Chapter 132 - Greatness of Siddhalakṣmī

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Īśvara said:

1-3. Thereafter, O great goddess, a pilgrim should visit the shrine of the excellent Vaiṣṇavī Śakti. It is situated not very far from Someśa in the north-eastern direction.

Here the presiding deity of the shrine is well-known as Siddhalakṣmī. The first Pīṭha (seat or shrine) in the Cosmic Egg is what is well-established in Prabhāsa; There, O my beloved goddess, in the great Pīṭha, Yoginīs, both Earth-stalkers and Sky-stalkers, sport about as they please, accompanied by Bhairava.

4. Jālandhara (the second great Mahāpīṭha) and Kāmarūpa (are also Pīṭhas). The glorious Rudranṛsiṃha is the fourth excellent Pīṭha.

5. There are also Pīṭhas such as the great Pīṭha Ratnavīrya and Kāśmīra Pīṭha. O goddess, he who is familiar with these Pīṭhas is a Mantravit (one conversant with Mantras).

6. O great goddess, the excellent Pīṭha in Saurāṣṭra, which is the basic support of all the Pīṭhas, is well known by the name Mahodaya. It is the place where the knowledge facilitating the assumption of a form as one pleases, is effective even today.

7. In the Pīṭha there, the goddess well-known as Mahālakṣmī is stationed. She suppresses all sins and lends auspiciousness to all activities.

8. Where is the fear due to Alakṣmī (inglorious poverty) unto that man who devoutly worships her on Śrīpañcamī day (the fifth lunar day in the bright half of Māgha) strictly in accordance with the injunctions, with sweet scent, flowers etc.?

9-11. A devotee should seat himself in the vicinity of Mahālakṣmī on the northern side (for facing north) and perform the Japa of the queen of Mantras well-known as Siddhalakṣmī. With due observance of initiation, holy ablution etc., the Mantra is to be repeated a hundred thousand times duly. Homas are to be performed by repeating the Mantra ten thousand times with Trimadhu (sugar, honey and ghee), coconuts etc. If it is performed thus there is no doubt about this that Lakṣmī becomes manifest. She will grant desired Siddhis in this world as well as in the other.

12 Siddhi (perfect achievement of spiritual power) is within the grasp of that person who devoutly worships her duly on the third, eighth and fourteenth lunar days.