Varalakshmi Vratham Story: Learn About the Sacred Story that Brings All Auspiciousness.

Varalakshmi Vratham Story: Learn About the Sacred Story that Brings All Auspiciousness.

                    On August 16, the Varalakshmi Vratham will be observed. As part of this holy ritual, it is essential to recite the Varalakshmi Vratham story. Here, you will find detailed information about this story.

The Varalakshmi Vratham, performed during the sacred month of Shravan, holds great significance. Women observe this vratham with devotion, establishing a sacred pot and decorating the idol of the goddess. They invite other married women (Sumangalis) and conduct the ritual together, wishing for the grace of the goddess to bless all. This vratham is never performed alone, as it is done in the company of others, wishing for their happiness and prosperity.

The vratham is incomplete without reading or listening to the Varalakshmi Vratham story. This story was originally taught by Lord Shiva to Goddess Parvati. It is said that merely performing the vratham or even listening to the story brings great merit.

The Story of the Vratham

The great sage Suta narrated this story to the sages. Once, Lord Shiva was seated on his divine throne, while sages like Narada and the guardians of the directions (Dikpalakas) praised him with hymns. During this moment of bliss, Goddess Parvati asked Shiva to reveal a ritual that would bring happiness and prosperity to women and bless them with children.

In response, Lord Shiva told her about the Varalakshmi Vratham, to be performed on the second Friday of the Shravan month. Parvati was curious about who had performed this vratham in the past and asked Shiva to explain the procedure.

Long ago, there was a city named Kundinam in the Magadha kingdom. In this city lived a pious woman named Charumati, who was known for her devotion and humility. Every morning, she would rise early, offer her respects to her husband, complete her household chores, and serve her in-laws.

One day, Goddess Varalakshmi appeared in Charumati's dream and instructed her to perform the Varalakshmi Vratham on the upcoming Friday before Shravan Purnima, promising to grant her wishes and bless her with abundance. Charumati, overwhelmed with gratitude, praised the goddess and expressed her joy for being fortunate enough to receive her grace. Upon waking, she shared her dream with her husband and in-laws, who encouraged her to observe the vratham.

Charumati invited other women from her town and explained the significance of the vratham. On the day of the vratham, all the women bathed early in the morning, wore new clothes, and gathered at Charumati's house. She set up a sacred altar and established a pot decorated with sacred leaves, inviting Goddess Varalakshmi with the following hymn:

Sarva Mangala Mangalye, Shive Sarvartha Sadhike,
Sharanye Tryambake Devi, Narayani Namostute.

After the invocation, they performed the puja with sixteen offerings (Shodashopachara) and offered the goddess her favourite foods. Charumati and the women tied sacred threads around their wrists, completed circumambulations, and experienced miraculous blessings—during the first circumambulation, Charumati's anklets began to chime, during the second, her hands were adorned with shining jewels, and during the third, all the women were decked in beautiful ornaments.

Because of their devotion and the blessings of the goddess, Charumati's household, as well as the houses of other women in the town, were filled with wealth, prosperity, and abundance. They returned home in grand processions, praising Charumati for showing them the way to this divine blessing.

Every year, the women continued to observe the Varalakshmi Vratham and lived lives full of prosperity and happiness.

The great sage Suta concluded by saying that listening to, performing, or witnessing this vratham would bring all auspiciousness, wealth, and the eight forms of prosperity (Ashtaiswaryas). After completing the vratham, women should sprinkle sacred grains over their heads, distribute betel leaves, turmeric, and vermillion among themselves, and partake in the prasadam offered to the goddess.

Thus ends the sacred story of the Varalakshmi Vratham, as taught by Lord Shiva to Goddess Parvati.