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Here’s a bullet-point gist of the article “Importance Of Goddess Lakshmi Worship On Thursday In Bengal” by Abhilash Rajendran:
🌾 The Homely and Heartfelt Lakshmi of Bengal
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In Bengal, Lakshmi is revered not only during Kojagari Lakshmi Puja but also every Thursday as the two-armed (Dvi-bhuja) Lakshmi.
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This form represents simplicity, nourishment, and domestic well-being, rather than grandeur.
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She is seen as Dhanya Lakshmi, the goddess of grain, food, and sustenance, more than of gold and riches.
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Bengalis believe that where Lakshmi is worshipped on Thursdays, hunger, scarcity, and discord never exist.
📜 Scriptural Foundations
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Bhagavad Gita (10.41) – all beauty and prosperity are sparks of divine splendor, interpreted as Lakshmi’s grace.
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Vishnu Purana (1.9) – narrates Lakshmi’s birth from the Samudra Manthan, symbolizing abundance after divine effort.
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The Thursday Lakshmi of Bengal embodies a tender, nurturing domestic spirit, not the celestial queen of Vaikuntha.
🪔 Symbolism and Simplicity of the Thursday Ritual
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The Lakshmi Panchali, a folk hymn, tells of Lakshmi blessing homes and granaries.
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Offerings are simple: coins, sesame sweets, bananas, and taaler bora (palm cakes).
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The simplicity shows that devotion, not luxury, pleases the goddess.
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Atharva Veda (7.155): where Lakshmi abides, there is purity and fortune; where she departs, there is want.
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Lakshmi symbolizes the golden rice fields, granaries, and kitchen hearth — the heart of agrarian Bengal.
🏡 Continuity of Tradition and Modern Relevance
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Despite urbanization, the Thursday Lakshmi Puja continues in Bengal homes.
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Women light lamps, recite the Panchali, and prepare sesame sweets.
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The ritual reinforces gratitude, humility, and the sanctity of food and family life.
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Bhagavad Gita (3.13) underscores this spirit: food becomes sacred when shared and offered in gratitude.
👩👧 The Eternal Daughter of Bengal
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Lakshmi is affectionately seen as a daughter returning home weekly, welcomed with warmth and love.
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Her gentle departure each week is marked with prayers for her return.
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This emotional and spiritual connection reflects Bengal’s fusion of devotion and affection.
🌸 Final Essence
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Thursday Lakshmi worship is more than ritual — it’s a way of life.
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It teaches reverence for nourishment, gratitude for nature, and faith in the ever-giving Mother.
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Lakshmi reminds devotees that true abundance lies in virtue, humility, and thankfulness, not in material wealth.
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