Mahalakshmi Gayatri meaning: We meditate upon “Mahalakshmi”, the consort of Vishnu, that she may bless our minds.
This is a popular verse known as Mahalakshmi Gayatri. Gayatri is the name of the metre in which this verse was composed, just like the sonnet in English, gayatri is the name of this metric, which contains 24 syllables. Every deity, which is a divine aspect present in Hindu culture, has a gayatri. This verse is composed of small striking features of the deity in question, as is described in the Puranas, stories from Hindu mythology. This gayatri was composed for Mahalaksmi (commonly referred to as Lakshmi also) and it describes her as the wife of Vishnu, he who sustains creation. Within the context of self-knowledge, Vishnu is the creator and Lakshmi symbolizes his shakti power, the raw material of creation, resources and wealth. The idea is that consciousness alone does not create; it needs the blessings of shakti, the creative power, symbolized in the form of Laskshmi.
Ritualistically, a verse such as this is used in complex rituals, which involve other chants like Sri Suktam or Purusha Suktam and therefore it is associated with Rig Veda, where they come together. But this addition of Mahalakshmi Gayatri is attributed to Rshi Brgu and is not a verse of the Vedas on its own. Occasionally, this verse is chanted at the end of these more elaborate chants. This process is not dictated by logic and should not be analyzed academically. The ritualistic procedures, as well as the verses, were received by the rshis (wise ones) in meditation, in a manner that they should be performed to obtain a certain result. It is said that the practices to access this type of visualization are currently unknown, and it is further said that the creator provides this ability to people at the right time.
The beauty of these types of verses, composed in gayatri and attributed to a specific deity, is not only in the deity to which it refers, but also in what is being asked. It is asked that the Creator blesses our minds. The mind is the individual, it is his history, and his future depends entirely on a mind able to make the right decision. Like most prayers of the tradition this is also a collective prayer, emphasizing the fact that we are a single species and it is no use for one person alone to be on the right track. Our lives are interconnected and, therefore, we also pray for one another. Children pray that their parents make the right choices, parents pray for their children’s health, then the children pray for the health of their aging parents, parents pray for the happiness of their children and finally the children pray for their parents who are no longer here and who cannot pray for themselves anymore. It is a cycle, a synchronization that is expressed in: “O, MahaLakshmi bless our minds”.
Lakshmi alone is the Goddess of wealth, beauty and power. It is not that Hinduism has many Gods, but it can afford the luxury of separately invoking the divine aspect that is needed at that moment. In this case, Lakshmi is this aspect. There are several forms of wealth and Lakshmi can be used to invoke divine blessings in all of these forms. The first blessing is the raw material, food, cotton, wood, the resources of our society. Then we have the animals, the cattle that produce milk, that plow the land, that produce wool and all its byproducts. We also have minerals, ores, gems, gold and money.
Once a priest was talking to a Swami about faith and was bragging that in his country even the money has “In God We Trust” written on it. And he asked if the same was done in the Swami’s country. The Swami replied that this is not written on his money because for them money itself is Mahalakshmi and God is not a matter of faith. Money is not separate from God, or any of the world’s wealth. This is a completely different and unique vision of this tradition.
In the West, it is common to associate money to worldly pursuits, even to the point of believing that spirituality cannot be linked to money: as if the relationship between master and disciple had somehow been tainted once money was involved. However, in Hindu society, even in places where the teaching is not demanded directly, students work hard to help the teacher, which is called seva. In some cases, they have to do seva for more than 6 months continually to be able to step into the classroom. The Veda itself says that the student, after having been taught, can only move to the next stage of life, get married and have children, when he makes an appropriate donation to his teacher and to the place of learning – since, for a long time, he just consumed. Therefore, the idea that money and work are contrary to spirituality is false. It is just a fantasy that is sustained by a sense of security that money provides. Nobody wants to give up even a small part of their money or wealth; it is very easy to say that everything should be free. Sometimes we spend 50 dollars to go to the movies, but we do not invest the same in a course in order to improve the quality of our life. This is just an inversion of values. If we look objectively, being able to pay for courses and contribute to maintain the tradition where one studies is a sign of maturity and appreciation of knowledge. This attitude is important in the spiritual path and it is very natural. We consume and therefore we contribute in return, simple as that.
And wealth does not stop with money, we have knowledge, technology and the ability to properly assess and then decide our actions. In another sphere, we have children and family who are also seen as Lakshmi and in some ways are more powerful than money and other forms of wealth. The value of being a parent, of rearing a child and having a family goes beyond what money can provide. Moreover, if money is not used correctly, it shuns the family and the individual is not content and at peace.
Finally, Lakshmi is wealth, the resources in all these spheres that are used in our lives. Just like all resources, it has an independent purpose from itself, which is why wealth, Lakshmi, is the wife of Vishnu, and she serves him. That is the right way to view wealth. When your wealth serves you, even if you do not have much, you are a Swami, a master, and it becomes “one more”, a luxury, and with or without it you are at peace. On the other hand, when you serve your wealth, even if you have a lot, you become a slave. You work tirelessly to ensure its wishes, which are endless, and in the long-term, you become a supporting character in your own story. In this case, though there is an apparent satisfaction, luxury and beauty, there is no real peace.
Some people will conclude and defend that money does not buy happiness and that, therefore, your search should be abandoned, but this is also a childish position. If accumulating money does not help the person to be happy, not having money makes matters worse. In the past, the person was dissatisfied with comfort and now in the name of spirituality the person abandoned everything and turned into the same dissatisfied person; however, discomfort means no home, no family and depending on others. This is not a smart move. Wealth is Lakshmi, it must be respected, and when used correctly it is a tool for living well, with a life that leads to the discovery of the Self that is free of comforts and discomforts.
Wealth is that which should be used to live better and this involves much more than money and objects. It involves living a full life, having values that give us the freedom to come and go in the world, without having to avoid people or fraying to support lies. It involves accepting our emotions, our past, and rediscovering the spontaneous child within ourselves, able to smile and love people. And why not have the humility to accept our own limitations to solve problems? In seeking help? Undoubtedly, this is a great wealth that we lack today. The more subtle the wealth, the more valuable it is because there is nothing more valuable than peace, which is what is most subtle in our minds. That is why this peace is seen as the wealth of riches. All our actions culminate in finding this simple and happy person, which is the wealth of riches, without which, no other wealth has real value. This is not just something to be understood intellectually, it is something to be seen as true in our hearts, it is the purpose of yoga.
Therefore, this is the meaning of this verse: “O, Mahalaksmi you who exist in the form of all these riches, you who are the wife of Vishnu, please bless our minds and allow us to find the peace that is the wealth of riches”.
- There are four …
- The Crescent Moon yearns for fullness – the trip to happiness!
- How much does a yoga class cost?
- Life in an ashram with Jonas Masetti on Globo Reporter
- Or visit our archive