Dear Newspapers! Stop Hijacking Those Front Pages

I am much worried about seeing that these publishers of NewsPapers have forgotten the definition and the meaning of a newspaper.

I hope that a newspaper is for providing the news. Not for presenting those advertisements as the
main content of it. 

We subscribe to newspapers to get the news that happens around the world. We would like to know at a first glance the main events that took place all around there during the last 24 hours. That's why we buy these newspapers. Is it right?

But, if we are prevented from seeing that frontpage news, what is the benefit in procuring the paper?

Most of these publishers are blocking the subscribers from their privileged news by big banners of frontpage advertisements. It is simply the hijacking of the privilege of their customers. Isn't it?

You should know that people who are interested in those advertising banners of posh villas and apartments, or jewelry and other luxury items are simply a minority and, even then, they too might want to know the big news around the world at first instant than look at those advertisements. Am I right? 

And, you must also know this one more important point.

Most of us (or maybe some ample percentage of your subscribers) do not have time to read the news at the instant of the paperboy throwing the paper at our doorsteps.

We have our daily routine more important work than reading the news that early. We simply want to look at the headlines in that fraction of a minute while we take the paper from our doorstep and put it inside. I could afford only those few seconds to glance at the top news of the day and I feel much embarrassed to find that big banner staring at me on the front page. So, I am prevented from looking at the news. And, keep it aside only to find time after my lunch. This is my case. And, I hope many subscribers of these newspapers might be facing some similar problems due to these advertisements blocking their view.

As all of us know, there is certainly no need to subscribe to these newspapers as we are getting everything readymade on the internet. So, why should we subscribe to these things paying an ample amount of money?

Because I am very fond of those editorials and the wonderful columns in the center page of the newspaper. I am very much interested and enjoy reading those views and articles of popular writers and feel some pleasure as if I am interacting with them and enjoying their presence in my room. This is the main purpose of my buying these hard copies of newspapers and for the frontpage news and the almanac, weather report, etc. also. And, a bit of those sports news and getting acquainted with financial matters.

And I hope that many of you also must be having your own choices of buying these newspapers. But, definitely not for those marketing advertisements like that which frustrate you.

I am not against the media people making their business. I simply want to remind them that there should be some norms and limits for their indulgences. Don't play with your subscribers in any way.

Kindly don't block our front page with that unwanted advertisement.

You can put it at the back of the front page or the next page. Already you are having so many pages allocated for advertisements, especially in the weekend days, that cover half of the total number of pages. So, not on the main page of your news, please!

Sri Lakshmi Ashtottara Shatanama Stotram Lyrics With Meanings - Goddess Lakshmi Lyrics With 108 Names

Lakshmi Ashtottara Shatanama Stotram is the lyrical recitation of hymns containing 108 names composed for the worship of Goddess Lakshmi.

It is believed that Lord Shiva mentioned these lyrics to Parvati Devi at her request. She requested Shiva to let her know the greatness of Goddess Lakshmi and the songs that can be recited to appease her so that people can get Her blessings.

This article contains and elaborates on the undermentioned parts of Sri Lakshmi Ashtottara ShataNama Stotram.

• Goddess Lakshmi's Glorification with Prayer
• Prelude (it is about the talk between Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva that mentions the greatness of Lakshmi Ashtottaram)
• Salutations or prayers to Sri Lakshmi before starting the ashtottara stotram
• The hymns or stotrams containing 108 names of Lakshmi (hymns 1 to 14)
• Surrendering to Goddess Lakshmi (hymns 15 and 16)
• Benefits of reciting these hymns (hymns 17 to 21)

Prayer

Sri bhagavan NAraayanaabhi mataanuroopa, swaroopa roopa, guNa vibhava aishwarya sheelaadi anavadhikaatishaya, asamkhyEya kaLyaaNa guNaganaam, padmavanaalayaam, bhagavatim shriyam dEvim, nityaanupaayineem, niravadyaam, dEvadEva divya mahisheem, akhila jaganmaataram, asman maataram, asharanya saraNyaam, ananya sharaNyaha, sharaNam aham prapadyE ||

Prelude to the Lakshmi Stotram

DEvyuvAcha: (Goddess Parvati said)

Deva, Deva, Mahadeva trikaalajna mahEswara
karuNaakara dEvEsha bhaktaanugraha kaaraka
ashtottara shataam lakshmyaa srOtumiccchaami tattvataha ||

(O Lord, Lord of all Lords, who is well aware of all the three phases of time -the past, present, and the future, who is an abode of kindness, I want to hear the 108 names of Lakshmi with their full essence for the sake of our devotees.)

Ishwara uvAcha: (Lord Shiva told)

Before reciting the ashtottara stotram, Lord Shiva narrates the significance and greatness of Lakshmi Ashtottara Stotram to Parvati in the following lines.

Devi, saadhu, mahAbhAgE! mahAbhAgya pradAyakam|
sarvaishwara karam puNyam sarva pApa praNAshanam||

(O Devi, very good, I feel lucky to do so! It provides great fortune and prosperity, does good to all beings, and  destroys all evils.)

sarva dAridrya shamanam, sravaNAt, bhukti muktidam|
rAjavashya karam divyam guhyAtguhyatamam param||

(It removes all poverty, and provides material gifts and liberation only by hearing at it. Provides a majestic look, precious life that is both imaginable and unimaginable.)

durlabham sarvadEvAnAm chatushshashti kaLAshpadam|
padmAdeenAm varAmtAnAm nidheenAm nityadAyakam||

(It is inaccessible even to the angels and the masters of 64 arts. Greater than all lotuses, bountiful than all bounties, a more valuable treasure of all the treasures.)

samasta dEva samsEvyam aNimAdyasta siddhidam|
kimatra bahunOktEna dEviipratyaksha dAyakam|

(who is served by all the angels, the possessor of all treasures and the supernatural powers known as eight siddhis, by the utterance of which that Goddess reveals herself to you.)

tavapriityAdya vakshyAmi samAhitamanAshruNuh:|
ashtOttara shatasyAsya mahAlakshmiistu dEvatA ||

(for your pleasure, kindly listen with your full heart this composition of the 108 names of Mahalakshmi Goddess.)

kliim beezapada mityuktam shaktistu bhuvanEswarii
anganyAsah: karanyAsa: sah: ityAdi prakiirtitah:||

(The Goddes who is the Queen of all universes, who is the Almighty energy that is embodied and referred to in the four seed mantras or sounds of aum- aim, hreem, shreem, kliim- and she is worshipped through body signs, hand signs, and through many ways.)

Prayer To Goddess Lakshmi

vandE padmakarAm prasanna vadanAm soubhAgyadAm bhAgyadAm|
hastAbhyAm abhayapradAm maNigaNair nAnAvidhair bhooshitAm||

(I pray to Thee, who is lotus-handed, possesses a smiling face, bestows wellness and prosperity, gestures the protection sign with her hands, and is adorned with different kinds of jewels.)

bhaktAbhiista phalapradAm harihara brahmAdibhih: sEvitAm|
pArsvE pankaja shankha padma nidibhiryuktAm sadA shaktibhi:||

(you are the bestower of devotees' wishes, yourself being served by Vishnu, Shiva, and Brahma, etc.; holding on your sides the weapon of the Wheel, Conch, Lotus, and other precious things. You are the ever-powerful Goddess.)

sarasija nayanE sarOja hastE dhavaLatarAmshuka gandhamAlya sObhE|
bhagavathi harivallabhE manOgjnE tribhuvana bhoota kari praseeda mahyam||

(O lotus-eyed Goddess! lotus-handed and adorned with the garlands of fragrant white flowers; O Supreme Goddess, consort of Vishnu (Hari), who is handsome and pleasant, please bless all the beings of the three worlds forever.)


Now, let us come to the actual slokas of Lakshmi Ashtottara Stotram.

Lakshmi Ashtottara ShataNama Stotram Lyrics

prakritim vikritim vidhyAm sarvabhoota hita pradAm
shraddhAm vibhootim surabhim namAmi paramAtmikAm|| 1

(I pray to Thee who is the embodiment of Natural force, unnatural force, knowledge, protection for all beings, care, incarnation power, fragrance, the supreme soul.)

vAcham padmAlayAm padmAm suchim svAhAm svadhAm sudhAm
dhanyAm hiraNmayiim lakshmiim nityapushtAm vibhAvariim|| 2

(pleasantly talkative, having the lotus as the abode, lotus-resembling, pure, ultimate, self-powered, herself the nectar, blessed one, gold-studded, ever healthy, wealthy)

aditim cha ditim deeptAm vasudhAm vasudhAriNiim
namAmi kamalAm kAntAm kshamaam ksheerOdasambhavAm|| 3

(the limitless One and at the same a limited One, the ever-shining light, she is the Earth and at the same time the One who holds the earth, I bow to thee, O Lotus-Like Beautiful One, consort of Vishnu, personificatin of forgiveness, One born from the Ocean of Nectar)

anugraha pradAm buddhi managhAm harivallabhAm
ashOkAm amrutAm deeptAm lOkashOka vinAshiniim|| 4

(bestower of grace, the abode of wisdom, virtuous, possessing Hari as her consort, griefless one, deathless, the abode of light, destructor of worldly sorrows)

namAmi dharma nilayAm karuNAm lOkamAtaram
padmapriyAm padma hastAm padmAkshiim padmasundariim|| 5

(Salutations! O Abode of Righteousness and Kindness, Mother of Universe, One who loves Lotuses, Holds lotus in hand, Lotus-Resembling Eyed, Beautiful like the Lotus)

padmOdbhavAm padmamukhiim padmanAbhapriyAm ramAm
padmamAlAdharAm dEviim padminiim padmagandhiniim|| 6

(One who rose from Padma or Lotus, Lotus-faced, Beloved of Vishnu, O RamAdEvi, One who wears the lotus garland, O Goddess Padmini, Who is Lotus-Scented)

puNyagandhAm suprasannAm prasAdAbhimukhiim prabhAm
namAmi chandravadanAm chandrAm chandrasahOdariim|| 7

(One who emits purity, pleasingly generous, one who loves offerings, O Light, I bow to Thee O Moon-Like-Faced, O Moon-Resembled, Sister of the Moon)

chaturbhujAm chandraroopA mindirA mindushiitalAm
aahlaadajananiim pushtiim shivAm shivakariim satiim|| 8

(O Four-Handed, Moon-Like-Figured, beautiful like blue lotus, pleasingly cool, provider of happiness, well-built, blissful, provider of bliss, virtuous)

vimalAm vishvajananiim pushtim dAridrya nAsiniim
priitipushkariNiim shAntAm shuklamalyAmbarAm shriyam|| 9

(O Blemishless, mother of Universe, abundance, destroyer of poverty, the abode of love, peaceful One, white-garlanded, Goddess of wealth)

bhAskariim bilvanilayAm varArOhAm yashasviniim
vasundharA mudArAngAm hariNiim hEmamAliniim || 10

(O Brilliance, the native of the spiritual Bilva trees, accessible by boons, famous One, holder of the earth, soft-hearted, deer-like bodied, garlanded with gold)

dhanadhAnyakariim siddhim sthraiNasoumya subhapradAm
nripavEshmagatAnandAm varalakshmiim vasupradAm|| 11 

(provider of wealth and food, supernal powers, steadfastness, softness, and welfare provider, One who rejoices in palaces, bestower of gifts, and brilliance provider)

subhAm hiraNyaprAkArAm samudratanayAm jayAm
namAmi mangaLAm dEviim vishnu vakshasthala stithAm|| 12

(auspicious one, dweller amidst golden surroundings, daughter of Ocean, goddess of victory, salutations to auspicious one, Goddess of angels, one who resides in the heart of Vishnu)

vishnupatniim prasannAkshiim nArAyaNa samAshritAm
dAridrya dhvansiniim dEviim sarvOpadrava vAriNiim|| 13

(O Consort of Vishnu, merciful-eyed, dedicated to Narayana, the destructor of poverty, O Devi, remover of all problems)

navadurgAm mahAkALiim brahmavishNu sivAtmikAm
trikAlajnAna sampannAm namAmi bhuvanEswariim|| 14

(O Nine-Formed One; Goddess Mahakali; beloved by Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva; possessor of the knowledge of past, present, and future; Salutations to Thee, O Goddess of Worlds)

The above 14 hymns are composed of the 108 names of Goddess Lakshmi. Each name qualifies a special power or feature of Her.

Surrendrance to Goddess Lakshmi

The following two hymns of four lines are recited to express your devotion and thereby confirm your submission to her refuge.

Lakshmiim kshiirasamudrarAja tanayAm sriiranga dhAmEswariim

dAsiibhootasamastadEvavanitAm lOkaika deepAmkurAm

sriimanmandakatAkshalabdavibhavat brahmEndragangAdharAm

tvAm trailOkyakutumbiniim sarasijAm vandE mukundapriyAm|| 15 

(O Goddess Lakshmi, daughter of the milky ocean, dweller of Vaikunt (sriranga dhama refers to Vishnu's abode), served by all servants and spirits, thou art the only eternal light for all worlds; who attracts the grace of even Brahma, Indra, and Shiva; I bow to you, O dweller of all three worlds, born from lotus, and beloved by Mukunda, the Vishnu)

mAtarnamAmi kamalE kamalAyatAkshi 
sri vishnu hrutkamalavAsini visvamAta:
kshiirOdajE kamalakOmalagarbha gauri
lakshmii prasiidasatatam namatAm sharaNyE|| 16

(O Mother I bow to Thee, O Lotus-bodied, Lotus-eyed, resides in the heart of Vishnu, mother of the universe, took birth from the milky ocean, in the midst of a soft lotus, O Gouri, Lakshmi! always protect me, I bow to you and submit before you)


Now, we come to the fruits of reciting these hymns or 108 names of Lakshmi.

Benefits of Worshiping Lakshmi with Ashtottaram Prayers

trikAlam yO japE dvidvAn shaNmAsam vigitEndriya:

dAridryadhvansanam kritvA sarvamApnOtyayatnata:|| 17

(if wise people recite it three times daily for six months, they will become conquerors of all their senses; others will get rid of poverty and all their sins including those wise people)

dEviinAma sahasrEsu puNya mashtOttaram shatam

yEna shriyamavApnOti kOtijanma daridrata:|| 18

(Out of all those 1000 names of Goddess, these 108 names are the great ones; due to this they become prosperous and get rid of even one crore lives of poverty)

bhriguvArE shatam dhiimAn pathe: vatsaramAtrakam
ashtaiswarya mavApnOti kubEra iva bhootalE|| 19

(chanting the entire hundred names steadfastly for one year can bless you with all the eight treasures of Kubera in this world itself)

daridryamOchanam nAmastothra mambAparam shatam
yEna shriyamavApnOti kotijanma daridrata:|| 20

(you will get rid of poverty by reciting the entire hundred names of Goddess; even those who were poor for the last one crore lives will become rich immediately)

bhuktvAtu vipulAnbhOgA nasyA ssAyujyamApnuyAt
prAta:kAlE pathEnnityam sarvadukhOpashAntayE|| 21

(offering plenteous naivedyams or dishes that are prepared from multiple ingredients and chanting these hymns will provide you relief from all types of worries)


Itihi srilakshmi ashtottara shatanaama stotram sampoorNam ||

Thus ends the prayer of Sri Lakshmi Devi containing hymns of 108 names.

While reciting all the above lines concentrate on Goddess Lakshmi with pure devotion so as to obtain her blessings and grace.

Daily Puja for Evening Worshipers

People who are unable to afford time for performing their daily puja in the morning times can do it in the evening times after returning from their jobs.

The Supreme Being or God knows your problems and weaknesses. So, he may not demand that you should perform your worship only in the morning time or in a particular method.

If you can afford to perform it in the morning time, it is well and good. Because the morning time is best suited as you will be fresh and peaceful. But, modern lifestyles and job culture do not allow many people to devote time during the morning hours. They will be more worried about how to reach the office timely rather than concentrating on God.

So, I thought of suggesting an alternative puja process for such people (on a request from one of my friends) who can perform it in the evening times at their convenience which can further be adjusted or modified according to your own beliefs, needs, and available time.

Evening Puja Performance

Puja Materials

Idol of God/Goddess or Photos/Images

Lamp holder (either bronze or steel or any metal)

Oil for lighting the light

Wicks and Matchbox

Flowers (optional)

Incense sticks (Agarbatti) and Camphor

A small Metal Pot and Spoon (preferably copper or silver) filled with water for performing puja.
A plate or wide bowl for dropping water into it as if offering to God or as if washing God's hands and feet.

Naivedyam (any sweet dish cooked for naivedyam or simple rice, or fruits, or Gur/jaggery/mishri).

1. Get Ready for Starting Puja

• Wash your legs, hands, and the face. If you are taking a bath, that's well and good.
• But change your clothes, in either case, wearing some neat and clean, pure clothes.
• Clean the puja place and remove the old puja material including the old wicks. 
• Light the oil lights by adding some new oil and fresh wicks to the lighting lamps (diyas). You may light two wicks in the same lamp holder or light two lights separately in different holders.

2. Starting the Puja

• Chant the purification sloka of "apavitra..." sprinkling drops of water over your head with your right thumb and all around the worship place with the spoon.
• You may tell your God that you could not afford time in the morning times and so are doing the puja in the evening times. And, seek his forgiveness and permission to do so.
• Here is a detailed version of starting any puja. But you need not follow all these procedures. You can simply do the purification mantra and start your puja.

3. Chant Your Prayers and Hymns

• Perform your puja with some easy-to-recite slokas glorifying your God like Lakshmi Stuti, Vishnu Stuti, Shiva Stuti, Tirupati Balaji Stuti, Sri Rama Stuti, Sri Krishna Stuti, Ganesh lyrics, Hanuman lyrics, etc. You can choose any two or three from above or anything that you like most.
• You may offer flowers also while doing so or you may decorate the God with the flowers first and, then, begin chanting the worship slokas.
• Whatever you do, do it with real faith and sincerity.

4. Thereafter, as usual, light the incense sticks and show them to God assuming that God is sniffing the incense with pleasure.

5. Next, show the wick lights to Him/Her with your right hand.

6. Now, it is time to offer some naivedyam (any fruits or home-made food). You can offer even some Gur/Jaggery or the Mishri (rock sugar) as the naivedyam.

7. After Naivedyam, show some water to God in the spoon or with a mango leaf or pan leaf (betel leaf) and drop it in the plate or bowl kept there for that purpose (as if washing their hands and feet). 
Offer water again to drink (show to the God and drop in the plate).

8. Thereafter, light the camphor and recite the mangaLAsAsanam.

Now, the puja is over.
Seek the blessings from God and take/distribute the prasadam.

Varalakshmi Vratam - Goddess Lakshmi Puja

Varalakshmi Vratam is the worship of Goddess Lakshmi especially performed on the second Friday of Shravana month.

Varalakshmi means One who gifts you with all those desires sought by you.

It is performed basically by women and girls. Women seek the happiness of their husband and the family. Girls seek for a good husband.

The month of Shravan is considered to be very dear to Goddess Lakshmi or Parvati. That's why ladies perform the Mangala Gauri Vratam or Vara Lakshmi Vratam in this month with great devotion and love inviting the Goddess to visit their homes and bestow them with all Abundance and Happiness.

How to Perform Varalakshmi Vratam

Generally, people perform this vratam in the evening times even though there is no such restriction to perform it in the evenings only. Many of them perform on the Second Friday whereas others may perform it on any one of those four or five Fridays falling in this month of Shravan.

• Get up early in the morning and take the oil-bath. 
• Decorate your homes and the main-door entrance with flowers and mango leaves, etc. Turmeric paste is applied to the door entrances and they get designed with kumkum spots and white rangoli powder lines. Rangoli designs are prepared in front of the entrances. Flower garlands and mango leave garlands are hanged to the door top. All this is done to welcome Goddess Lakshmi.
• All preparations and cooking of special dishes for puja purpose done during the day-time.
• House washing and cleansing are advisable to be done on the previous day itself or early in the morning hours before taking the bath. 
• Most people soak the chickpeas in water and before starting the puja, they are removed from the water and offered to God after the puja. You will be inviting the married women and girls in your neighborhood to participate in the puja. Similarly, you also need to attend their homes and visit their Goddess also on this occasion.
• On the Varalakshmi Vratam Day, it is most desirable to keep open the doors during the evening hours before lighting the lights and throughout the puja period. Goddess will enter your house in any form if you sincerely do the worship.
• In the evening, when you sit for the puja, make an image of the Goddess with turmeric paste in a mango leaf or lotus leaf. You need not be an artist for this. Simply make some small image and worship it as Goddess Lakshmi. The regular idols and images of God and Goddess are also worshiped along with this turmeric Goddess.
• Perform the puja with flowers, kumkum, and dry turmeric powder. 
• You can simply read some hymns of Goddess Lakshmi and worship her with the 108 names offering these flowers, turmeric, and kumkum after each name. You can do the same worship through a lyrical chanting of the verses known as Lakshmi Ashtottara Shatanama Stotram. 
• After puja is over, offer the incense and show the lights to her. Then, offer the various dishes that you prepared along with the soaked chickpeas and fruits to her as naivedyam.
• After naivedyam, light the camphor and chant the Mangala Harati, etc.
• Now, your puja is over.
• Distribute the prasadam (chickpeas, fruits, etc.) to the ladies attending the puja. 
• It is a practice to offer blouse pieces, bangles, and flowers also to the participating ladies along with the prasadam. It is believed that it lengthens the life of those ladies as well as your own prosperous happy life.

  After performing this Lakshmi Puja, obtain the blessings of Goddess Lakshmi by bowing your head in front of her as well as through the blessings of all the elderly ladies.

Blessing Mantra in Sanskrit: Shatamanam Bhavati Shloka

This blessing mantra is most popular at all weddings and worship rituals in our Hindu life.

But most of us do not know the full meaning of what it says. We simply understand that it is a blessing with some good wishes for your prolonged life.

I am producing this sloka along with its full meanings in the below lines.

It is actually a sloka of two lines. But, mostly, we are accustomed to using only the second line of it during most of those blessing ceremonies.


Blessing Sloka

rOchanO rOchamAnaH, sObhanaH sObhamAnaH kaLyANaH |

shathamAnam bhavathi shathAyuH purushaH shatEndriya AyushyEvEndriyE prathitishtathi ||


Blessing Mantra as above in Hindi/ Sanskrit script

रोचनो रोचमानः शोभनो शोभमानः कल्याणः |
शतमानम भवति शतायुः पुरुषः शतेन्द्रिय आयुष्येवेन्द्रियेः प्रतितिष्ठति ||


The entire meaning of this blessing is as follows:

The person uttering this sloka wishes the person that is being blessed with a life of 100 springs in one lifetime; and that too with fully functioning Indhriyams (senses) during that lifetime; and to have all the faculties established fully intact in order to observe the daily chores demanded by life; and to pursue the virtuous way of life be it in the physical, mental, social or spiritual realms.

The word to word meaning is as follows:

1st Line

rOchano = in beauty
rOchamanaH = be beautiful
sObhano = in glow
sObhamAnaH = be glowing
kaLyaNaH = be noble and generous

2nd Line

shata = hundred
maanam = a measurement or unit of standard
bhavathi = let it be so
shata aayuh = hundred in age
Purusha = person or the life
shata + indriya = hundred and senses
ayushyEva = healthy
indriyE = the senses
pratitishtati = be established