(Following are extract of Karmkand Bhaskar - For Hindi - check Literature section)
Diwali is considered as the festival of goddess Lakshmi. Lakshmi means wealth and prosperity. This is the festival of wealth and prosperity. On the occasion of Diwali we analyze our financial stand, we make a note of that and review our profit and loss. But this festival is not only limited to the financial analysis, on this occasion we should leave our bad practices and inculcate good practices in finance. Prosperity i.e. Lakshmi is the base and support for "Jeevan-Sadhana " or "self-improvement", we can compare the blessings of Goddess Lakshmi with the mother's milk. We should consider Goddess Lakshmi as our mother and her blessings i.e. wealth and prosperity, should be used to develop our capabilities, and not for comfort and luxury. The importance of Diwali is to accept goddess Lakshmi as our mother and worship her.
Downlaod Simple Steps for celebration.
The messages of Diwali are:
• Spend as per the need.
• Money should be spent in useful deeds.
• The base to earn money should be through morality, hard work, and justice.
• Make the budget within our capabilities and spend accordingly.
• Maintain a financial stability throughout the year.
Lord Ganesh worship, earthen lamp - worship, and Gau-dravya- worship ( mixture of cow dung, urine, ghee, and curd etc.) are the significance of this festival. This means prosperity and wealth should never be used in contrary to intellect, knowledge, and selfless service, instead it should be earned and spent through the lenses of wisdom and knowledge.
Before the start of Lakshmi poojan we should prepare a platform for pooja and keep picture or idol of Lakshmi and Ganesha, ledger, pen, and things used during pooja on this platform. Though all the festivals should be celebrated in a group, one person from the group should sit near the platform as a representative. The person has to do "Shat-Karma" (six karma), and rest of the members of the group will be purified with the sprinkle of pious water on them. After Samuhik- Sinchan, worshipping lord sun, Swasti- Vaachan…and all normal procedure of Poojan should be completed. After this, Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi's invocation should be performed by few representatives.
Invoking Lord Ganesh
Ganesh is considered as the eliminator of hurdles and God of Wisdom. To worship lord Ganesha on the occasion of Diwali signifies that we should earn and spend money with wisdom. We should always earn money and spend money wisely and with good judgement and never earn or spend money with unjust means.
Om ekadantaya vidmahe
Vakkratundaya dheemahi
Tanno danti prachodayat II
We devote our thoughts to the One Tusked Lord
We meditate upon Him who has a Curved trunk
May the tusked one guide us on the right path.
Lord Ganesha is remover of all hurdles, giver of boons, loved by all Gods, whose abdomen is elongated.
Om Vighneshwaray Varadaya surpriyay,
Lambodaray Sakalay jagatdhitay
Nagananay Shruti Yagya Vebhushitaya
Gaurisutaya Gananath Namo Namaste II
Ohm Shri Ganeshay Namaha I
Invoking Shri Lakshmi
Lakshmi is Lord Vishnu’s wife, in other words she is the mother of the universe. In order to sustain and maintain our life we need money, but we should use it carefully as if it was our mother. Just like we depend on mother for giving us life and milk in childhood to survive, we need to use money for good causes. In order to reverberate this point we pray to Goddess Mahaa Lakshmi during Diwali. We should invite Goddess Lakshmi by chanting the following mantras:
Om Shree Mahalakshmyai Cha Vidraahe Vishnu Patrayai Cha Dheemahi Tanno Lakshmi Prachodayat Om ||
Aum Aadhyanta rahite devi, aadhya-shakte maheshvari;Yogaje yoga-sambhoote, Mahaa Lakshminamo-astute.
Aum Stoola suksham mahaa rovdre, mahaa shaktemahodaye; Mahaa paapa hare devi, Mahaa Laxmi namo-astute.
Aum Padmaa sanas-thite devi, pare brahma svaroopini;Para meshi jagan-maatar, Mahaa Laxmi namo-astute.
Aum Svetaambar dhare devi, naanaa lankaar bhooshite;Jagat stithte jagan maatar, Mahaa Laxmi namo-astute.II
[O Mother Maheshvari, without a beginning or an end; O Primeval Energy, born of Yoga; O Mahaa Laxmi, obeisance to Thee.
O Mahaa Laxmi, who art both gross and subtle, most terrible, great power, great prosperity and great remover of all sins, obeisance to Thee.
O Devi, seated on the lotus, who art The Supreme Brahman, The Great Lord and Mother of the Universe, O Mahaa Lakshmi, obeisance to Thee.
O Devi, robed in white garments, and decked in various kinds of ornaments, Thou art The Mother of the Universe and its support: O Mahaa Laxshmi, obeisance to Thee.]
After the mantras do the 16 step puja of all the invited God and Goddesses.
Worshipping Ledger, Pen and Ink Holder
A ledger is the book for creating budget, recording and totaling economic transactions measured in terms of debits and credits in separate columns, and a beginning and ending monetary balance for each account. Due to this reason we worship the ledger books during Diwali. Pen and ink holder are used to write in the ledger book. As these things are used to write the accounts which is related to money in other words Goddess Lakshmi, they are also worshipped. New Year’s ledger book, pen and ink holder should be worshipped by chanting the following mantras. One should worship all of these things by bowing down and offering flower, rice, incense, lighted lamp to them.
Mantra for the Ledger:
Ohm prasave ta ua udirate testro vacho makhsuvha
Yadavya eshe sanavi II
Mantra for the Pen and Ink Holder:
Ohm Sheshurna jatoav chakradvanne swa yarvdajayrusha shishasati
Devo rethasa sachate payuvrutha tameemahe sumati sarma sapratha II
Deepdaan
Lamp, is the symbol of light and knowledge. Money will grow only in the environment of light and knowledge. It gets destroyed in the ignorance and darkness, and that is why the lamps are lighted as the symbol of light and knowledge.
In one plate light at least five to eleven ghee lamps and worship them by say the following mantras. After that place as many oil lamps as you want all around the house.
Om Agni Jyoti Jyoti Agni Swahaa
Om Surya Jyoti Jyoti Surya Swahaa.II
Om Agni-varcho Jyoti-varcha Swahaa
Om Surya Varcho Jyoti-varchah Swahaa. II
Jyoti Surya Surya Jyoti Swaahaa II
Sanklap or Pledge
Ask everyone present at the ceremony to offer flower and rice on the place of worship by repeating the following pledge:
__________ Namaham MahaaLakshmi Pujanparvani Arthashakti Maha Lakshmiprateek Vigyay apvyyadedosham dureekaranasya sankalpmaham karishyeI II
