Devi
Mahalakshmi Ashtakam — opening
नमस्तेऽस्तु महामाये श्रीपीठे सुरपूजिते । शङ्खचक्रगदाहस्ते महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥
Namas te'stu mahāmāye śrīpīṭhe sura-pūjite, śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-haste mahālakṣmi namo'stu te
Simple reading: Na-mas-tes-tu ma-haa-maa-ye shree-pee-the su-ra-poo-ji-te, shan-kha chak-ra ga-daa has-te ma-haa-laksh-mi na-mo-stu te
About this mantra
The opening of the Mahalakshmi Ashtakam — the great goddess honoured on her seat of shri, bearing conch, discus, and mace.
Meaning
Salutations to you, O Mahamaya, enthroned on the seat of shri, worshipped by the gods; O Mahalakshmi bearing conch, discus, and mace — salutations to you. Mahamaya comes first, the weapons after: the ashtakam opens by conceding that her power to veil and reveal precedes everything held in her hands. Wealth, the order implies, is one more of her appearances.
When to recite it
Recited on Fridays, through Diwali and Sharad Purnima, and at the start of anything asking for both wealth and wisdom.
Word by word
- महामायेmahāmāye
- O great Maya (divine power)
- श्रीपीठेśrīpīṭhe
- enthroned on the seat of shri
- सुरपूजितेsura-pūjite
- worshipped by the gods
- शङ्खचक्रगदाहस्तेśaṅkha-cakra-gadā-haste
- bearing conch, discus, and mace
- महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु तेmahālakṣmi namo'stu te
- O Mahalakshmi, salutations to you
Source: Mahālakṣmy-aṣṭakam 1 (Padma Purāṇa tradition)