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Mahalakshmi Ashtakam

The Mahalakshmi Ashtakam - the eight-verse hymn to Goddess Mahalakshmi, traditionally sung by Indra, from the Padma Purana.

इन्द्र उवाच।

नमस्तेऽस्तु महामाये श्रीपीठे सुरपूजिते।
शङ्खचक्रगदाहस्ते महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते॥१॥

नमस्ते गरुडारूढे कोलासुरभयङ्करि।
सर्वपापहरे देवि महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते॥२॥

सर्वज्ञे सर्ववरदे सर्वदुष्टभयङ्करि।
सर्वदुःखहरे देवि महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते॥३॥

सिद्धिबुद्धिप्रदे देवि भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायिनि।
मन्त्रमूर्ते सदा देवि महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते॥४॥

आद्यन्तरहिते देवि आद्यशक्तिमहेश्वरि।
योगज्ञे योगसम्भूते महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते॥५॥

स्थूलसूक्ष्ममहारौद्रे महाशक्ति महोदरे।
महापापहरे देवि महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते॥६॥

पद्मासनस्थिते देवि परब्रह्मस्वरूपिणि।
परमेशि जगन्मातर्महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते॥७॥

श्वेताम्बरधरे देवि नानालङ्कारभूषिते।
जगत्स्थिते जगन्मातर्महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते॥८॥

महालक्ष्म्यष्टकं स्तोत्रं यः पठेद्भक्तिमान्नरः।
सर्वसिद्धिमवाप्नोति राज्यं प्राप्नोति सर्वदा॥९॥

indra uvacha।

namaste'stu mahamaye shripithe surapujite।
shankhachakragadahaste mahalakshmi namo'stu te॥1॥

namaste garudarudhe kolasurabhayankari।
sarvapapahare devi mahalakshmi namo'stu te॥2॥

sarvajne sarvavarade sarvadushtabhayankari।
sarvaduhkhahare devi mahalakshmi namo'stu te॥3॥

siddhibuddhiprade devi bhuktimuktipradayini।
mantramurte sada devi mahalakshmi namo'stu te॥4॥

adyantarahite devi adyashaktimaheshvari।
yogajne yogasambhute mahalakshmi namo'stu te॥5॥

sthulasukshmamaharaudre mahashakti mahodare।
mahapapahare devi mahalakshmi namo'stu te॥6॥

padmasanasthite devi parabrahmasvarupini।
parameshi jaganmatarmahalakshmi namo'stu te॥7॥

shvetambaradhare devi nanalankarabhushite।
jagatsthite jaganmatarmahalakshmi namo'stu te॥8॥

mahalakshmyashtakam stotram yah pathedbhaktimannarah।
sarvasiddhimavapnoti rajyam prapnoti sarvada॥9॥

Frequently asked questions about Mahalakshmi Ashtakam

Who is the speaker of this hymn?

Indra, in the Padma Purana - the hymn opens indra uvacha, Indra said. That setting matters to the tradition: the king of the gods, who had lost his fortune, is the one praising Lakshmi here.

What does it praise her as?

Mahamaya, seated on the Sri Pitha, worshipped by the gods, bearing conch, discus and mace, mounted on Garuda, terror of the asura Kola. It is Lakshmi as power rather than only as plenty.

When is it recited?

Fridays, the Diwali night puja, Varalakshmi Vratam and Akshaya Tritiya. Eight verses make it short enough for daily recitation, and its phalashruti prescribes reciting it once, twice or thrice a day.

What does its closing verse promise?

That reciting it once removes sin, twice brings prosperity, thrice destroys great enmity - and that the devotee attains the goddess's grace. The graded promise is typical of Puranic phalashruti.

Which other Lakshmi hymns are recited with it?

The Kanakadhara Stotram, the Sri Suktam and the 108 names - a Friday recitation commonly takes two or three in sequence.

About the Mahalakshmi Ashtakam

The Mahalakshmi Ashtakam - the eight-verse hymn to Goddess Mahalakshmi, traditionally sung by Indra, from the Padma Purana.

Meaning

With the repeated salutation "Namostute Mahamaye, Sri Pithe Sura Pujite", Indra praises Mahalakshmi as the giver of wealth, wisdom, valour and liberation.

Benefits

Recited (especially on Fridays and at Diwali) for wealth, success, wisdom and well-being; reciting the eight verses is said to bestow Lakshmi's complete grace.

The Mahalakshmi Ashtakam above is given in both Devanagari (Sanskrit) and Roman transliteration so you can read it in whichever script you are comfortable with - switch between the two using the buttons above, share the link, or download a PDF.

A stotram is a longer Sanskrit hymn of praise, not a forty-verse chalisa and not the lamp-song of an aarti. Browse every stotra on the Stotram index. For japa of a short formula use a mantra. The steps of worship around the recitation are in Puja Vidhi.