Sri Suktam

Sri Suktam is a vedic sloka addressed to Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth, Prosperity and Fertility. The Sri suktam forms part of the khilanis or appendixes to the Rigveda. Goddess Lakshmi, the eternal consort of Lord Narayana has been referred as 'Sri' meaning the personification of auspicious and royal qualities. Sri Sukta is one of the Pancha Suktam (5 Suktams).

Goddess Lakshmi

Significance of Sri Suktam

The presence of Sri Mahalakshmi on Lord Sri Venkateswara (at Tirumala) or Vishnu's chest, at the Heart symbolises the embodiment of Love, from which devotion to God or Bhakti flows from. It is through Love/Bhakti or Lakshmi that the atma or soul is able to reach God or Vishnu. Sri or Lakshmi is also the personification of the Spiritual energy within us and universe called Kundalini.

Lakshmi is God's superior spiritual feminine energy or the Param Prakriti, which purifies, empowers and uplifts the individual. Hence, She is called the Goddess of Fortune.

The Sri Sukta is recited during the 3-hour long Abhishek of Lord Sri Venkateswara, at the famed ancient Hill Shrine of the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in Andhra Pradesh, India. The Abhishekam to the main deity is performed every Friday. Sri Suktam is also recited during the daily Arjitha Vasanthotsavam seva.

Here are the verses of Sri Sukam along with transliteration and translated meaning.

hiraṇyavarṇāṁ hariṇīṁ suvarṇarajatasrajām,

candrāṁ hiraṇmayīṁ lakṣmīṁ jātavedo ma āvaha.

tāṁ ma āvaha jātavedo lakṣmīmanapagāminīm,

yasyāṁ hiraṇyaṁ vindeyaṁ gāmaśvaṁ puruṣānaham.

Invoke for me, O Agni, the Goddess Lakshmi, who shines like gold, yellow in hue, wearing gold and silver garlands, blooming like the moon, the embodiment of wealth. O Agni! Invoke for me that unfailing Lakshmi, being blessed by whom I shall win wealth, cattle, horses and men.

aśvapūrvāṁ rathamadhyāṁ hastinādapramodinīm,

śriyaṁ devīmupahvaye śrīrmā devīrjuṣatām,

kāṁ sosmitāṁ hiraṇyaprākārāmārdrāṁ jvalantīṁ tṛaptāṁ tarpayantīm,

padme sthitāṁ padmavarṇāṁ tāmihopahvaye śriyam,

I invoke Shri (Lakshmi), who has a line of horses in front of her, a series of chariots in the middle, who is being awakened by the trumpeting of elephants, who is divinely resplendent. May that divine Lakshmi grace me. I hereby invoke that Shri (Lakshmi) who is an embodiment of Absolute Bliss; who is of pleasant smile on her face; whose lustre is like that of burnished gold; who is wet, as it were, (just from the milky ocean), who is blazing with splendour, and is the embodiment of the fulfilment of all wishes; who satisfies the desires of her votaries; who is seated on the lotus and is beautiful like the lotus.

candrāṁ prabhāsāṁ yaśasā jvalaṁtīṁ śriyaṁ loke devajuṣṭāmudārām,

tāṁ padminīmīṁ śaraṇamahaṁ prapadye alakṣmīrme naśyatāṁ tvāṁ vṛṇe.

ādityavarṇe tapaso’dhijāto vanaspatistava vṛkṣo’tha bilvaḥ,

tasya phalāni tapasā nudantu māyāntarāyāśca bāhyā alakṣmīḥ.

For shelter in this world, I resort to that Lakshmi who is beautiful like the moon, who shines bright, who is blazing with renown, who is adored (even) by the gods, who is highly magnanimous, and grand like the lotus. May my misfortunes perish. I surrender myself to Thee. O Thou, resplendent like the Sun! By Thy power and glory have the plants, (like) the bael tree, grown up. May the fruits thereof destroy through Thy Grace all inauspiciousness rising from the inner organs and ignorance as well as from the outer senses.

upaitu māṁ devasakhaḥ kīrtiśca maṇinā saha

prādurbhūto’smi rāṣṭre’smin kīrtimṛddhiṁ dadātu me.

kṣutpipāsāmalāṁ jyeṣṭhāmalakṣmīṁ nāśayāmyaham,

abhūtimasamṛddhiṁ ca sarvāṁ nirṇuda me gṛahāt.

O Lakshmi! I am born in this country with the heritage of wealth. May the friend of the Lord Siva (Kubera) and Kirti (fame) come to me. May these (having taken their abode with me) bestow on me fame and prosperity. I shall destroy the elder sister of Lakshmi, the embodiment of inauspiciousness and such evil as hunger, thirst, and the like. O Lakshmi! Drive out from my abode all misfortune and poverty.

gandhadvārāṁ durādharṣāṁ nityapuṣṭāṁ karīṣiṇīm,

īśvarīṁ sarvabhūtānāṁ tāmihopahvaye śriyam.

manasaḥ kāmamākūtiṁ vācaḥ satyamaśīmahi,

paśūnāṁ rūpamannasya mayi śrīḥ śrayatāṁ yaśaḥ.

I invoke hereby that Lakshmi (Shri), whose (main) avenue of perception is the odoriferous sense (i.e., who abides mainly in cows); who is incapable of defeat or threat from anyone; who is ever healthy (with such virtuous qualities as truth); whose grace is seen abundantly in the refuse of cows (the cows being sacred); and who is supreme over all created beings. O Lakshmi! May we obtain and enjoy the fulfilment of our desires and our volitions, the veracity of our speech, the wealth of cattle, the abundance of varieties of food to eat! May prosperity and fame reside in me (thy devotee)!

kardamena prajā bhūtā mayi sambhava kardama,

śriyaṁ vāsaya me kule mātaraṁ padmamālinīm.

āpaḥ sṛjantu snigdhāni ciklīta vasa me gṛhe,

nica devīṁ mātaragï śriyaṁ vāsaya me kule.

Lakshmi! You have progeny in Kardama. (Hence) O Kardama, may you reside in me. Make Mother Shri with garlands of lotuses, to have Her abode in my (ancestral) line. May the (holy) waters create friendship (they being of an adhesive nature). O Chiklita (Progeny of Shri), reside in my home; and arrange to make Divine Mother Shri to stay in my lineage!

ārdrāṁ puṣkariṇīṁ puṣṭiṁ suvarṇāṁ hemamālinīm,

sūryāṁ hiraṇmayīṁ lakṣmīṁ jātavedo ma āvaha.

ārdrāṁ yaḥ kariṇīṁ yaṣṭiṁ piṅgalāṁ padmamālinīm,

candrāṁ hiraṇmayīṁ lakṣmīṁ jātavedo ma āvaha.

Invoke for me, O Agni, Lakshmi who shines like gold, is brilliant like the sun, who is powerfully fragrant, who wields the rod of suzerainty, who is of the form of supreme rulership, who is radiant with ornaments and is the goddess of wealth. Invoke for me, O Agni, the Goddess Lakshmi who shines like gold, blooms like the moon, who is fresh with anointment (of fragrant scent), who is adorned with the lotuses (lifted up by celestial elephants in the act of worship), who is the presiding deity of nourishment, who is yellow in colour, and who wears garlands of lotuses.

tāṁ ma āvaha jātavedo lakṣmīmanapagāminīm,

yasyāṁ hiraṇyaṁ prabhūtaṁ gāvo dāsyo’śvānvindeyaṁ puruṣānaham.

Invoke for me, O Agni, that Goddess Lakshmi who is ever unfailing, being blessed by whom I shall win wealth in plenty, cattle, servants, horses, and men.

ōm mahādevyai ca vidmahe viṣṇupatnī ca dhīmahi,

tanno lakṣmīḥ pracodayāt.

We commune ourselves with the Great Goddess, and meditate on the Consort of Vishnu. May that Lakshmi direct us (to the Great Goal).

ōṁ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ.

 Om. May there be Peace, Peace, Peace.