), Sampath (wealth), Santhanam (good offspring) and Dheergayu sumangali bhagyam (long life of the husband).

The Veera Lakshmi Goddess and the Gaja Lakshmi Goddess will be pleased on performing the pooja and bless an individual with courage and debt-free life. As with most Hindu festivals, the festival of Varamahalakshmi has some stories associated with it too.

It is considered auspicious to read these stories and retell them. We shall go through some of these stories today. Read on to know more.

Birth Of Lakshmi From The Ocean Of Milk

It is said that the Varamahalakshmi pooja is celebrated on the day that Goddess Lakshmi appeared from the ocean of milk or the Ksheera Samudra. The story says that once the Devas and the Asuras decided to churn the ocean of milk to bring out the nectar called Amrit.

While doing so, a lot of other items appeared too. Some were good and others were bad. Goddess Lakshmi is thought to be the most auspicious thing that appeared from the Ksheera Saamudra.

Charumati And Varamahalakshmi Pooja
- This is a story mentioned in the Skanda Purana. Once Goddess Parvati asked Lord Shiva to regale her with a vrata that will prove auspicious to all of womankind. Lord Shiva then told her about the vrat of Varamahalakshmi.

- A woman named Charumati was very sad due to her bad luck and poverty. She was a devotee of Goddess Lakshmi and prayed to her for deliverance. In answer, Goddess Maha Lakshmi appeared to her in a dream and explained the rules and process of the Varamahalakshmi pooja.

Charumati woke up the next day and immediately set to prepare for the pooja. She invited all her relatives and friends and performed the pooja. It is said that all who were present there were blessed with wealth and prosperity.

Shyamabala And Varamahalakshmi Puja

Once upon a time, there lived a King called Bhatrasiravas with his Queen Surachandrika. They had a daughter named Shyamabala. Shyamabala was married to a prince from the neighbouring kingdom.

Once while visiting her parent's, Shyamabala saw her mother chasing an old woman away. When she asked her mother, she replied that the old woman was trying to advise her about the Varamahalakshmi pooja and its rules. The Queen did not like that an old beggar was trying to teach her things about poojas and vrata.

Upset at her mother's behaviour, Shyamabala went to the old woman and humbly learnt all that she had to teach. When she returned to her kingdom, she started to perform the pooja religiously.

With time, Shyamabala's kingdom began to prosper and her husband began to become more popular among the subjects. Meanwhile, Bhatrasiravas's kingdom began to break apart due to poverty and revolt.

Shyamabala sent some pots of gold coins to help her parents but as soon as her mother laid her eyes on it, they turned to ashes.

Thus, the Queen realized her folly and asked for forgiveness from Goddess Lakshmi. She too started performing the Varamahalakshmi pooja and her kingdom regained its former glory.

Chitranemi And Varamahalakshmi

- It is said that once Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati were playing the game of dice. Goddess Parvati was repeatedly won and Lord Shiva accused her of cheating.

- To make sure that the game was fair, they decided to appoint Chitranemi (a Shiva Gana) to oversee the game.
- Chitranemi falsely ruled in favour of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati cursed him to become a leaper.

- Chitranemi begged for forgiveness and Goddess Parvati forgave him on the condition that he should watch the Varamahalakshmi Pooja being performed by the women.