Maha Lakshmi`s Lilas

The Weight of Grace: A Moment of Divine Transformation

Rishi Amaranimaidas began his journey at the āśrama in 2017, but it feels like a lifetime ago. He can hardly recall when he first started serving Mahā-Lakṣmī, as if he has been devoted to Her forever:

“I’m not sure how many years I’ve been serving—maybe four? When I first got the call, I was surprised and thought, ‘Do I really need more sevā?’ But once I started, I felt excited. Thanks to Mahā-Lakṣmī grace, I’ve never felt burdened by serving, even when I was tired. That feels like a small miracle! Unlike other sevā, which sometimes needs a push, serving Her always feels joyful. I still look forward to it with a smile.”

A large part of the āśrama events is dedicated to Mahā-Lakṣmī, and the journey with Her can be summed up in one word: adventure!

“Behind the scenes, there’s often sweat, stress and last-minute prep. Dressing Her can be tricky, but it’s not hard—just requires creativity. Guruji once said that since Mahā-Lakṣmī is the goddess of wealth, She loves to shine in jewelry and ornaments. He wants Her to look grand! During a satsaṅga in Mauritius, Guruji even described Her as a diva who knows Her worth. One of my favorite names for Her means ‘the One who loves to live in palaces’—Om nrpa-vésma-gatanandayai Namah!”

For devotees, it’s natural to seek a deeper relationship with their Iṣṭadeva over time, often wondering what this connection truly means. For Rishi Amaranimaidas, the answer to this longing wasn’t surprising—but it came in a way he didn’t expect.

“One time I was doing the āratī when suddenly, a deep thought came to me: ‘You are my Queen.’ In that moment, She truly felt like my Queen! I started crying, which was a bit embarrassing because we were facing the crowd, but I couldn’t help it. I couldn’t even look at Her because She felt so alive! The more I looked at Her, the stronger my feelings became. In this relationship, She is definitely the Queen, and I am just a humble servant.”

Rishi Amaranimaidas also feels that Mahā-Lakṣmī enjoys having many servants around Her, and if you visit the temple in the evening, you will notice something interesting: every night, the whole team of four pūjārīs comes to prepare Her for sleep before Śayana-āratī!

But this is not the only aspect of the relationship between the two. During Śayana-āratī, Rishi Amaranimaidas feels a warm connection with Her, as if She were a mother baking cakes in a cozy kitchen. Yet, She is also demanding, like a Queen preparing her child to meet the King—expecting him to stand tall, clean, and sharp!

And when the child gets distracted, the King and Queen work together to help him focus. Rishi Amaranimaidas recalls a story from years ago during Navarātri:

“On the first day, we were outside, getting ready for the procession and waiting for Guruji to arrive. I wasn’t exactly in top shape back then, and carrying Mahā-Lakṣmī`s mūrti felt way heavier than I’d expected. After what felt like ages, Guruji arrived, and right away He noticed that Her crown had slipped. He pointed out that I was more focused on how tired I felt than on Her comfort.

“The crown was put into place and as we started moving, I kept thinking about what Guruji said and decided to put all my focus on Her. At first, nothing changed—She was still just as heavy—but then something amazing happened: suddenly, She started radiating this strong energy into my arms, and it was like She was almost weightless. I managed to finish the whole parikrama, all thanks to Her grace.”

In that moment, Rishi Amaranimaidas was reminded of the true power of selflessness in service. While the mind may view service as a task, the soul knows it as natural as breathing. A deep connection with the divine awakens the joy and purpose of serving others—and shows that in service, we are nourished far more than those we serve.

A Silent Blessing: When Guruji’s Gaze Met the Divine Mother

In 2012, Guruji told Rishi Aaradhakananda that Mahā-Lakṣmī was his iṣṭadeva. Though surprised at first, he instantly felt a special connection to Her. Eager to strengthen this bond, he got a mūrti of Mahā-Lakṣmī and started doing pūjā and abhiṣekam regularly. Before long, he began having experiences that deepened this connection even more:

“Once, when I was struggling, I prayed to Mahā-Lakṣmī for some kind of sign to show me She was with me. I repeated this prayer for two or three days. Then one night, I had a powerful dream. I saw deities, black statues of Viṭṭhala and Rukmiṇī. As I was looking at them, Rukmiṇī suddenly turned and looked me straight in the eyes as if She was giving me darśana. I woke up immediately, realizing this was the answer to my prayer.”

He’s had a few other dreams and experiences with Mahā-Lakṣmī, and even though he usually keeps them to himself so he doesn’t sound too ungrounded, he agreed to share one more with us:

“One of my most vivid experiences with Mahā-Lakṣmī happened in 2015, just as I was falling asleep. In that in-between state of being half-awake and half-asleep, I had a brief vision. It might sound unusual, but I saw countless autumn-colored leaves—reds, greens, and yellows—coming together to form the figure of Lakṣmī-Narasiṁha. Mahā-Lakṣmī was seated with Her legs crossed, with four arms, while Narasiṁha, shown simply as a lion without a crown or fierce expression, was behind Her.

“I haven’t told anyone this before, but it left a deep impression on me. Even after nearly ten years, I can still remember it clearly. The feeling was powerful—a mix of happiness and awe that felt almost overwhelming. At the time, I wasn’t asking for a vision or praying for anything specific. I don’t know if there was a lesson in it, but I believe it was a sign, a blessing, and a reminder that our Guru’s grace is always with us.

As Guruji once told Rishi Sambhava—and later me—’If the grace of God were to take form, it would be Mahā-Lakṣmī.’

Back in the early days of Shree Peetha Nilaya, at the old temple, Rishi Aaradhakananda served as a pūjārī every Thursday. Though he wasn’t assigned to serve Mahā-Lakṣmī, he had a strong desire to do so. After a few weeks, his wish was granted, and he was asked to care for Her when other pūjārīs were away. This happened several times, giving him the opportunity to serve Her personally. When the new temple opened in 2018, he was invited to join the pūjārī team, which felt like the fulfillment of his inner calling.

One sweet experience with Guruji and Mahā-Lakṣmī in the temple stands out in his memory:

“After āratī one evening, we were on the altar, changing Mahā-Lakṣmī’s clothes and preparing Her for the night. Guruji came in, as He often did, to check if the altar was perfectly clean. He even ran His finger over surfaces to check for dust. It looked like He was about to scold me, and He started to speak. But then, halfway through His sentence, Guruji’s gaze locked onto Mahā-Lakṣmī. He stopped speaking, His eyes softened, and He seemed to communicate silently with Her. I saw Guruji’s eyes get a little wet as He looked at Her, and He even smiled. He didn’t finish what He was saying to me and simply walked away. It felt like Ma had gently intervened, stopping Him. I could see His whole expression change the moment He connected with Her.”

For Rishi Aaradhakananda, Mahā-Lakṣmī is the sweetest of all. He believes that to grow closer to Her, it’s important to serve and surrender with a true heart. Guruji says, “pūjā builds relationship,” and Rishi Aaradhakananda feels this deeply. He believes that the bond created through pūjā is life-changing, and doing it with pure intention is the best way to serve Her. And She, in return, accepts this service done with love.

He feels grateful to serve Her, even when he’s tired, and the highlight of his day is putting Mahā-Lakṣmī to rest at night, taking a moment to appreciate Her and sit quietly in Her presence.

“To me, Mahā-Lakṣmī feels like a mother. Even though She is the queen—the queen of everything—I think of Her as a mother.”

Rishi Aaradhakananda emphasizes that worshiping Mahā-Lakṣmī should be about devotion, not asking for favors. It’s a love-based relationship focused on honoring Her, rather than seeking blessings:

“Understanding Mahā-Lakṣmī’s true position deepens my devotion. I don’t approach Her with a list of needs. Instead, I revere Her as a loving mother, and I feel a deep spiritual connection with Her. She provides not because I ask, but because of our natural bond. This selfless love is the essence of Her divine nature.”