"She appears to the world as a Goddess of peace. When we pray to Her, there is peace in the universe – peace among nations and mankind, and freedom from conflicts and wars. The Divine Mother takes care of the welfare of Her children and blesses the world with good health. Every home is the dwelling-place of Mother Lakshmi. At sunset, when the lamps are lit, we pray to Her and ask Her to bless our homes. To earn the blessings of Mother Lakshmi we have to pay attention to three important aspects of our life at home. These are cleanliness, hospitality, and charity. If we practice these virtues, we will obtain the Grace of Mother Lakshmi in abundance and will never suffer from any want.
"The Mother is pleased with a home that is spotlessly clean. She blesses such homes with Her sweet Presence. She is not present in homes that are kept untidy and unkempt. So, we should learn to take very great care of the material things which she represents and has given us. Hospitality is ingrained in the Hindu heart. Indeed, hospitality is the pride and glory of Hindu homes. When a guest comes to our home, we entertain him with all love and affection, looking upon him as Lord Narayana Himself. In some parts of India, a householder will not take his meals without first bringing a beggar home, worshipping him and then feeding him".
Pujya Swami Sahajananda states, "The Master, Sri Swami Sivananda, was born with this quality. One of his boyhood friends recalled how one day, when the Master was a little lad, he was about to take his meals. He heard the cry of a beggar outside. Little Kuppuswami ─ for that was the boyhood name of Swami Sivananda – at once ran out with his plate of food and offered it to the beggar. Sometimes, when his father sent him to purchase fruits and other articles of worship, little Kuppuswami would not hesitate to distribute the fruit to beggars first and then bring the remains to his father at home. He would say to his father, 'Father, I have already worshipped God in the form of the beggars and offered them the fruit.' Such was the boy's wonderful heart!
"In charity too, Swami Sivananda was peerless. He would give and give to such an extent that people used to call him 'Givananda' instead of Sivananda!"
In the book, Hindu Fasts & Festivals, our Master wrote, "Mother Lakshmi is depicted in pictures as being richly dressed. She wears ornaments of gold. The elephant seen at Her side represents pomp and grandeur. She stands on a lotus and holds two lotus flowers in full bloom, representing fullness in all aspects, both material and spiritual. The higher nature of the Mother is really spiritual wealth – a pure heart, sweetness of manners, behaviour and speech, service to the Guru, etc. Pray to Mother Lakshmi to grant you the divine spiritual wealth instead of material things. You will then enjoy everlasting peace and happiness".
