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H2]Arthur Avalon
Hymns to the Goddess
Mahālakṣmī (Mahālakṣmīstotra) by Indra1
INDRA said:
1
O Mahālakṣmī! I salute Thee,
Thou art Mahāmāyā2 and Śrīpītha.3
Worshipped art Thou by Devas,
Holder of conch, disc, and mace.4
O Mahālakṣmī! I salute Thee.
2
O Mahālakṣmī! I salute Thee.
Mounted art Thou on the back of Garuda.5
Thou art a terror most formidable to Asura Kola.
Thou removeth all sins.
O Devī Mahālakṣmī! obeisance to Thee.
O Mahālakṣmī!
Thou knowest all.
3
Giver of boons art Thou to all;
Formidable terror to the wicked;
Remover of all pain and sorrow.
O Devī! salutation to Thee.
4
O Devī Mahālakṣmī!
Thou art the giver of intelligence and success,
And of both worldly enjoyment and liberation.
Thou art the self of Mantra.6
O Mahālakṣmī! obeisance to Thee.
5
Thou art without beginning or end.
O Supreme Devī Mahālakṣmī!
Thou art the primeval power,
And art born of yoga.
O Mahālakṣmī! salutation to Thee.
6
Thou art both gross and subtle,7
Thou art terrible and a great power,
Great-bellied art Thou.8
Thou removeth all great sins.
O Mahālakṣmī! obeisance to Thee.
7
O Devī Mahālakṣmī!
Thou art the supreme Brahman,
The ever-pervading Ātman.
Thou art the great Lord9
And Mother of the world.
O Mahālakṣmī! Salutation to Thee.
8
O Devī clad in white raiment,10
Adorned with varied gems.
Mother and upholder of the world art Thou.
O Mahālakṣmī! obeisance to Thee.
9
The Sādhaka11 who ever reads12 this hymn to Mahālakṣmī.
Composed of eight verses,
Attains a kingdom and all success.
10
Whosoever reads this hymn once a day
Is freed from sin,
He who reads it twice a day
Has ever abundance of paddy13 and wealth.
11
Whosoever reads this hymn thrice a day,
All his great enemies perish;
Mahālakṣmī ever bestows Her grace on him,
Grants him all boons,
And does him all good.
Footnotes
1. From the Brihatstotraratnākara, edited by Jagannātha Mehtā (Benares).
2. She who is both the Authoress and Victrix of Māyā (delusion), the supreme Śakti.
3. Abode of wealth and beauty.
4. The implements held by Viṣṇu, Her Spouse.
5. The bird-king carrier (vāhana) of Viṣṇu.
6. Mantrātmikā (see Introduction).
7. See Introduction.
8. Mahodari, for all things are in Her.
9. Maheśvarī.
10. Lakṣmī is generally clad in red and Sarasvatī in white, but the Supreme Śakti has all the attributes and qualities of the rest.
11. Worshipper. See Introduction to Tantra Śāstra.
12. Here follows the phala portion of the stotra.
13. When pūjā is done to Lakṣmī, the Mūrti (Lakṣmirkānta) is placed on paddy, which is kept in the Thakurghar for a whole year, and then thrown into the Ganges.
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