The festival of Diwali is a day to please Goddess Lakshmi and this festival is rich in wealth. If the money is earned with pure and virtuous intentions then it automatically becomes the form of Lakshmi. This kind of wealth gets stable and gets added to and increases as it gets invested and this is called the presence of Goddess Lakshmi in the house.
Goddess Lakshmi’s nature is fickle and she is rarely able to stay at any one place. It is mentioned in the Puranas that Goddess Lakshmi had gone to live with the demons and demons, but she returned from there after a short time and started living as Swarga Lakshmi in the heaven of Devraj Indra.
Goddess Lakshmi told the secret to Devraj Indra
Then, when asked by Devraj Indra, Goddess Lakshmi herself told the secret of which places and houses she resides in and from where she goes. This dialogue between Devraj Indra and Mahalakshmi is described in Shanti Parva of Mahabharata. According to this dialogue, even today, poverty prevails in those houses where these things are not taken care of.
The incident is included in Shanti Parva of Mahabharata
According to the incident given in Mahabharata, once when Goddess Lakshmi had left the demons and came to reside at the place of Devraj Indra, then Indra had asked Lakshmi that for what reasons had she left the demons? In answer to this question, Lakshmi explained the reasons for the rise of the gods and the fall of the demons.
Sleeping till after sunrise can displease Goddess Lakshmi.
Goddess Lakshmi told that those who fast. Every day they leave their bed before sunrise, do not consume curd and sattu before sleeping at night, have darshan of ghee and sacred objects early in the morning, never sleep during the day, people who keep all these things in mind, Goddess Lakshmi always resides in them. In earlier times, all the demons also followed these rules, that is why I was residing at their place. Now all the demons have become unrighteous, that is why I have abandoned them.
Prahlad and Bali followed religion even after being demons.
Actually, Hiranyakashyap’s son Prahlad was born in the Asur and Daitya clan and followed religion and morality. This observance of religion and policy continued till the period of Maharaja Bali. Bali was such a devout king that Goddess Lakshmi started living in his underworld and was called the resident of the underworld. After the sacrifice, the demons and demons abandoned this policy and Goddess Lakshmi returned from the underworld.
Then Devraj Indra asked Goddess Lakshmi the reason for not showing kindness to the demons. Mahalakshmi told Devraj Indra that I reside in the houses of those men who are charitable, intelligent, devotee and truthful. I do not reside with those who do not perform such actions. Goddess Lakshmi says that in ancient times she used to reside in the kingdom of demons, but now unrighteousness has started increasing there. For this reason I have come to reside at the place of the gods.
Devraj Indra had asked the solution to keep Goddess Lakshmi happy.
When asked by Indra, Mahalakshmi said that those who do not practice religion. Those who do not offer tarpan to their ancestors. I do not reside with those who do not do charity. In earlier times, demons used to do charity, study and yagya, but now they have indulged in sinful activities. Therefore, I cannot reside at their place.
Where fools are respected, they do not reside there. Lakshmi does not reside in those houses where women become mischievous i.e. of bad character, where women do not follow the rules of sitting and moving in a proper manner, where women do not maintain cleanliness. Goddess Lakshmi told that she herself is Dhanalakshmi, Bhooti, Shree, Shraddha, Medha, Sannati, Vijayiti, Status, Dhriti, Siddhi, Samriddhi, Swaha, Swadha, Niyati and Smriti. She always resides in the country, city and homes of virtuous men. Goddess Lakshmi bestows blessings only on those people who do not turn their backs and run away in battle. Defeats enemies with muscle power. Lakshmi is always happy with brave people.
Goddess Lakshmi gets angry even by touching ghee with bare hands.
I do not live in those houses where purity is not taken care of while cooking, where ghee is touched with bare hands. Lakshmi said that in those houses where the daughter-in-law commands her in-laws like servants, torments them and disrespects them, I leave those houses.
In a house where there is discord between husband and wife, wife and husband do not listen to each other. I leave those houses where they have immoral relations. Those who laugh at the losses of their well-wishers, harbor hatred towards them, or harm someone by making them their friend, then I do not shower my blessings on them. Such people always remain poor. These are those mistakes which harm any person unknowingly and make him poor.
Diwali But take a pledge to adopt pure conduct
Therefore, along with the worship of Goddess Lakshmi on the occasion of Diwali, it should also be kept in mind which houses the Goddess resides in and similar behavior should also be adopted in life. Actually Lakshmi is the name of auspicious signs. These auspicious traits are auspicious Lakshmi and when reflected in our conduct, they become our prosperity. That is why Goddess Lakshmi is worshiped on Diwali.
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