Lakshmi Ganesh Yantra
Those of you who have read my book, “Autobiography of a Sadhu,” have noticed in the preface there is a yantra, a Lakshmi Ganesh Yantra. I didn’t put it there as a decorative piece. I put it there for my readers and others to receive the blessings of health and prosperity from both Ganesh and Lakshmi. Double blessings. By using this Lakshmi Ganesh Yantra, you may obtain greater health, success, and prosperity, as well as overcoming obstacles in your path.
A yantra is a sacred enclosure, like a seat or a throne for a God or Goddess. When we use this yantra, we invoke, or invite both Ganesh and Lakshmi to come into our presence and occupy the yantra. We may then make our offerings to Them, our respect, and honour Ganesh and Lakshmi with our prayers and bhajans or songs.
Lakshmi Ganesh Yantra
Supplies for a very simple puja that anyone can do, anywhere:
Holy Water – Ganga jal (if possible)
Small copper container (if possible), otherwise a nicely decorated container
Copper spoon (if possible), otherwise a spoon that you only use for ritual
Red flower, preferably Hibiscus, and other flowers
Ghee or butter lamp (if possible) otherwise, candle
Red silk cloth (if possible) otherwise any red cloth of natural material
Low table
Fruits and/or sweets
Incense
Sandalwood paste (if possible)
Small statue of Ganesh (if possible), small statue of Lakshmi (if possible)
Holy water – water from a natural source, a river, creek, spring, etc. The bigger and more important the source, the better. A big dirty river is better than a fantastic natural spring. We’re not concerned with H2O, we’re concerned with the spirit of Water whose nature is to flow.
Collect it in any container THAT HAS NEVER TOUCHED YOUR MOUTH, i.e., you may use a plastic mineral water bottle as long as you didn’t drink from it.
When you collect your holy water, approach your water source with reverence, take off your shoes, put your hands together in namaste, light some incense, touch the water with both hands, draw a triangle pointing downwards in the water, throw a couple of drops over your head, throw some water back into the source with your hands, and now ask the Mother, “Please, Mother, I’d like some water for my rites!” Now collect your water.
When you arrive home, keep the water in a nice container, preferably copper, if not copper, then brass, if not brass, then anything else, but something either nice or decorated. When you remove holy water, use a copper spoon, if possible, otherwise use a spoon that has no other purpose but for ritual.
A red cloth, preferably red silk. Otherwise any natural cloth, red in color.
If you have a low table and can sit on the ground, it is best. Place a red cloth under the book, silk is always best, but any natural cloth will do. Face direction East, with the book open to the Lakshmi Ganesh Yantra in front of you.
With your ritual spoon, throw a couple of drops of water in the 4 directions, and say out loud, “Please Ganesh, let my home be pure and auspicious. Let there be no disturbance to our peace and happiness, and let there be no disturbance to this invocation.”
Sit for a moment until you feel some balance, put your hands in namaste, and say, “Today is the ___th day, of the __th month, of the year 2010 in the Western calendar. I [say your name], born in the ___th day, of the __th month, of the year ____ (or if you know your nakshatra or other identifying star, you may use that instead) make this invocation of Ganesh and Lakshmi.”
Offer a drop of this water in front of the yantra, saying “O Ganesh, O Lakshmi, I offer You water.”
If you have any deities of Ganesh and Lakshmi, you may offer them a couple drops of water over their heads.
Light a candle, a ghee or butter lamp is best, wave it in a clockwise circle over and around the yantra saying, “O Ganesh, O Lakshmi, I offer you light,” and place in front of the Lakshmi Ganesh Yantra on your right, on the red cloth.
Light a stick of incense, wave it around the Yantra, saying, “O Ganesh, O Lakshmi, I offer you incense,” and put it in a holder on the red cloth on which the book is sitting.
Find a red Hibiscus flower, if possible, if not, then any red flower. Place it on top of the yantra, saying, “O Ganesh, O Lakshmi, I offer you flowers.” You may also surround the Lakshmi Ganesh Yantra with flowers.
Place a fruit and/or sweet in front of the yantra in the offering place, saying, “O Ganesh, O Lakshmi, I offer you food.”
Sit comfortably in front of the low table, with your feet underneath you. Put your hands together like namaste, and say, “Oh Ganesh and Mother Lakshmi, I wish to invite you into my home. (if you are not in India, say) We are far away from India, here in [say your city and state]. Please come and sit amongst us, on this sacred yantra that I have made auspicious for you. Please allow me to behold you, and please grant my wishes.”
Now you tell Ganesh and Mother Lakshmi what you want. When you finish, while still sitting, bow down before Them, and thank Them. Now take the fruit and sweets and distribute them to your family and others.
Afterwards, give WITH BOTH HANDS the red flower that was placed on the yantra to a special FEMALE, wife, mother, daughter, best friend, girlfriend, etc., whether or not she was present during the invocation. At the moment you give it to her, imagine her to be Shri Lakshmi, the Mother Goddess Herself.
The more intimate you become with this, the more powerful will be your invocation.
Good luck (shmi)!
May the Ganesh and Mother Lakshmi bless you!
Baba Rampuri
