Audio Link
Pl. listen to the divine voice of MS Subbulakshmi in the following link : https://www.dropbox.com/s/x87kv796u8w2b62/Shri%20Varalakshmi-M%20S%20Amma-q1FmCYxR-xw.mp3?dl=0
and as a tribute to MS Amma by Bombay Jayashri here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ojxcucefwuyucik/Sri%20Varalakshmi%20_%20Bombay%20Jayashri%20%28Album_%20Tribute%20to%20M%20S%20Subbulakshmi%20%29-pxS3uCJns5E.mp3?dl=0
Meaning in English
Salutations to Goddess Varalakshmi, the provider of wealth, the one seated on the lotus flower, who is the abode of charm. I will bow to your beautiful feet repeatedly on every step and occasion.
You are the lady love of Sri Vishnu, the father of Manmadha. You as the one with golden splendour is more radiant and glittering than a crore of the Sun. You are easily accessible to your devotees; you protect people who pray to you. Oh, the one adorned with lotus garland, you are the epitome of absoluteness; you reside in the heart of Lord Vishnu.
On the fifth month of the year, the Friday before the full moon, many women led by Charumathi prays you. Devas and Guruguha offer gems studded garland/ornaments to you. You are an expert in saving the devoted downtrodden by showering them with gold. You are skilled in removing illusion from us and you are praised by Goddess Saraswathi. You provide the way for salvation and your hands provide the boon that is desired by the devotees.
Meaning in Tamil
பல்லவி
தனம்தரும் திருமகளே அலர்மேல் மங்கையே
வனப்புமிகு வண்ணத்து உறைவிடமே – உனது
எழில்மிகு பாதம்தனை இடைவிடாது பணிவேனே
அனுபல்லவி
மன்மத ஜனகன் மாயவனின் உயிரினும் உயிரான பொன்மகளே
பக்தர்கள் எளிதெனவே அணுகும் கோடி சூரிய ஒளி அலைமகளே
அடியார்தமை ஆதரவுடன் காக்கும் ஆம்பல் மாலை அணி அலர்மகளே
நிறை பேரறிவுத் தன்மைமிகு ஶ்ரீதேவியே, ஶ்ரீதரனின் திருமார்புறை ….
தனம்தரும்
சரணம்
ஆவணி முழுநிலவுமுன் கிழமை வெள்ளியில் விரதமிருந்து
ஆம்பல்உறை உனை துதிப்பர் சாருமதியும் பெண்டிரும் !
பொன்மணி மாலை சாற்றி போற்றிடுவர் தேவரும் குருகுகனும்
பொன்மாரி பொழிந்து காத்து அடியார்க்கு அருள் புரியும்
மாயை அகற்றும் வித்தகி, நாவுக்கரசி பாமகள் போற்றும்
முக்திக்கு வித்திடும், வேண்டிய வரம்தனைக் கரம் தரும்…தனம்தரும்
Sanskrit Verses
पल्लवि
श्री वर लक्ष्मि नमस्तुभ्यं वसु प्रदे
श्री सारस पदे रस पदे सपदे पदे पदे
अनुपल्लवि
भावज जनक प्राण वल्लभे सुवर्णाभे
भानु कोटि समान प्रभे भक्त सुलभे
(मध्यम काल साहित्यम्)
सेवक जन पालिन्यै श्रित पङ्कज मालिन्यै
केवल गुणशालिन्यै केशव हृत्खेलिन्यै
चरणम्
श्रावण पौर्णमी पूर्वस्थ शुक्रवारे –
चारुमती प्रभृतिभिः पूजिताकारे
देवादि गुरु गुह समर्पित मणि–मय हारे
दीन जन संरक्षण निपुण कनक धारे
(मध्यम काल साहित्यम्)
भावना भेद चतुरे भारती सन्नुत वरे
कैवल्य वितरण परे काङ्क्षित फल प्रद करे
English Transliteration
pallavi
SrI vara lakshmi namastubhyaM vasu pradE
SrI sArasa padE rasa padE sapadE padE padE
anupallavi
bhAvaja janaka prANa vallabhE suvarNAbhE
bhAnu kOTi samAna prabhE bhakta sulabhE
(madhyama kAla sAhityam)
sEvaka jana pAlinyai Srita pankaja mAlinyai
kEvala guNaSAlinyai kESava hRtkhElinyai
caraNam
SrAvaNa paurNamI pUrvastha SukravArE –
cArumatI prabhRtibhiH pUjitAkArE
dEvAdi guru guha samarpita maNi-maya hArE
dIna jana saMrakshaNa nipuNa kanaka dhArE
(madhyama kAla sAhityam)
bhAvanA bhEda caturE bhAratI sannuta varE
kaivalya vitaraNa parE kAGkshita phala prada karE
Meaning of the Sanskrit Words
पल्लवि
श्री वर लक्ष्मि – Sri Varalakshmi
नमः-तुभ्यं – salutations, to you
वसु प्रदे – wealth,giver
श्री सारस पदे – lotus, resides
रस पदे – charm/pleasure,abode
सपदे – स पदॆ, – good/beautiful feet
पदे पदे – पदॆपदॆ – repeatedly, again and again
अनुपल्लवि
भावज – god of love
जनक – father
प्राण – dear as lifev
वल्लभे – lady love
सुवर्ण-आभे – golden, splendor
भानु – sun
कोटि – one crore
समान – equivalent
प्रभे – illumination
भक्त – devotee
सुलभे – easily reachable
सेवक – those who pray
जन – people
पालिन्यै – protector
श्रित – attached to
पङ्कज – lotus
मालिन्यै – garland
केवल – bare/ (absoluteness)
गुण-शालिन्यै – nature/trait, possess
केशव – vishnu
हृत्-खेलिन्यै – heart, sports/reside
चरणम्
श्रावण – fifth month of the year – normally august
पौर्णमी – full moon
पूर्वस्थ – शुक्र-वारे – most excellent, Friday
चारुमती – Charumathi /lovely lady
प्रभृतिभिः – beginning with
पूजिताकारे – prayed,
देव-आदि – devas and others
गुरु गुह – guru guha
समर्पित – offered
मणि-मय हारे – gems studded garland
दीन जन – down trodden
संरक्षण – save/protect
निपुण – expert
कनक धारे – gold, shower
भावना भेद चतुरे – illusion/imaginary, crack (भेदयति), clever/skillful/adept
भारती – Saraswathi (Voice)
सन्नुत वरे – praised, eminent
कैवल्य – salvation
वितरण परे – bestow, intent
काङ्क्षित – desired/wished
फल प्रद करे- fruit of desire, granting, hands
Note: For those of you who are interested to know the background of Varalakshmi vratham (Puja), here is an interesting story from the Puranas:
The Story behind VARALAKSHMI VRATHAM
The story happens in a beautiful town called Kundinagaram located in the Kingdom of Vidarbha (Vidarba Rajyam). In that Kundinagram town, Goddess Adilakshmi, being pleased by her devotion tells Charumathi in a dream and directed her to perform the vrata to enable Her to fulfil her desires. Charumathi wakes up and tells her husband about the dream. Charumathi along with some neighbourhood women takes bath in the wee hours and prepare a mandapam and invites Varalakshmi Devi. She recites the following sloka along with other women with utmost faith and devotion.
Lakshmi Ksheerasamudra rajatanyam sri rangadhameswareem Dasibootha samastha devavanitham lokaika deepamkuram
Sri manmanda kataksha labdhivibhat brahmendra gangadharam Twamtrayamlokyakutumbhineem sasijavandemukunda priyam
Then she wore nine threads Thoranam to right hand and offers naivadyam to Goddess Lakshmi Devi. On the completion of the first circumstance, she heard she found Gajjelu, Andelu and other ornaments. On the second circumstance, they found kankanams made of navaratnams to their hands. On completion of the third circumstance, they found immense wealth. Then Charumathi offers Tambulam to the brahmin priests and distribute the vrata prasadam to the relatives and lead a happy life. Since then, Hindu women perform this vrata with utmost faith and trust till today. With this, Lord Eswara concludes telling the story to Goddess Parvathi.
Prabhu's Ponder 