Sri Sukta, also called Sri Suktam, is a Sanskrit devotional hymn (set of slokas) revering Sri or Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth, prosperity and fertility. Sri sukta is recited, with a strict adherence to the vedic meter, to invoke the goddess' blessings.
The Sri sukta describes Sri as glorious, ornamented, royal, lustrous as gold, and radiant as fire, moon and the sun. She is addressed as the bestower of fame, bounty and abundance in the form of gold, cattle, horses and food; and entreated to banish her sister alakshmi (misfortune), who is associated with need, hunger, thirst and poverty. The hymn also associates Sri with (agrarian) fertility and she is described as the mother of Kardama (mud), moist, perceptible through odour, dwelling in cowdung and producing abundant harvest.
The Sri Sukta uses the motifs of lotus (padma or kamala) and elephant (gaja) - symbols that are consistently linked with the goddess Sri-Lakshmi in later references. The lotus is thought to be symbolic of purity, beauty, spiritual power, life, fertility, growth or, in Tantra, the entire created universe. It is a recurring motif in Hindu literature and a lotus growing from Vishnu's navel is said to mark the beginning of a new cosmic creation. The elephants are symbolic of royalty and, in Hindu mythology, are also related with cloud and rain; they thus reinforce Sri-Lakshmi's stature as the goddess of abundance and fertility.
Sree Sooktam
Hiraņya varnám hariņīm suvarna-rajata-srajám
Chandrám hiranmayīm lakshmīm jatavedo ma avaha|(1)
Tám ma ávaha játavedo lakśhmīm anapa gáminīm
Yasyám hiraņyam vindeyam gám aśvam puruśhán aham|| (2)
Meaning: Invoke for me, O Agni, the Goddess Lakshmi, who shines like gold, yellow in hue, wearing gold and silver garlands, blooming like the moon, the embodiment of wealth. O Agni! Invoke for me that unfailing Lakshmi, being blessed by whom I shall win wealth, cattle, horses and men.
Aśhwa-pūrvám ratha-madhyám hasti náda prabódhiním
Śhriyam devím upahvaye śhrír ma devír jushatám| (3)
Kám sósmitám hiranya prákárám árdrám jvalantím triptám tarpayantím
Padme sthitám padma-varnám támihópahvaye śhriyam|| (4)
Meaning: I invoke Shri (Lakshmi), who has a line of horses in front of her, a series of chariots in the middle, who is being awakened by the trumpeting of elephants, who is divinely resplendent. May that divine Lakshmi grace me. I hereby invoke that Shri (Lakshmi) who is an embodiment of Absolute Bliss; who is of pleasant smile on her face; whose lustre is like that of burnished gold; who is wet, as it were, (just from the milky ocean), who is blazing with splendour, and is the embodiment of the fulfilment of all wishes; who satisfies the desires of her votaries; who is seated on the lotus and is beautiful like the lotus.
Chandrám prabhásám yaśhasá jvalantím śhriyam lóke deva justám udárám
Tám padminim-ím saranam aham prapadye' alakshmír me naśyatám tvám vrne| (5)
Ǎditya varne tapasó dhijátó vanaspatis tava vrikshó' tha bilvah
Tasya phalani tapsá nudantu mayántaráyás cha báhya alakshmíh|| (6)
Meaning: For shelter in this world, I resort to that Lakshmi who is beautiful like the moon, who shines bright, who is blazing with renown, who is adored (even) by the gods, who is highly magnanimous, and grand like the lotus. May my misfortunes perish. I surrender myself to Thee. O Thou, resplendent like the Sun! By Thy power and glory have the plants, (like) the bael tree, grown up. May the fruits thereof destroy through Thy Grace all inauspiciousness rising from the inner organs and ignorance as well as from the outer senses.
Upaitu mám deva-sakah kírtis cha maniná saha
Prádūr bhūtó' smi rashtre' smin kírtim riddhim dadátu me| (7)
Kshut pipásá-amalám jyesthám alakshmím náshayámy aham
Abhūtim asamriddhim cha sarván nirnuda me grihat|| (8)
Meaning: O Lakshmi! I am born in this country with the heritage of wealth. May the friend of the Lord Siva (Kubera) and Kirti (fame) come to me. May these (having taken their abode with me) bestow on me fame and prosperity. I shall destroy the elder sister of Lakshmi, the embodiment of inauspiciousness and such evil as hunger, thirst, and the like. O Lakshmi! Drive out from my abode all misfortune and poverty.
Gandha dvárám durá dharşhám nitya-pushtám karíshiním
Iśhvarígm sarva bhūtánám tám ihó pahvaye śhriyam| (9)
Manasah kámam ákūtím vácah satyam ashímahi
Paśhūnágm rūpam annasya mayi śríh shrayatám yaśhah|| (10)
Meaning: I invoke hereby that Lakshmi (Shri), whose (main) avenue of perception is the odoriferous sense (i.e., who abides mainly in cows); who is incapable of defeat or threat from anyone; who is ever healthy (with such virtuous qualities as truth); whose grace is seen abundantly in the refuse of cows (the cows being sacred); and who is supreme over all created beings. O Lakshmi! May we obtain and enjoy the fulfilment of our desires and our volitions, the veracity of our speech, the wealth of cattle, the abundance of varieties of food to eat! May prosperity and fame reside in me (thy devotee)!
Kardamená praja-bhūtá mayi sambhava kardama
Śriyam vásaya me kule mátaram padma-máliním| (11)
Ǎpah srijantu snigdháni chiklíta vasa me grihe
Nicha devím mátaram śhriyam vásaya me kule|| (12)
Meaning : Lakshmi! You have progeny in Kardama. (Hence) O Kardama, may you reside in me. Make Mother Shri with garlands of lotuses, to have Her abode in my (ancestral) line. May the (holy) waters create friendship (they being of an adhesive nature). O Chiklita (Progeny of Shri), reside in my home; and arrange to make Divine Mother Shri to stay in my lineage!
Ardám pushkariním pushtim pingalám padma máliním
Chandrám hiran-mayím lakshmím játavedó ma ávaha| (13)
Ǎrdhám yah kariním yashtim suvarnám hema-máliním
Sūryám hiran-mayím lakshmím játavedó ma ávaha|| (14)
Meaning: Invoke for me, O Agni, Lakshmi who shines like gold, is brilliant like the sun, who is powerfully fragrant, who wields the rod of suzerainty, who is of the form of supreme rulership, who is radiant with ornaments and is the goddess of wealth. Invoke for me, O Agni, the Goddess Lakshmi who shines like gold, blooms like the moon, who is fresh with anointment (of fragrant scent), who is adorned with the lotuses (lifted up by celestial elephants in the act of worship), who is the presiding deity of nourishment, who is yellow in colour, and who wears garlands of lotuses.
Tám ma ávaha játevedó lakshmím anapa gáminím yasyám
Hiranyam prabhūtam gávó dásyó aśván vindeyam purushan aham|| (15)
Meaning: Invoke for me, O Agni, that Goddess Lakshmi who is ever unfailing, being blessed by whom I shall win wealth in plenty, cattle, servants, horses, and men.
Tanno Lakshmíh prachódayát || (16)
Meaning: We commune ourselves with the Great Goddess, and meditate on the Consort of Vishnu. May that Lakshmi direct us (to the Great Goal).
Meaning: Om. May there be Peace, Peace, Peace.
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Sri Suktam in Sanskrit with meaning PDF format
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