Saubhagya Lakshmi Upanishad
(Chapter 1)
प्रथमः खण्डः — Khaṇḍa 1: Śrī Vidyā — Worship of Lakṣmī through the Śrī Sūkta
Verse 1
सौभाग्यलक्ष्मीकैवल्यविद्यावेद्यसुखाकृति । त्रिपान्नारायणानन्दरामचन्द्रपदं भजे ॥
saubhāgyalakṣmīkaivalyavidyāvedyasukhākṛti | tripānnārāyaṇānandarāmacandrapadaṃ bhaje ||
Invocatory verse (recited before this Upaniṣad in the traditional collection of 108): I worship the state of Rāmacandra — the bliss of Nārāyaṇa in His transcendent 'three-quarter' (Tripād) glory — whose very form is the happiness that is known through the Saubhāgya Lakṣmī Vidyā, the knowledge that leads to liberation (kaivalya).
Verse 2
ॐ वाङ्मे मनसि प्रतिष्ठिता मनो मे वाचि प्रतिष्ठितमाविरावीर्म एधि ॥ वेदस्य म आणीस्थः श्रुतं मे मा प्रहासीरनेनाधीतेनाहोरात्रान्सन्दधाम्यृतं वदिष्यामि सत्यं वदिष्यामि ॥ तन्मामवतु तद्वक्तारमवतु अवतु मामवतु वक्तारमवतु वक्तारम् ॥ ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
oṃ vāṅme manasi pratiṣṭhitā mano me vāci pratiṣṭhitamāvirāvīrma edhi || vedasya ma āṇīsthaḥ śrutaṃ me mā prahāsīranenādhītenāhorātrānsandadhāmyṛtaṃ vadiṣyāmi satyaṃ vadiṣyāmi || tanmāmavatu tadvaktāramavatu avatu māmavatu vaktāramavatu vaktāram || oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ||
Peace invocation (Śānti Mantra) of the Ṛg Veda: May my speech be established in my mind, and my mind in my speech. O Self-luminous One, reveal Yourself to me. May you both (speech and mind) be the bearers of the Veda to me. May what I have heard not forsake me. Through this study I join day with night. I shall speak what is right (ṛta); I shall speak the truth. May That protect me; may That protect the teacher. May it protect me, may it protect the teacher — the teacher. Oṃ, peace, peace, peace.
Verse 3
हरिः ॐ ॥ अथ भगवन्तं देवा ऊचुर्हे भगवन्नः कथय सौभाग्यलक्ष्मीविद्याम् ।
hariḥ oṃ || atha bhagavantaṃ devā ūcurhe bhagavannaḥ kathaya saubhāgyalakṣmīvidyām |
Hari Oṃ. Then the gods said to the Lord: 'O Lord, teach us the Saubhāgya Lakṣmī Vidyā — the sacred knowledge of Lakṣmī, the Goddess of auspicious fortune.'
Verse 4
तथेत्यवोचद्भगवानादिनारायणः सर्वे देवा यूयं सावधानमनसो भूत्वा शृणुत तुरीयरूपां तुरीयातीतां सर्वोत्कटां सर्वमन्त्रासनगतां पीठोपपीठदेवतापरिवृतां चतुर्भुजां श्रियं हिरण्यवर्णामिति पञ्चदशर्ग्भिर्ध्यायेत् ।
tathetyavocadbhagavānādinārāyaṇaḥ sarve devā yūyaṃ sāvadhānamanaso bhūtvā śṛṇuta turīyarūpāṃ turīyātītāṃ sarvotkaṭāṃ sarvamantrāsanagatāṃ pīṭhopapīṭhadevatāparivṛtāṃ caturbhujāṃ śriyaṃ hiraṇyavarṇāmiti pañcadaśargbhirdhyāyet |
Saying 'So be it,' the Lord, Ādi Nārāyaṇa (the Primeval Being), said: 'All you gods, listen with attentive minds. With the fifteen verses (ṛks) of the Śrī Sūkta, one should meditate upon Śrī — she who is the Fourth state (Turīya) and also beyond the Fourth (Turīyātīta), supreme over all, enthroned upon all mantras, surrounded by the deities of the principal and subsidiary sacred seats (pīṭhas and upapīṭhas), four-armed and golden-hued (hiraṇyavarṇā).'
Verse 5
अथ पञ्चदश ऋगात्मकस्य श्रीसूक्तस्यानन्दकर्दमचिक्लीतेन्दिरासुता ऋषयः । श्रीऋष्याद्या ऋचः चतुर्दशानमृचामानन्दाद्यृषयः । हिरण्यवर्णाद्याद्यत्रयस्यानुष्टुप् छन्दः । कांसोस्मीत्यस्य बृहती छन्दः । तदन्ययोर्द्वयोस्त्रिष्टुप् । पुनरष्टकस्यानुष्टुप् । शेषस्य प्रस्तारपङ्क्तिः । श्र्यग्निर्देवता । हिरण्यवर्णामिति बीजम् । कांसोऽस्मीति शक्तिः ।
atha pañcadaśa ṛgātmakasya śrīsūktasyānandakardamaciklītendirāsutā ṛṣayaḥ | śrīṛṣyādyā ṛcaḥ caturdaśānamṛcāmānandādyṛṣayaḥ | hiraṇyavarṇādyādyatrayasyānuṣṭup chandaḥ | kāṃsosmītyasya bṛhatī chandaḥ | tadanyayordvayostriṣṭup | punaraṣṭakasyānuṣṭup | śeṣasya prastārapaṅktiḥ | śryagnirdevatā | hiraṇyavarṇāmiti bījam | kāṃso'smīti śaktiḥ |
Now, for the Śrī Sūkta of fifteen verses: its seers (ṛṣis) are Ānanda, Kardama, Ciklīta and the sons of Indirā (Lakṣmī). The first verse has Śrī herself as its seer, and Ānanda and the others are the seers of the remaining fourteen. The metre of the first three verses, beginning with 'Hiraṇyavarṇām', is Anuṣṭubh; of the verse 'Kāṃso'smi' it is Bṛhatī; of the next two, Triṣṭubh; of the following eight, again Anuṣṭubh; and of the last, Prastārapaṅkti. Śrī and Agni are the deities. 'Hiraṇyavarṇām' is the seed (bīja), and 'Kāṃso'smi' is the power (śakti) of the hymn.
Verse 6
हिरण्मया चन्द्रा रजतस्रजा हिरण्या हिरण्यवर्णेति प्रणवादिनमोन्तैश्चतुर्थ्यन्तैरङ्गन्यासः । अथ वक्त्रत्रयैरङ्गन्यासः । मस्तकलोचनश्रुतिघ्राणवदनकण्ठबाहुद्वयहृदयनाभिगुह्यपायूरुजानुजङ्घेषु श्रीसूक्तैरेव क्रमशो न्यसेत् ।
hiraṇmayā candrā rajatasrajā hiraṇyā hiraṇyavarṇeti praṇavādinamontaiścaturthyantairaṅganyāsaḥ | atha vaktratrayairaṅganyāsaḥ | mastakalocanaśrutighrāṇavadanakaṇṭhabāhudvayahṛdayanābhiguhyapāyūrujānujaṅgheṣu śrīsūktaireva kramaśo nyaset |
The limb-placement (aṅga-nyāsa) is done with the Goddess's names from the Śrī Sūkta — 'Hiraṇmayī' (the golden), 'Candrā' (moon-like), 'Rajatasrajā' (wearing a silver garland), 'Hiraṇyā' (made of gold) and 'Hiraṇyavarṇā' (golden-hued) — each spoken in the dative ('to her who is…'), preceded by Oṃ and ending with 'namaḥ'. A further aṅga-nyāsa is done with the 'three faces' (vaktratraya). Then one should place the verses of the Śrī Sūkta themselves, one by one in order, on the head, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, throat, both arms, heart, navel, private parts, anus, thighs, knees and shanks — so that the whole body is sanctified by the hymn.
Verse 7
अरुणकमलसंस्था तद्रजःपुञ्जवर्णा करकमलधृतेष्टाऽभीतियुग्माम्बुजा च । मणिकटकविचित्रालङ्कृताकल्पजालैः सकलभुवनमाता सन्ततं श्रीः श्रियै नः ॥ १॥
aruṇakamalasaṃsthā tadrajaḥpuñjavarṇā karakamaladhṛteṣṭā'bhītiyugmāmbujā ca | maṇikaṭakavicitrālaṅkṛtākalpajālaiḥ sakalabhuvanamātā santataṃ śrīḥ śriyai naḥ || 1 ||
Meditation verse (dhyāna): Seated on a red lotus, glowing with the colour of its gathered pollen, holding in her lotus-hands the gestures of granting wishes and of fearlessness together with a pair of lotuses, adorned with jewelled bracelets and a wealth of wondrous ornaments — may Śrī, Mother of all the worlds, ever grant us prosperity.
Verse 8
तत्पीठकर्णिकायां ससाध्यं श्रीबीजम् । वस्वादित्यकलापद्मेषु श्रीसूक्तगतार्धार्धर्चा तद्बहिर्यः शुचिरिति मातृकया च श्रियं यन्त्राङ्गदशकं च विलिख्य श्रियमावाहयेत् । अङ्गैः प्रथमा वृत्तिः । पद्मादिभिर्द्वितीया । सोकेशैस्तृतीया । तदायुधैस्तुरीया वृत्तिर्भवति । श्रीसूक्तैरावाहनादि । षोडशसहस्रजपः ।
tatpīṭhakarṇikāyāṃ sasādhyaṃ śrībījam | vasvādityakalāpadmeṣu śrīsūktagatārdhārdharcā tadbahiryaḥ śuciriti mātṛkayā ca śriyaṃ yantrāṅgadaśakaṃ ca vilikhya śriyamāvāhayet | aṅgaiḥ prathamā vṛttiḥ | padmādibhirdvitīyā | sokeśaistṛtīyā | tadāyudhaisturīyā vṛttirbhavati | śrīsūktairāvāhanādi | ṣoḍaśasahasrajapaḥ |
The yantra of Śrī: in the pericarp (centre) of her seat, the seed-syllable of Śrī (śrīṃ) is written together with the sādhya (the aim or person for whom the worship is performed). On lotuses of eight, twelve and sixteen petals — numbered after the Vasus, the Ādityas and the kalās — the half-verses of the Śrī Sūkta are written; outside them, the verse 'Yaḥ śuciḥ…' and the letters of the alphabet (mātṛkā). Having drawn Śrī and the ten limbs of the yantra, one should invoke Śrī. The first circle of worship (āvṛti) is of her limb-deities (aṅgas); the second, of Padmā and the others; the third, of the guardians of the directions (lokeśas); the fourth, of their weapons. The invocation and the other offerings are made with the verses of the Śrī Sūkta. The prescribed repetition (japa) is sixteen thousand.
Verse 9
सौभाग्यरमैकाक्षर्या भृगुनिचृद्गायत्री । श्रिय ऋष्यादयः । शमिति बीजशक्तिः । श्रीमित्यादि षडङ्गम् ।
saubhāgyaramaikākṣaryā bhṛgunicṛdgāyatrī | śriya ṛṣyādayaḥ | śamiti bījaśaktiḥ | śrīmityādi ṣaḍaṅgam |
For the one-syllable mantra of Saubhāgya-Ramā (Lakṣmī, 'śrīṃ'): the seer is Bhṛgu, the metre is Nicṛd-Gāyatrī, and Śrī is its deity. 'Śaṃ' is given as its seed and its power. The six-limbed placement (ṣaḍaṅga-nyāsa) is done with 'śrīṃ' and its variants.
Verse 10
भूयाद्भूयो द्विपद्माभयवरदकरा तप्तकार्तस्वराभा शुभ्राभ्राभेभयुग्मद्वयकरधृतकुम्भाद्भिरासिच्यमाना । रक्तौघाबद्धमौलिर्विमलतरदुकूलार्तवालेपनाढ्या पद्माक्षी पद्मनाभोरसि कृतवसतिः पद्मगा श्रीः श्रियै नः ॥ १॥
bhūyādbhūyo dvipadmābhayavaradakarā taptakārtasvarābhā śubhrābhrābhebhayugmadvayakaradhṛtakumbhādbhirāsicyamānā | raktaughābaddhamaulirvimalataradukūlārtavālepanāḍhyā padmākṣī padmanābhorasi kṛtavasatiḥ padmagā śrīḥ śriyai naḥ || 1 ||
Meditation verse (dhyāna): Holding two lotuses and showing the gestures of fearlessness and boon-giving, shining like molten gold, bathed by the waters poured from pitchers held in the trunks of two pairs of elephants white as bright clouds; her crown bound with clusters of red gems, rich in spotless silken garments and fragrant seasonal unguents, lotus-eyed, dwelling on the chest of Padmanābha (Viṣṇu), seated upon a lotus — may Śrī grant us prosperity again and again.
Verse 11
तत्पीठम् । अष्टपत्रं वृत्तत्रयं द्वादशराशिखण्डं चतुरस्रं रमापीठं भवति । कर्णिकायां ससाध्यं श्रीबीजम् । विभूतिरुन्नतिः कान्तिः सृष्टिः कीर्तिः सन्नतिर्व्युष्टिः सत्कृष्टिरृद्धिरिति प्रणवादिनमो तैश्चतुर्थ्यन्तैर्नवशक्तिं यजेत् । अङ्गे प्रथमा वृतिः । वासुदेवाभिर्द्वितीया । बालाक्यादिभिस्तृतीया । इन्द्रादिभिश्चतुर्थी भवति । द्वादशलक्षजपः ।
tatpīṭham | aṣṭapatraṃ vṛttatrayaṃ dvādaśarāśikhaṇḍaṃ caturasraṃ ramāpīṭhaṃ bhavati | karṇikāyāṃ sasādhyaṃ śrībījam | vibhūtirunnatiḥ kāntiḥ sṛṣṭiḥ kīrtiḥ sannatirvyuṣṭiḥ satkṛṣṭirṛddhiriti praṇavādinamo taiścaturthyantairnavaśaktiṃ yajet | aṅge prathamā vṛtiḥ | vāsudevābhirdvitīyā | bālākyādibhistṛtīyā | indrādibhiścaturthī bhavati | dvādaśalakṣajapaḥ |
Its yantra: an eight-petalled lotus, three circles, a circle divided into the twelve zodiac signs (rāśis), and an outer square — this is the seat of Ramā (Lakṣmī). In the centre, the seed-syllable of Śrī is written with the sādhya. One should worship the nine Śaktis (powers) — Vibhūti (glory), Unnati (rising), Kānti (radiance), Sṛṣṭi (creativity), Kīrti (fame), Sannati (humility), Vyuṣṭi (dawning prosperity), Satkṛṣṭi (good harvest) and Ṛddhi (abundance) — each in the dative, preceded by Oṃ and ending with 'namaḥ'. The first circle of worship is of the limb-deities; the second, of Vāsudeva and the others; the third, of Bālākī and the others; the fourth, of Indra and the other guardians. The prescribed repetition is twelve lakh (1,200,000).
Verse 12
श्रीलक्ष्मीर्वरदा विष्णुपत्नी वसुप्रदा हिरण्यरूपा स्वर्णमालिनी रजतस्रजा स्वर्णप्रभा स्वर्णप्राकारा पद्मवासिनी पद्महस्ता पद्मप्रिया मुक्तालङ्कारा चन्द्रसूर्या बिल्वप्रिया ईश्वरी भुक्तिर्मुक्तिर्विभूतिरृद्धिः समृद्धिः कृष्टिः पुष्टिर्धनदा धनेश्वरी श्रद्धा भोगिनी भोगदा सावित्री धात्री विधात्रीत्यादिप्रणवादिनमोन्ताश्चतुर्थ्यन्ता मन्त्राः । एकाक्षरवदङ्गादिपीठम् । लक्षजपः ।
śrīlakṣmīrvaradā viṣṇupatnī vasupradā hiraṇyarūpā svarṇamālinī rajatasrajā svarṇaprabhā svarṇaprākārā padmavāsinī padmahastā padmapriyā muktālaṅkārā candrasūryā bilvapriyā īśvarī bhuktirmuktirvibhūtirṛddhiḥ samṛddhiḥ kṛṣṭiḥ puṣṭirdhanadā dhaneśvarī śraddhā bhoginī bhogadā sāvitrī dhātrī vidhātrītyādipraṇavādinamontāścaturthyantā mantrāḥ | ekākṣaravadaṅgādipīṭham | lakṣajapaḥ |
The mantras of Lakṣmī are her names, each in the dative, preceded by Oṃ and ending with 'namaḥ': Śrī; Lakṣmī; Varadā (giver of boons); Viṣṇupatnī (consort of Viṣṇu); Vasupradā (giver of wealth); Hiraṇyarūpā (of golden form); Svarṇamālinī (wearing a golden garland); Rajatasrajā (wearing a silver garland); Svarṇaprabhā (of golden radiance); Svarṇaprākārā (encircled by golden ramparts); Padmavāsinī (dwelling in the lotus); Padmahastā (lotus in hand); Padmapriyā (lover of the lotus); Muktālaṅkārā (adorned with pearls); Candrasūryā (moon and sun); Bilvapriyā (fond of the bilva tree); Īśvarī (the Sovereign); Bhukti (worldly fulfilment); Mukti (liberation); Vibhūti (glory); Ṛddhi (abundance); Samṛddhi (prosperity); Kṛṣṭi (harvest); Puṣṭi (nourishment); Dhanadā (giver of riches); Dhaneśvarī (sovereign of riches); Śraddhā (faith); Bhoginī and Bhogadā (enjoyer and giver of enjoyment); Sāvitrī; Dhātrī (sustainer); Vidhātrī (ordainer) — and so on. The limb-placements and the yantra are as for the one-syllable mantra. The prescribed repetition is one lakh (100,000).
Verse 13
दशांशं तर्पणम् । दशांशं हवनम् । द्विजतृप्तिः । निष्कामानामेव श्रीविद्यासिद्धिः । न कदापि सकामानामिति ॥ १॥
daśāṃśaṃ tarpaṇam | daśāṃśaṃ havanam | dvijatṛptiḥ | niṣkāmānāmeva śrīvidyāsiddhiḥ | na kadāpi sakāmānāmiti || 1 ||
A tenth of the repetitions is offered as libations of water (tarpaṇa), and a tenth as oblations into the sacred fire (homa); then the learned are honoured and fed. Perfection in this Śrī Vidyā comes only to those who are free from selfish desire (niṣkāma) — never to those who practise it out of desire (sakāma). Thus ends the first Khaṇḍa.
Key Takeaways & AI Summary
This chapter explores the profound teachings of Saubhagya Lakshmi Upanishad. It includes 13 verses detailing core themes like "saubhāgyalakṣmīkaivalyavidyāvedyasukhākṛti | tripānnārāyaṇānandarāmacandrapadaṃ bhaje ||", "oṃ vāṅme manasi pratiṣṭhitā mano me vāci pratiṣṭhitamāvirāvīrma edhi || vedasya ma āṇīsthaḥ śrutaṃ me mā prahāsīranenādhītenāhorātrānsandadhāmyṛtaṃ vadiṣyāmi satyaṃ vadiṣyāmi || tanmāmavatu tadvaktāramavatu avatu māmavatu vaktāramavatu vaktāram || oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ||", "hariḥ oṃ || atha bhagavantaṃ devā ūcurhe bhagavannaḥ kathaya saubhāgyalakṣmīvidyām |".A Shakta Upanishad of the Rig Veda in which Lord Nārāyaṇa reveals the Saubhāgya Lakṣmī Vidyā — worship of the Goddess of auspicious fortune through the Śrī Sūkta, the yoga of inner sound and samādhi, and meditation on the nine cakras — teaching that Lakṣmī's highest grace flows only to those who seek her without selfish desire.