Shri Suktam in Bengali

O Jatavedas, bring to me Lakshmi, golden in colour and shining, who wears garlands of gold and silver, who is lovely as the moon and radiant as gold.

হিরণ্যবর্ণাম্ Hiranyavarnam

golden in colour

হরিণীম্ Harinim

the bright one; read by commentators as the remover of sorrow

সুবর্ণরজতস্রজাম্ Suvarna Rajata Srajam

wearing garlands of gold and silver

চন্দ্রাম্ Chandram

lovely as the moon

হিরণ্ময়ীম্ Hiranmayim

golden, made of light

লক্ষ্মীম্ Lakshmim

Lakshmi

জাতবেদঃ Jatavedah

O Jatavedas (Agni, the fire who knows all)

মে Me

to me

আবহ Avaha

bring

Jatavedas is Agni, the sacred fire, "the one who knows all that is born". The hymn asks Agni to bring Lakshmi, since in Vedic worship the fire carries offerings and prayers to the gods.

O Jatavedas, bring to me that Lakshmi who never goes away, through whose grace I may gain gold, cattle, horses and people around me.

তাম্ Tam

that one, her

মে Me

to me

আবহ Avaha

bring

জাতবেদঃ Jatavedah

O Jatavedas (Agni, the fire who knows all)

লক্ষ্মীম্ Lakshmim

Lakshmi

অনপগামিনীম্ Anapagaminim

who never goes away

যস্যাম্ Yasyam

through whom

হিরণ্যম্ Hiranyam

gold

বিন্দেয়ম্ Vindeyam

may I gain

গাম্ অশ্বম্ Gam Ashvam

cattle and horses

পুরুষান্ অহম্ Purushan Aham

I, people (family, helpers)

In Vedic times cattle and horses were the main forms of wealth, and "purusha" here means the people of a household: children, kin and helpers.

I invoke the goddess Shri, who has horses going before her and chariots around her, and whose coming is announced by the trumpeting of elephants. May the goddess Shri be gracious to me.

অশ্বপূর্বাম্ Ashvapurvam

with horses going before her

রথমধ্যাম্ Rathamadhyam

seated in the middle of chariots

হস্তিনাদপ্রবোধিনীম্ Hastinada Prabodhinim

whose coming is announced by the trumpeting of elephants

শ্রিয়ম্ Shriyam

Shri, the goddess of prosperity

দেবীম্ Devim

the goddess

উপহ্বয়ে Upahvaye

I invoke

শ্রীঃ মা দেবী জুষতাম্ Shrih Ma Devi Jushatam

may the goddess Shri be pleased with me

This verse is the root of the Gajalakshmi image, Lakshmi with elephants. The second line is printed as "श्रीर्मादेवीर्जुषताम्" in both our sources; it is read as श्रीः मा देवी जुषताम्.

I invoke here that Shri who is joy itself, who smiles gently, who lives within walls of gold, who is tender with compassion and shining, content and making others content, who stands on a lotus and has the colour of a lotus.

কাম্ Kam

who is joy itself

সোস্মিতাম্ Sosmitam

with a gentle smile

হিরণ্যপ্রাকারাম্ Hiranya Prakaram

surrounded by a wall of gold

আর্দ্রাম্ Ardram

tender, moist with compassion

জ্বলন্তীম্ Jvalantim

shining

তৃপ্তাম্ Triptam

content

তর্পয়ন্তীম্ Tarpayantim

who makes others content

পদ্মে স্থিতাম্ Padme Sthitam

standing on a lotus

পদ্মবর্ণাম্ Padmavarnam

the colour of a lotus

তাম্ Tam

that one, her

ইহ উপহ্বয়ে Iha Upahvaye

I invoke here

শ্রিয়ম্ Shriyam

Shri, the goddess of prosperity

"Kam" can also be read simply as "her"; traditional commentators explain it as "bliss" (ka = joy). Both sources print "सोस्मितां".

I take refuge in Shri, lovely as the moon and radiant, blazing with fame, cherished by the gods in this world, generous, holding the lotus. May my misfortune perish. I choose you.

চন্দ্রাম্ Chandram

lovely as the moon

প্রভাসাম্ Prabhasam

radiant

যশসা জ্বলন্তীম্ Yashasa Jvalantim

blazing with fame

শ্রিয়ম্ Shriyam

Shri, the goddess of prosperity

লোকে দেবজুষ্টাম্ Loke Devajushtam

cherished by the gods in the world

উদারাম্ Udaram

generous

পদ্মিনীম্ ঈম্ Padminim Im

her who holds the lotus

শরণম্ অহং প্রপদ্যে Sharanam Aham Prapadye

I take refuge

অলক্ষ্মীঃ মে নশ্যতাম্ Alakshmih Me Nashyatam

may my misfortune perish

ত্বাং বৃণে Tvam Vrine

I choose you

Alakshmi, "un-Lakshmi", is the opposite of Lakshmi: poverty, misfortune and everything that drives prosperity away.

O you who shine like the sun, from your tapas the bilva tree was born, lord of the forest and your own tree. May its fruits, by their sacred power, drive away the delusions within me and the misfortunes outside.

আদিত্যবর্ণে Adityavarne

O you who shine like the sun

তপসঃ অধিজাতঃ Tapasah Adhijatah

born from your tapas

বনস্পতিঃ Vanaspatih

lord of the forest

তব বৃক্ষঃ Tava Vrikshah

your tree

অথ বিল্বঃ Atha Bilvah

the bilva

তস্য ফলানি Tasya Phalani

its fruits

তপসা নুদন্তু Tapasa Nudantu

may they drive away by their power

মায়াঃ অন্তরাঃ Mayah Antarah

the delusions within

চ বাহ্যাঃ অলক্ষ্মীঃ Cha Bahyah Alakshmih

and misfortunes outside

The bilva (bael) tree is sacred to Lakshmi as well as to Shiva. This is why bilva leaves and fruit are offered in Lakshmi homa.

May the friend of the gods come to me, together with Kirti and the jewel. I am born in this land; may he grant me fame and prosperity.

উপৈতু মাম্ Upaitu Mam

may he come to me

দেবসখঃ Devasakhah

the friend of the gods (Kubera, as tradition explains)

কীর্তিঃ চ Kirtih Cha

and Kirti, fame

মণিনা সহ Manina Saha

with the jewel

প্রাদুর্ভূতঃ অস্মি Pradurbhutah Asmi

I am born

রাষ্ট্রে অস্মিন্ Rashtre Asmin

in this land

কীর্তিম্ ঋদ্ধিম্ Kirtim Riddhim

fame and prosperity

দদাতু মে Dadatu Me

may he grant me

Traditional commentators take "the friend of the gods" to be Kubera, the treasurer of the gods and friend of Shiva, and the jewel as the gem of wealth he carries. Kirti, fame, is honoured as a goddess.

I destroy Alakshmi, the elder sister, who is hunger, thirst and impurity. Drive out from my home all want and all poverty.

ক্ষুৎপিপাসামলাম্ Kshutpipasamalam

who is hunger, thirst and impurity

জ্যেষ্ঠাম্ Jyeshtham

the elder sister

অলক্ষ্মীম্ Alakshmim

Alakshmi, misfortune

নাশয়ামি অহম্ Nashayami Aham

I destroy

অভূতিম্ Abhutim

want, lack of wealth

অসমৃদ্ধিম্ Asamriddhim

poverty, failure to prosper

চ সর্বাম্ Cha Sarvam

and all of it

নির্ণুদ মে গৃহাৎ Nirnuda Me Grihat

drive out from my home

Tradition says Alakshmi (also called Jyeshtha) rose from the churning of the ocean before Lakshmi, which is why she is called the elder sister.

I invoke here Shri, who is known by her fragrance, whom none can overpower, who is ever abundant and rich in cattle and harvest, the sovereign of all beings.

গন্ধদ্বারাম্ Gandhadvaram

known by her fragrance

দুরাধর্ষাম্ Duradharsham

whom none can overpower

নিত্যপুষ্টাম্ Nityapushtam

ever abundant

করীষিণীম্ Karishinim

rich in cattle and harvest

ঈশ্বরীম্ Ishvarim

the sovereign

সর্বভূতানাম্ Sarvabhutanam

of all beings

তাম্ Tam

that one, her

ইহ উপহ্বয়ে Iha Upahvaye

I invoke here

শ্রিয়ম্ Shriyam

Shri, the goddess of prosperity

Karishini comes from karisha, cow dung, which in a farming home was itself a sign of many cattle and fertile fields. In the Taittiriya way of chanting, "ईश्वरीं" before "स" is sounded "ईश्वरीग्ं"; our sources print this with a special sign, and we write the plain anusvara.

May we gain the wishes of our mind, the intentions of our heart and truth in our speech. May the beauty of cattle and of food, prosperity and fame, come to dwell in me.

মনসঃ কামম্ Manasah Kamam

the wishes of the mind

আকূতিম্ Akutim

the heart's intention

বাচঃ সত্যম্ Vachah Satyam

truth in speech

অশীমহি Ashimahi

may we attain

পশূনাং রূপম্ Pashunam Rupam

the beauty of cattle

অন্নস্য Annasya

of food

ময়ি শ্রয়তাম্ Mayi Shrayatam

may it dwell in me

শ্রীঃ যশঃ Shrih Yashah

prosperity and fame

O Kardama, through you Lakshmi became a mother of children. Be present in me, Kardama, and make Shri, the mother who wears a lotus garland, dwell in my family.

কর্দমেন Kardamena

through Kardama

প্রজাভূতা Prajabhuta

she became a mother of children

ময়ি সম্ভব Mayi Sambhava

be present in me

কর্দম Kardama

O Kardama

শ্রিয়ম্ Shriyam

Shri, the goddess of prosperity

বাসয় মে কুলে Vasaya Me Kule

make her dwell in my family

মাতরম্ Mataram

the mother

পদ্মমালিনীম্ Padmamalinim

who wears a lotus garland

Kardama and Chiklita (next verse) are named in tradition as sons of Shri and as seers of this hymn, along with Ananda and Shrida. Kardama literally means moist earth, Chiklita moisture.

May the waters bring forth soft and nourishing things. O Chiklita, live in my home, and make the divine mother Shri dwell firmly in my family.

আপঃ সৃজন্তু Apah Srijantu

may the waters bring forth

স্নিগ্ধানি Snigdhani

soft, nourishing things

চিক্লীত Chiklita

O Chiklita

বস মে গৃহে Vasa Me Grihe

live in my home

নি চ Ni Cha

and firmly

দেবীং মাতরং শ্রিয়ম্ Devim Mataram Shriyam

the divine mother Shri

বাসয় মে কুলে Vasaya Me Kule

make her dwell in my family

O Jatavedas, bring to me Lakshmi, tender with grace, the lady of the lotus pond, nourishment itself, golden-hued and wearing a lotus garland, lovely as the moon and radiant as gold.

আর্দ্রাম্ Ardram

tender, moist with grace

পুষ্করিণীম্ Pushkarinim

of the lotus pond

পুষ্টিম্ Pushtim

nourishment itself

পিঙ্গলাম্ Pingalam

golden-hued

পদ্মমালিনীম্ Padmamalinim

wearing a lotus garland

চন্দ্রাম্ Chandram

lovely as the moon

হিরণ্ময়ীম্ Hiranmayim

golden, made of light

লক্ষ্মীম্ Lakshmim

Lakshmi

জাতবেদঃ Jatavedah

O Jatavedas (Agni, the fire who knows all)

মে Me

to me

আবহ Avaha

bring

Some recitations swap the second halves of the first lines of mantras 13 and 14 ("suvarnam hemamalinim" / "pingalam padmamalinim"). Both of our sources have the order shown here.

O Jatavedas, bring to me Lakshmi, tender with grace, who holds the staff of rule, beautiful in colour, wearing a garland of gold, radiant like the sun and golden.

আর্দ্রাম্ Ardram

tender, moist with grace

যঃ করিণীম্ যষ্টিম্ Yah Karinim Yashtim

who holds the staff of rule in her hand

সুবর্ণাম্ Suvarnam

of beautiful colour

হেমমালিনীম্ Hemamalinim

wearing a garland of gold

সূর্যাম্ Suryam

radiant like the sun

হিরণ্ময়ীম্ Hiranmayim

golden, made of light

লক্ষ্মীম্ Lakshmim

Lakshmi

জাতবেদঃ Jatavedah

O Jatavedas (Agni, the fire who knows all)

মে Me

to me

আবহ Avaha

bring

"यः करिणीं" is hard to read literally. Commentators explain it as "she who holds (the staff) in her hand", the yashti being a sceptre or staff of authority.

O Jatavedas, bring to me that Lakshmi who never goes away, through whose grace I may gain gold in plenty, cows, helpers in the house, horses and people around me.

তাম্ Tam

that one, her

মে Me

to me

আবহ Avaha

bring

জাতবেদঃ Jatavedah

O Jatavedas (Agni, the fire who knows all)

লক্ষ্মীম্ Lakshmim

Lakshmi

অনপগামিনীম্ Anapagaminim

who never goes away

যস্যাম্ Yasyam

through whom

হিরণ্যম্ Hiranyam

gold

প্রভূতম্ Prabhutam

in plenty

গাবঃ Gavah

cows

দাস্যঃ Dasyah

helpers in the house

অশ্বান্ Ashvan

horses

বিন্দেয়ম্ Vindeyam

may I gain

পুরুষান্ অহম্ Purushan Aham

I, people (family, helpers)

This is the fifteenth and last mantra of the hymn proper. It repeats mantra 2 with a longer list of blessings, closing the hymn where it began.