INVOKING LAKSHMI The Goddess of Wealth in Song and Ceremony (cid:47) Constantina Rhodes Invoking Lakshmi Siddhalakshmi: Goddess of Power Invoking Lakshmi The Goddess of Wealth in Song and Ceremony Constantina Rhodes Front Cover: Lakshmi Seated on Lotus. Popular poster image. India; Twentieth century. Author’s collection. Cover photo of author. Photo credit: Ed Wolf FRONTSPIECE: Siddhalakshmi: Goddess of Power. Nepal; Inscription date 1694. Pigment on cloth. Courtesy Rubin Museum of Art. Published by State University of New York Press, Albany © 2010 State University of New York All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher. For information, contact State University of New York Press, Albany, NY www.sunypress.edu Production, Laurie Searl Marketing, Anne M. Valentine Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Rhodes, Constantina Eleni, [date] Invoking Lakshmi : the goddess of wealth in song and ceremony / Constantina Rhodes. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-4384-3321-9 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1. Lakshmi (Hindu deity)—Prayers and devotions—History and criticism. 2. Hindu hymns—History and criticism. 3. Lakshmi (Hindu deity)—Cult. I. Title. BL1225.L32R46 2010 294.5’2114—dc22 2010005367 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 For my beautiful daughter, Alexandra Contents Acknowledgments xi Introduction: The Goddess Arrives in Delhi 1 What Does It Mean to Invoke a Goddess? 3 On the Format of This Book 6 Sources: Sanskrit Texts and Popular Worship Manuals 8 PART ONE: The Divine Personalities of Lak∑m¥ 13 Chapter 1: The Awesome Power of Auspiciousness: Lak∑m¥ of the Vedic Traditions 15 The Primordial Lotus Goddess 15 The Goddess of Auspiciousness: Ír¥’s Essence, Lak∑m¥’s Form 18 Alak∑m¥, the Inauspicious 20 Chapter 2: Living the Good Life: Lak∑m¥ of the Puråˆic Traditions 23 The Burgeoning World of the Puråˆas 23 Lak∑m¥ and the Lords of the Three Realms: Indra, Vi∑ˆu, and Bali 24 All Women Are Embodiments of Lak∑m¥ 26 Lak∑m¥, Embodiment of the “Four Wealths” (Caturartha) 30 The Absence of Lak∑m¥: Is Lady Luck a Fickle Goddess? 42 Chapter 3: Living the Powerful Life: Lak∑m¥ of the Tantric Traditions 47 The World According to Tantra 48 Lak∑m¥ as Kuˆ∂alin¥ 49 Lak∑m¥, Íiva, and the “Ten Great Wisdom Goddesses” (Daßamahåvidyås) 52 viii CONTENTS The Grace-Bestowing Mother 56 Lak∑m¥ as Siddhi: Magical Attainment, Spiritual Power 58 PART TWO: The Power of Poetry to Summon the Goddess 61 Chapter 4: The Power of Vedic Hymns: Generating Auspiciousness 63 Reciting the Hymns (S¶ktas) 63 Ritual Application of the Vedic Hymns 65 Chapter 5: The Power of Puråˆic Songs: Drawing Down the Goddess 67 Reciting the Songs of Praise (Stotras) 67 The Propitious Glance of the Goddess 68 Fruits of the Recitations (Phala) 69 Chapter 6: The Power of Tantric Songs: Waking Up the Goddess 71 Alchemy of the Goddess: The Magic of Transformation 71 Vibratory Essence: Engaging the Sound-Forms of Lak∑m¥ 76 The Potency of a Woman’s Recitations 81 Literary Genres of the Tantric Songs 82 Structure of the Tantric Songs 83 PART THREE: Ceremony 91 Introduction: Invoking Lak∑m¥ in Ceremony: Lakƒm¥ P¶jå 93 Creating Space to Receive the Goddess 93 The Ancient Art of Hospitality 96 Structure of the Ceremony 97 Lakƒm¥ P¶jå Text 99 Preparation and Purifi cation 99 Heart of the Ceremony: Receiving the Goddess 104 Outline of the Lakƒm¥ P¶jå 116 PART FOUR: Song 119 Vedic Hymns to Lak∑m¥ 121 Hymn to Ír¥ (Ír¥ S¶ktam) 121 Hymn to Lakƒm¥ (Lakƒm¥ S¶ktam) 124 CONTENTS ix Puråˆic Songs to Lak∑m¥ 127 Song for Lakƒm¥, Gracious Bestower of Blessings (Prasannavaradå Ír¥ Lakƒm¥ Stotram) 127 Song for the Glorious Lotus Goddess (Ír¥ Kamalå Stotram) 133 Lord Indra’s Song for Lakƒm¥ (Devaråja Indrak®ta Lakƒm¥ Stotram) 137 The Heavenly Gods’ Praise-Song for Lakƒm¥ (Ír¥ Daivak®ta Lakƒm¥ Stotram) 143 Eight Verses Praising Mahålakƒm¥ (Mahålakƒmyaƒ†akam Stotram) 146 Tantric Songs to Lak∑m¥ 149 The Secret Heart of Lakƒm¥ (Ír¥ Mahålakƒm¥ H®dayam) 149 Praise-Song for the Bestower of Wealth (Dhanadå Stotram) 169 Song-Amulet of the Bestower of Wealth (Dhanadå Kavacam) 170 Praise-Song for the Lotus Goddess (Kamalå Stotram) 171 108 Names of the Glorious Lotus Goddess (Ír¥ Kamalå Aƒ†ottaraßatanåma Stotram) 177 Song-Amulet of the Lotus Goddess (Kamalåtmikå Kavacam) 181 Song for the Lakƒm¥ of Spiritual Power (Ír¥ Siddhalakƒm¥ Stotram) 186 Song for the Glorious “Eyes of Indra” (Ír¥ Indråkƒ¥ Stotram) 190 Song-Formulary of the Glorious Mahålakƒm¥ (Ír¥ Mahålakƒm¥ Pañjara Stotram) 194 Secret Lakƒm¥ Incantation That Yields Immediate Results (Sadya÷ Phaladå Lakƒm¥stava H®dayam) 200 Epilogue: The Goddess Returns Home 203 Transliterated Sanskrit Texts 207 Lakƒm¥ P¶jå Text 207 Vedic Texts 211 Puråˆic Texts 213 Tantric Texts 222 Notes 249 Bibliography 265 Index 275