Shloka 1
Śrī-nyāsa, Lotus Maṇḍala Construction, and Homa to Mahālakṣmī with Sarasvatī Invocation
नवमो ऽध्यायः हरिरुवाच / र् श्यादिपूजां प्रवर्श्यामि स्थण्डिलादिषु सिद्धये / श्रीं ह्रीं महालक्ष्म्यै नमः / श्रां श्रीं श्रूं श्रैं श्रौं श्रः क्रमाद्धृदयं च शिरः शिखाम् / कवचं नेत्रमस्त्रं च आसनं मूर्तिमर्चयेत्
navamo 'dhyāyaḥ hariruvāca / r śyādipūjāṃ pravarśyāmi sthaṇḍilādiṣu siddhaye / śrīṃ hrīṃ mahālakṣmyai namaḥ / śrāṃ śrīṃ śrūṃ śraiṃ śrauṃ śraḥ kramāddhṛdayaṃ ca śiraḥ śikhām / kavacaṃ netramastraṃ ca āsanaṃ mūrtimarcayet
Dijo Hari: «Para alcanzar el siddhi, expondré el culto que comienza con la sílaba “śrī”, a realizarse sobre el sthaṇḍila (altar ritual) y sus disposiciones. (Recítese:) “Śrīṃ, Hrīṃ—reverencia a Mahālakṣmī”. Luego, en el debido orden con “Śrāṃ, Śrīṃ, Śrūṃ, Śraiṃ, Śrauṃ, Śraḥ”, hágase el nyāsa en el corazón, la cabeza, el mechón (śikhā), la coraza protectora (kavaca), los ojos y el arma; después conságrese el asiento y adórese la mūrti.»
Hari (Lord Vishnu)
Concept: Mantra-nyāsa and icon-worship as a disciplined means to invoke Mahālakṣmī’s auspicious power for siddhi.
Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-upāsanā as a preparatory discipline (citta-śuddhi) where the sacred is approached through name, form, and ordered ritual.
Application: Maintain a clean, bounded worship space; recite the bīja/mantra with attention; perform nyāsa as mindful placement of divinity in one’s faculties before any prayer for success.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: ritual_space
Related Themes: Garuda Purana (sections on pūjā-vidhi, mantra-nyāsa, and devatā-arcana in the early kāṇḍas)
FAQs
This verse frames Mahālakṣmī worship through bīja-mantras and nyāsa as a means to gain siddhi (successful fruition) and ritual protection.
It does not describe the after-death journey here; instead, it teaches a protective and success-oriented ritual discipline (nyāsa and mūrti-arcana) within the Purāṇic framework.
Use the verse as a guideline for structured worship: mantra-recitation with mindful “placement” (nyāsa) and respectful icon-worship, emphasizing order, clarity, and devotion.