Shri Lakshmi Chalisa
By Traditional (anonymous)19th–20th centuryKhadi Boli Hindi
Verses
Opening Doha
Mātu Lakṣmī kari kṛpā, karahu hṛdaya meṁ vāsa।
Mano-kāmanā siddha kari, parama sukha āsa॥
Mother Lakshmi, by your grace, dwell in my heart.
Fulfill my heartfelt wishes; grant me supreme bliss.
Sindhu-sutā Viṣṇu-priye, nata śira bāraṁbāra।
Ṛddhi-siddhi-maṅgala-nidhi, karahu kṛpā apāra॥
Daughter of the ocean, beloved of Vishnu — I bow my head again and again.
Treasure of riddhi, siddhi, and auspiciousness — bestow your boundless grace.
Chaupais (selected — 40 verses)
1. Salutations, salutations, Mother of the worlds, Bhavani — bestower of joy and boons, Mother of welfare.
2. Seated on a lotus, beloved of Vishnu — salutations, salutations, Bhagavati Shri-Hari’s beloved.
3. Jewel born of the ocean of jewels, the matchless image dwelling in Hari’s heart.
4. Bestower of every joy and wealth, the merciful vessel of the world’s wellbeing.
5. Mother of the universe, victory to the lotus-dweller — companion of Hari, granter of every auspicious boon.
6. Your face’s radiance equals a million suns — who else is so favourable to devotion?
7. Lotuses adorn your hands in every direction; your gentle smile enchants the world.
8. Elephant-kings perform your abhisheka; on every side, the immortals sing your praise.
9. Lakshmi’s pastimes are infinite — the Vedas and Puranas sing of them with reverence.
10. Whoever meditates with devotion — upon them the Mother showers her grace.
11. Beloved of Vishnu, daughter of the lotus, deliverer of all who seek refuge.
12. One who serves you with love — though poor, becomes rich; though weak, becomes strong.
13. You free us from disease and sorrow; every grief and obstacle you erase.
14. Goddess called Mahalakshmi — the eight-formed, auspicious bestower upon the world.
15. Adi Lakshmi — the primordial root of all. Dhanya Lakshmi — bestower of wealth.
16. Dhanya Lakshmi — provider of grain. Gaja Lakshmi — giver of strength and prosperity.
17. Santana Lakshmi — granter of progeny. Vira Lakshmi — bestower of courage.
18. Vijaya Lakshmi — goddess of victory. Vidya Lakshmi — treasure of knowledge.
19. Eight-formed yet one Mother — protector of devotees, granter of every joy.
20. Born from the churning of the ocean — between gods and demons you appeared.
21. Vishnu chose you and won — the auspicious shadow fell across all three worlds.
22. Without you, sacrifices remain incomplete; without you, even the gods are like orphans.
23. Without you, no household shines; without you, neither enjoyment nor liberation arrives.
24. Like Tulsi, you are the most pure Mother — crown-jewel of devoted wives.
25. Friday is your dear day — through worship and vrata comes deliverance.
26. Diwali night is matchless — you wander house to house, glancing at each.
27. Whichever home you find clean and pure — there you make your eternal abode.
28. Whoever lights an oil-lamp in the courtyard, calling “Save me, save me” with deep remembrance —
29. Offers parched rice and sugar candy — all their wishes are fulfilled.
30. Their treasury fills, debt and disease both retreat far away.
31. Whoever recites this with daily discipline — upon them mercy descends without limit.
32. Crisis is averted; the home overflows with joy and prosperity.
33. In business, profits multiply. In employment, advancement comes.
34. Children’s joy delights the heart. Marital love stays ever-bright.
35. Knowledge and wisdom raise the head high; renown and fame are heralded.
36. Whoever fasts on Friday — receives every cherished desire.
37. Whoever observes the Sixteen Friday vrat — assuredly receives the desired fruit.
38. Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva — all three serve you. The three gods worship at your feet.
39. Victory, victory, Mother of the worlds, Bhavani — without you there is no other true protector.
40. Whoever sings this chalisa daily — receives Lakshmi’s grace forever.
Closing Doha
Sindhu-sutā Viṣṇu-priye, karahu kṛpā maharāni।
Dīna-hīna kī he māta, harahu saṅkaṭa hāni॥
Daughter of the ocean, beloved of Vishnu, great Queen — bestow your grace.
Mother of the destitute and helpless — remove our suffering and loss.
Meaning
The Lakshmi Chalisa is a concise summary of Goddess Lakshmi’s many forms, virtues, and graces — both material and spiritual.
The opening doha invokes her by her two foundational identities — Sindhu-suta (daughter of the ocean) and Vishnu-priya (beloved of Vishnu). These two are theologically loaded: she emerged from the Samudra Manthan (ocean churning) and chose Vishnu as her consort.
The first ten verses describe her cosmic glory — seated on a lotus, lotuses in all four hands, anointed by elephant-kings, radiance of a million suns.
Verses 14–18 introduce the Ashta-Lakshmi — the eight forms in which she is worshipped:
| Form | Domain |
|---|---|
| Adi Lakshmi | Primordial source |
| Dhanya Lakshmi | Wealth |
| Dhanya Lakshmi | Grain, food |
| Gaja Lakshmi | Strength, prosperity |
| Santana Lakshmi | Progeny |
| Vira Lakshmi | Courage |
| Vijaya Lakshmi | Victory |
| Vidya Lakshmi | Knowledge |
Verses 20–24 recount her Puranic origins — emerging from the churning of the ocean, choosing Vishnu, being indispensable to every yajna, and her purity equalling that of Tulsi.
Verses 25–30 turn to practice — Friday as her favoured day, the Diwali night-walk, her dwelling in clean homes, the offering of oil lamps and khil-batashe (parched rice and sugar candy).
The closing verses (31–40) are phalashruti (fruits of recitation) — promising business profit, career advancement, children, marital love, knowledge, fame, and the special potency of the Sixteen Friday vrat.
History
The exact author of the Lakshmi Chalisa is not preserved. It came into circulation in the 19th–20th century, after the Hanuman Chalisa’s enormous popularity inspired chalisas for many other deities. They share the metre, structure, and tone of Tulsidas’s Hanuman Chalisa, transposed onto each deity.
Scriptural foundation — Lakshmi is described in the Sri Sukta (a khila portion of the Rigveda), the Padma Purana, the Vishnu Purana, and the Sri Mahalakshmi Ashtakam. The Chalisa draws on all of these but renders them in vernacular Hindi.
The Ashta-Lakshmi tradition is especially strong in South India. The famous Ashtalakshmi Temple in Chennai is dedicated to all eight forms in a single complex. Verses 14–18 of the Chalisa compress this entire tradition into five verses.
How to Chant
When
- Daily morning — after bathing
- Friday — Lakshmi’s day, especially fruitful for her recitation
- Diwali, Dhanteras, Sharad Purnima — major festivals
- Griha-pravesh (housewarming), business openings, Kuber-sthapana
- Sixteen-Friday vrat with a sankalpa (vow)
Steps
- Bathe and wear red or yellow clothing (Lakshmi’s preferred colours).
- Set up the puja space with a Lakshmi murti or image. Adding a Sri Yantra is highly recommended.
- Sprinkle Ganga jal if available.
- Offer red flowers, lotus flowers, or roses.
- Light a ghee lamp (oil lamps are also acceptable).
- Offer dhoop, bhog of kheer, sweets, khil, batashe, fruits.
- Invoke Ganesha first (any puja begins with him).
- Recite the Lakshmi Chalisa once, slowly and clearly.
- Close with the doha and sing “Jai Lakshmi Mata” arati.
- Distribute prasad to family and any guests present.
The Sixteen Friday Vrat (Solah Shukravar)
Considered exceptionally fruitful. The discipline:
- Sixteen consecutive Fridays of fasting until evening
- Daily Chalisa recitation and arati
- Fruit-only meals during the day
- Avoidance of salt or grain on the vrat day
- On the 16th Friday, a special puja with feeding sixteen unmarried girls or sixteen Brahmin women
This vrat is traditionally undertaken to seek financial relief, employment, or progeny.
Significance
- All-inclusive form of Ashta-Lakshmi — eight aspects in one chalisa.
- Especially apt for grihastha (householder) life — covers business, employment, children, marriage.
- Material and spiritual prosperity — Lakshmi is not merely the goddess of wealth; she is Sri, the goddess of total well-being.
- Integral to Diwali puja — most household Diwali rituals include this chalisa.
- Accessible language — being in Khadi Boli Hindi, pronunciation is easy for any Hindi speaker.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Lakshmi Chalisa only for wealth?
No. Lakshmi signifies Sri — total welfare, not just money. Her eight forms cover progeny, knowledge, food, courage, victory. Praying to her only for cash is a narrowed view of the goddess.
Can men chant the Lakshmi Chalisa?
Absolutely. Even Kuber, the king of wealth, worships Lakshmi. The right to recite is universal — all genders and ages.
Can women recite during menstruation?
Traditional opinion restricts physical worship and touching the murti, but mental recitation and arati from a distance are not forbidden. Most contemporary acharyas affirm that mental remembrance is always meritorious.
How many recitations are auspicious?
One, three, seven, or eleven. One on Diwali, three or seven on Fridays, eleven or sixteen as part of a sankalpa-vrat.
When does the chalisa’s effect manifest?
The shastras name sixteen Fridays as the natural sankalpa period. But sincere daily practice is felt within weeks — whether in finances or in inner peace.
Why is the Sri Yantra recommended?
The Sri Yantra is the geometric form of Lakshmi-Tripurasundari. Adi Shankaracharya in Saundarya Lahari called it the supreme yantra. Recitation in its presence is held to be particularly potent.
Which direction should Lakshmi puja face?
North or east. North is Kuber’s direction (the lord of wealth); east is the direction of the rising sun (auspicious beginnings). Avoid the south.
Can the chalisa be sung musically?
Yes — most temples sing it in a simple lilting tune in raga Khamaj or Bhairavi. At home, even a simple steady tempo with a clapping rhythm is sufficient.