Invoking Lakshmi the goddess of wealth in song and ceremony

294 Pages·2010·4.735 MB·English

by  Rhodes, Constantina Eleni

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