Sri Suktam

हिरण्यवर्णां हरिणीं सुवर्णरजतस्रजाम् । चन्द्रां हिरण्मयीं लक्ष्मीं जातवेदो म आवह ॥

hiraṇyavarṇāṃ hariṇīṃ suvarṇarajatasrajām | candrāṃ hiraṇmayīṃ lakṣmīṃ jātavedo ma āvaha ||

Jatavedas is asked to bring near Sri Mahalakshmi, golden in hue and garlanded in gold and silver.

तां म आवह जातवेदो लक्ष्मीमनपगामिनीम् । यस्यां हिरण्यं विन्देयं गामश्वं पुरुषानहम् ॥

tāṃ ma āvaha jātavedo lakṣmīmanapagāminīm | yasyāṃ hiraṇyaṃ vindeyaṃ gāmaśvaṃ puruṣānaham ||

The prayer asks that Lakshmi remain and that her presence bring rightful prosperity and household strength.

अश्वपूर्वां रथमध्यां हस्तिनादप्रबोधिनीम् । श्रियं देवीमुपह्वये श्रीर्मा देवी जुषताम् ॥

aśvapūrvāṃ rathamadhyāṃ hastinādaprabodhinīm | śriyaṃ devīmupahvaye śrīrmā devī juṣatām ||

Sri Devi is invoked as she whose coming is announced by horses, chariots and the sound of elephants.

कां सोस्मितां हिरण्यप्राकारामार्द्रां ज्वलन्तीं तृप्तां तर्पयन्तीम् । पद्मे स्थितां पद्मवर्णां तामिहोपह्वये श्रियम् ॥

kāṃ sosmitāṃ hiraṇyaprākārāmārdrāṃ jvalantīṃ tṛptāṃ tarpayantīm | padme sthitāṃ padmavarṇāṃ tāmihopahvaye śriyam ||

Sri is called as she who smiles, shines within a golden enclosure, and is seated on the lotus.

चन्द्रां प्रभासां यशसा ज्वलन्तीं श्रियं लोके देवजुष्टामुदाराम् । तां पद्मिनीमीं शरणमहं प्रपद्येऽलक्ष्मीर्मे नश्यतां त्वां वृणे ॥

candrāṃ prabhāsāṃ yaśasā jvalantīṃ śriyaṃ loke devajuṣṭāmudārām | tāṃ padminīmīṃ śaraṇamahaṃ prapadye'lakṣmīrme naśyatāṃ tvāṃ vṛṇe ||

The devotee takes refuge in the lotus-bearing Mother and asks that inauspiciousness depart.

आदित्यवर्णे तपसोऽधिजातो वनस्पतिस्तव वृक्षोऽथ बिल्वः । तस्य फलानि तपसा नुदन्तु मायान्तरायाश्च बाह्या अलक्ष्मीः ॥

ādityavarṇe tapaso'dhijāto vanaspatistava vṛkṣo'tha bilvaḥ | tasya phalāni tapasā nudantu māyāntarāyāśca bāhyā alakṣmīḥ ||

The bilva, born of her tapas, is asked to drive away inner and outer misfortune.

उपैतु मां देवसखः कीर्तिश्च मणिना सह । प्रादुर्भूतोऽस्मि राष्ट्रेऽस्मिन् कीर्तिमृद्धिं ददातु मे ॥

upaitu māṃ devasakhaḥ kīrtiśca maṇinā saha | prādurbhūto'smi rāṣṭre'smin kīrtimṛddhiṃ dadātu me ||

The prayer asks for honour and rightful increase in the land where the devotee lives.

क्षुत्पिपासामलां ज्येष्ठामलक्ष्मीं नाशयाम्यहम् । अभूतिमसमृद्धिं च सर्वां निर्णुद मे गृहात् ॥

kṣutpipāsāmalāṃ jyeṣṭhāmalakṣmīṃ nāśayāmyaham | abhūtimasamṛddhiṃ ca sarvāṃ nirṇuda me gṛhāt ||

Hunger, thirst and household want are asked to leave the home.

गन्धद्वारां दुराधर्षां नित्यपुष्टां करीषिणीम् । ईश्वरीं सर्वभूतानां तामिहोपह्वये श्रियम् ॥

gandhadvārāṃ durādharṣāṃ nityapuṣṭāṃ karīṣiṇīm | īśvarīṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ tāmihopahvaye śriyam ||

Sri, sovereign of all beings and ever-nourishing, is invited into the household.

मनसः काममाकूतिं वाचः सत्यमशीमहि । पशूनां रूपमन्नस्य मयि श्रीः श्रयतां यशः ॥

manasaḥ kāmamākūtiṃ vācaḥ satyamaśīmahi | paśūnāṃ rūpamannasya mayi śrīḥ śrayatāṃ yaśaḥ ||

The hymn asks that true speech, rightful desire and Sri’s own honour rest upon the devotee.

कर्दमेन प्रजा भूता मयि सम्भव कर्दम । श्रियं वासय मे कुले मातरं पद्ममालिनीम् ॥

kardamena prajā bhūtā mayi sambhava kardama | śriyaṃ vāsaya me kule mātaraṃ padmamālinīm ||

Kardama is asked to let the lotus-garlanded Mother dwell in the family line.

आपः सृजन्तु स्निग्धानि चिक्लीत वस मे गृहे । नि च देवीं मातरं श्रियं वासय मे कुले ॥

āpaḥ sṛjantu snigdhāni ciklīta vasa me gṛhe | ni ca devīṃ mātaraṃ śriyaṃ vāsaya me kule ||

Waters and Chiklita are asked to settle the Mother in the home.

आर्द्रां पुष्करिणीं पुष्टिं पिङ्गलां पद्ममालिनीम् । चन्द्रां हिरण्मयीं लक्ष्मीं जातवेदो म आवह ॥

ārdrāṃ puṣkariṇīṃ puṣṭiṃ piṅgalāṃ padmamālinīm | candrāṃ hiraṇmayīṃ lakṣmīṃ jātavedo ma āvaha ||

Jatavedas is again asked to bring Lakshmi, moist with grace and garlanded with lotuses.

आर्द्रां यः करिणीं यष्टिं सुवर्णां हेममालिनीम् । सूर्यां हिरण्मयीं लक्ष्मीं जातवेदो म आवह ॥

ārdrāṃ yaḥ kariṇīṃ yaṣṭiṃ suvarṇāṃ hemamālinīm | sūryāṃ hiraṇmayīṃ lakṣmīṃ jātavedo ma āvaha ||

Lakshmi is invoked in her solar, golden form.

तां म आवह जातवेदो लक्ष्मीमनपगामिनीम् । यस्यां हिरण्यं प्रभूतं गावो दास्योऽश्वान् विन्देयं पुरुषानहम् ॥

tāṃ ma āvaha jātavedo lakṣmīmanapagāminīm | yasyāṃ hiraṇyaṃ prabhūtaṃ gāvo dāsyo'śvān vindeyaṃ puruṣānaham ||

The hymn closes by asking that Lakshmi remain, and that her presence sustain the household.