Devi
Mahalakshmi mantra
ॐ श्रीं महालक्ष्म्यै नमः
Oṁ Śrīṁ Mahālakṣmyai Namaḥ
Simple reading: Om shreem ma-haa-laksh-myai na-mah
AbundanceNew beginnings
About this mantra
The seed-mantra of Lakshmi, goddess of shri — prosperity in its full sense: wealth, harmony, and grace in the home.
Meaning
Om — Shreem — salutations to Mahalakshmi. Shreem is shri compressed into a seed, planted by repetition. The mantra asks the goddess of abundance for her presence rather than her presents — where Lakshmi dwells, the tradition says, sufficiency follows on its own.
When to recite it
Fridays and Diwali's Lakshmi Puja are its high seasons; counted also at the opening of new ledgers, ventures, and homes — traditionally at dusk, as the lamps are lit.
Word by word
- ॐoṁ
- the primordial sound
- श्रींśrīṁ
- the bīja of Lakshmi and of shri itself
- महालक्ष्म्यैmahālakṣmyai
- to the great Lakshmi
- नमःnamaḥ
- I bow, salutations
Source: Traditional bīja-mantra of the Devi worship corpus