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Tuesday, April 17, 2018

Where Laksmi Lives

Even though devotees of Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, do not focus their attention on any of the gods or goddesses (Bg 7.23), the Lord's heavenly agents, that does not mean they are to be disregarded altogether. Especially in their relation to the Lord, they are fondly thought upon and respected. Laksmi devi, the goddess of fortune, who was born from the ocean of milk while it was being churned by the demigods and demons while the Lord was in His form of Kurma is described in the Srimad Bhagavatam.


There one learns why Lord Vishnu is called Laksmi pati because Laksmi accepted Him as her husband. She is the Lord's agent for providing all necessities in the form of natural opulence, so by developing our bhakti for her Lord, we automatically satisfy her. Not only her, but all of the Lord's demigod servants, just like when we water a tree and automatically the leaves and branches are satisfied. Thus, the following items mentioned here for the pleasure of Laksmi devi, should come natural for the Lord's devotees. Sri Laksmiji lives:

WHERE NOT A GRAIN OF RICE IS WASTED
When I first heard this, I was in some anxiety never to waste a grain because sometimes you can't just help it! That anxiety passed, however, to great appreciation for this teaching when I realized that if a person has trouble wasting even one grain, certainly they are not inclined to waste anything else! "Waste not; want not" is a saying that describes how frugality and wealth go hand in hand. Still, a devotee does not anxiously have to endeavor to never waste a thing in order to increase in opulence because not wasting becomes natural to him. An increasing love and care for the Lord naturally overflows to everything that is in our existence because everything belongs to Him!

However, not long ago I was faced with a grain-wasting test! I mean, literally. We had just moved from a very dry climate to a humid one and began noticing how the salt in the salt shaker is harder to get out. MH told me to add rice grains to the salt to absorb moisture, and so I complied. The thing we overlooked is that our salt shaker containing offered salt for those who desire more (a makeshift item that used to hold spices), had a top with holes large enough that the rice grains inevitably passed through. So husband said to get rid of the rice, we'll try something else.

I could have thoughtlessly tossed those grains away, about a teaspoon full, or at least feed them to birds or something...(I confess, I never can seem to waste anything!). Instead, I took the trouble to boil those grains separately and added them (because they had been mixed in prasada from Lord's plate) to my plate when we honored lunch prasada that day. Still, it took energy in the form of heat and water to cook that little bit than if I'd simply fed it to the birds! On the other hand, Krishna is not poor, so no real worries over a little extra heat and water. So, in conclusion, it was nice to honor Laksmi and Lord by not throwing away the rice, but at same time we don't have to be overly anxious about it.

WHEN THE HOUSE GETS SWEPT CLEAN FIRST THING IN THE MORNING
This was brought to my attention by a common Indian belief that if you sweep your house in the evening, "Laksmi will not go there." A better way to understand this is that if you are so lazy and neglectful or disorganized that you don't get around to sweeping until night time or not at all, which is often the case, then sure, goddess Laksmi, and no one else for that matter, may pass your house by. But if you are a very busy person, who has a tight schedule and can't always sweep first thing or has a helper to insure that it gets done, I can't see how you would be penalized just because its done around bedtime. I mean, better late than not at all. But some people go as far as fearing to sweep a house that does need sweeping by making this instruction into an unreasonable superstition.. In other words,  the actual point to be put across here should be: "Sloth is the way to poverty".

WHERE HUSBAND AND WIFE DO NOT QUARREL
This present age of Kali yuga is the age of quarrel, so it can be expected. Still, a good wife shows respect for her husband by refraining from quarreling with him. Simply put, it helps him to get a better perspective of the situation much more quickly, rather than simply reacting to her retaliation and then letting it snowball into a bigger problem. Problems can be worked on more calmly after the dark clouds of raja and tama guna have lifted and intelligence returns. This in turn saves time from missing one's duties because of an argument or hurt feelings and so on. And steadiness in duty, Bhagavad gita says, is the way to elevation, which includes materially.

I’ve personally witnessed how such a chaste woman, even if her husband is a spendthrift, lives in grand opulence. She had no outside income; she seemed to produce all necessities, as if by mystic power.

And if you are a husband reading this, it is important to take care of your wife and be respectful, so that she feels valued and is therefore protected. A happy grha laksmi (a wife is another form of laksmi) makes Mother Laksmi attracted, too.

WHERE LORD KRISHNA IS WORSHIPED
Not only because Vishnu or Krishna is Laksmiji's all-famous husband of the goddess of fortune, but also because by worshiping Krishna you become brightfaced due to great spiritual happiness. This in turn attracts others and they want to hire you or to be engaged in working with you, and then things get done, money is made, etc. It is all very natural how Laksmi is attracted that way! I've seen this more than a few times. One devotee in particular would miss going to work at least once a week, but his boss liked him so much, he would not fire him!