Chapter 36 - The mode of gifting Lakṣmī

Sanatkumāra said:

1-3. I shall recount the rite of Lakṣmī Dāna which is a great holy rite. It causes the increase of prosperity. The rites should be performed in the mystic diagram over the altar in the Maṇḍapa mentioned before. The replica of Śrīdevī shall be made with unparalled beauty and endowed with all characteristics. It shall be made of gold by means of a thousand, five hundred, two hundred and fifty or one hundred and eight gold coins. The devotee shall then place Lakṣmī embellished with all ornaments in the Maṇḍala.

4-5. He shall worship Viṣṇu on the bare ground to the right hand side of Lakṣmī. After worshipping Sureśvarī by means of Śrīsūkta in accordance with the injunctions, he shall worship Viṣṇu, the preceptor of the universe by means of Viṣṇu Gāyatrī. After duly propitiating the goddess he shall perform the Homa as before.

6-9. After performing the Homas with the sacrificial twigs the devotee shall perform Homa with ghee. Each of these Homas shall be separately performed hundred and eight times through excellent brahmins. The sacrificer shall be called to spot^[1] in the eastern quarter and the goddess shall be pointed out to him. He shall then prostrate on the ground like a staff. After bowing to Viṣṇu, he shall, as before, worship Śiva stationed there. A twentieth of the cost of the idol is considered to be the due Dakṣiṇā. Half of that should be given to others in the manner they deserve. Then, the devotee, particularly the yogin, shall perform the Homa of Śiva.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

tasyāḥ—Lakṣmyāḥ ST. of Lakṣmī.