Śrī Sūktam is a Vedic hymn dedicated to Bhagavatī Mahālakṣmī. It is preserved in the Ṛgvedic Khilāni tradition and is widely recited in Lakṣmī Pūjā, Śrī Sūkta Homa, Abhiṣeka and Śrī Vidyā worship.

Mantra 1 — Invocation of Mahālakṣmī

Sanskrit with Vedic Svara

ॐ हिर॑ण्यवर्णां॒ हरि॑णीं सु॒वर्ण॑रज॒तस्र॑जाम् । च॒न्द्रां हि॒रण्म॑यीं ल॒क्ष्मीं जात॑वेदो म॒ आव॑ह ॥ १ ॥

English Transliteration

Oṃ hiraṇyavarṇāṃ hariṇīṃ suvarṇarajatasrajām |

Candrāṃ hiraṇmayīṃ lakṣmīṃ jātavedo ma āvaha || 1 ||

English Translation

O Jātavedas (Agni, the divine fire who knows all beings), please bring Goddess Lakṣmī into my life. She has a golden complexion, a graceful and radiant nature, and is adorned with garlands of gold and silver. She shines like the Moon and possesses the brilliance of gold. O Agni, invoke that divine Mahālakṣmī for me.

Mantra 2 — Wealth That Remains

Sanskrit with Vedic Svara

तां म॒ आव॑ह॒ जात॑वेदो ल॒क्ष्मीमन॑पगा॒मिनी᳚म् । यस्यां॒ हिर॑ण्यं वि॒न्देयं॒ गामश्वं॒ पुरु॑षान॒हम् ॥ २ ॥

English Transliteration

Tāṃ ma āvaha jātavedo lakṣmīm anapagāminīm |

Yasyāṃ hiraṇyaṃ vindeyaṃ gām aśvaṃ puruṣān aham || 2 ||

English Translation

O Jātavedas, bring to me that form of Lakṣmī who never leaves. Through her presence, may I obtain gold, cattle, horses and people who contribute to the prosperity of my household.

The prayer is not only for obtaining wealth but also for its stability and continuity.

Mantra 3 — Royal Prosperity and Recognition

Sanskrit with Vedic Svara

अ॒श्व॒पू॒र्वां र॑थम॒ध्यां ह॒स्तिना᳚दप्र॒बोधि॑नीम् । श्रियं॑ दे॒वीमुप॑ह्वये॒ श्रीर्मा᳚ दे॒वीर्जु॑षताम् ॥ ३ ॥

English Transliteration

Aśvapūrvāṃ rathamadhyāṃ hastinādaprabodhinīm |

Śriyaṃ devīm upahvaye śrīr mā devīr juṣatām || 3 ||

English Translation

I invoke Goddess Śrī, who is preceded by horses, seated in the midst of chariots and awakened by the trumpeting of elephants. May that divine Goddess Śrī be pleased with me and bestow her favour upon me.

Horses, chariots and elephants represent the visible signs of royal prosperity, strength and social position in Vedic society.

Mantra 4 — Prosperity That Nourishes Others

Sanskrit with Vedic Svara

कां॒ सो॒स्मि॒तां हिर॑ण्यप्रा॒कारा॑मा॒र्द्रां ज्वल॑न्तीं तृ॒प्तां त॒र्पय॑न्तीम् । प॒द्मे॒ स्थि॒तां प॒द्मव॑र्णां॒ तामि॒होप॑ह्वये॒ श्रिय॑म् ॥ ४ ॥

English Transliteration

Kāṃ sosmitāṃ hiraṇyaprākārām ārdrāṃ jvalantīṃ tṛptāṃ tarpayantīm |

Padme sthitāṃ padmavarṇāṃ tām ihopahvaye śriyam || 4 ||

English Translation

I invoke Goddess Śrī, who is gracious and smiling, surrounded by golden splendour, tender in nature and radiant with divine brilliance. She is fully satisfied within herself and nourishes others. She sits upon a lotus and has the beautiful appearance of a lotus.

May that Goddess Śrī come and dwell here.

Mantra 5 — Seeking Refuge in Lakṣmī

Sanskrit with Vedic Svara

च॒न्द्रां प्र॑भा॒सां य॒शसा॒ ज्वल॑न्तीं॒ श्रियं॑ लो॒के दे॒वजु॑ष्टामुदा॒राम् । तां प॒द्मिनी॑मीं॒ शर॑णम॒हं प्रप॑द्येऽल॒क्ष्मीर्मे॑ नश्यतां॒ त्वां वृ॑णे ॥ ५ ॥

English Transliteration

Candrāṃ prabhāsāṃ yaśasā jvalantīṃ śriyaṃ loke devajuṣṭām udārām |

Tāṃ padminīm īṃ śaraṇam ahaṃ prapadye ‘lakṣmīr me naśyatāṃ tvāṃ vṛṇe || 5 ||

English Translation

I seek refuge in Goddess Śrī, who is luminous like the Moon, shines with fame and glory, is honoured by the gods and is generous by nature.

I surrender to that lotus-bearing Goddess. May all forms of Alakṣmī, or misfortune, disappear from my life. I choose you, O Mahālakṣmī, as my refuge.

Mantra 6 — Bilva Tree, Tapas and Removal of Misfortune

Sanskrit with Vedic Svara

आ॒दि॒त्यव॑र्णे॒ तप॒सोऽधि॑जा॒तो वन॒स्पति॒स्तव॑ वृ॒क्षोऽथ बि॒ल्वः । तस्य॒ फला᳚नि॒ तप॒सा नु॑दन्तु मा॒यान्त॑रा॒याश्च॑ बा॒ह्या अ॑ल॒क्ष्मीः ॥ ६ ॥

English Transliteration

Ādityavarṇe tapaso ‘dhijāto vanaspatis tava vṛkṣo ‘tha bilvaḥ |

Tasya phalāni tapasā nudantu māyāntarā yāś ca bāhyā alakṣmīḥ || 6 ||

English Translation

O Goddess, whose radiance is like the Sun, the sacred Bilva tree has arisen through the power of tapas and belongs to you.

May the fruits of this sacred tree, through the strength of tapas, remove all obstacles, poverty and misfortune, both internal and external, from my life.

Mantra 7 — Fame, Wealth and Social Standing

Sanskrit with Vedic Svara

उपै॑तु॒ मां दे॑वस॒खः की॒र्तिश्च॒ मणि॑ना स॒ह । प्रा॒दु॒र्भू॒तोऽस्मि॑ राष्ट्रे॒ऽस्मिन् की॒र्तिमृ॑द्धिं द॒दातु॑ मे ॥ ७ ॥

English Transliteration

Upaitu māṃ devasakhaḥ kīrtiś ca maṇinā saha |

Prādurbhūto ‘smi rāṣṭre ‘smin kīrtim ṛddhiṃ dadātu me || 7 ||

English Translation

May the friend of the gods, traditionally understood as Kubera, approach me together with fame and precious wealth.

I have taken birth in this country. May I receive a good reputation, recognition, prosperity and material abundance in the society where I live.

Mantra 8 — Destruction of Hunger, Poverty and Alakṣmī

Sanskrit with Vedic Svara

क्षुत्पि॑पा॒साम॑लां ज्ये॒ष्ठामल॒क्ष्मीं ना॑शया॒म्यहम् । अभू॑ति॒मस॑मृद्धिं॒ च सर्वां॒ निर्णु॑द मे॒ गृहा᳚त् ॥ ८ ॥

English Transliteration

Kṣutpipāsāmalāṃ jyeṣṭhām alakṣmīṃ nāśayāmy aham |

Abhūtim asamṛddhiṃ ca sarvāṃ nirṇuda me gṛhāt || 8 ||

English Translation

I seek to destroy Alakṣmī, the elder manifestation of misfortune, who is associated with the suffering of hunger, thirst and deprivation.

O Goddess, please drive away every form of poverty, lack of prosperity and deprivation from my home.

Mantra 9 — Lakṣmī as the Nourisher of All Beings

Sanskrit with Vedic Svara

ग॒न्ध॒द्वा॒रां दु॑राध॒र्षां॒ नि॒त्यपु॑ष्टां करी॒षिणी᳚म् । ई॒श्वरीं॑ सर्व॑भूता॒नां॒ तामि॒होप॑ह्वये॒ श्रिय॑म् ॥ ९ ॥

English Transliteration

Gandhadvārāṃ durādharṣāṃ nityapuṣṭāṃ karīṣiṇīm |

Īśvarīṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ tām ihopahvaye śriyam || 9 ||

English Translation

I invoke Goddess Śrī, whose presence is known through fragrance, who cannot be overcome, who is eternally nourished and who is associated with the fertility and productivity of the earth.

She is the sovereign Goddess of all living beings. May that divine Śrī come and dwell here.

Mantra 10 — Fulfilment of Desires and Truthful Speech

Sanskrit with Vedic Svara

मन॑सः॒ काम॒माकू॑तिं वा॒चः स॒त्यम॑शीमहि । प॒शू॒नां रूप॑मन्न॒स्य मयि॒ श्रीः श्र॑यतां॒ यशः॑ ॥ १० ॥

English Transliteration

Manasaḥ kāmam ākūtiṃ vācaḥ satyam aśīmahi |

Paśūnāṃ rūpam annasya mayi śrīḥ śrayatāṃ yaśaḥ || 10 ||

English Translation

May we attain the fulfilment of our mind’s desires and intentions. May our speech be truthful and effective.

May we enjoy the abundance of cattle, food and material resources. May Goddess Śrī and a good reputation find a permanent place in my life.

Mantra 11 — Establishing Lakṣmī in the Family

Sanskrit with Vedic Svara

कर्द॑मे॒न प्र॑जाभू॒ता म॒यि सं॑भव॒ कर्द॑म । श्रियं॑ वा॒सय॑ मे कु॒ले मा॒तरं॑ पद्म॒मालि॑नीम् ॥ ११ ॥

English Transliteration

Kardamena prajābhūtā mayi sambhava kardama |

Śriyaṃ vāsaya me kule mātaraṃ padmamālinīm || 11 ||

English Translation

O Kardama, through whom prosperity and living creation are associated with fertility and abundance, please manifest in my life.

May you establish Goddess Śrī, the divine Mother adorned with a garland of lotuses, permanently within my family and lineage.

Mantra 12 — Water, Nourishment and Household Prosperity

Sanskrit with Vedic Svara

आपः॑ सृ॒जन्तु॑ स्नि॒ग्धा॒नि चिक्ली॑त॒ वस॑ मे गृ॒हे । नि च॑ दे॒वीं मा॒तरं॒ श्रियं॑ वा॒सय॑ मे कु॒ले ॥ १२ ॥

English Transliteration

Āpaḥ sṛjantu snigdhāni ciklīta vasa me gṛhe |

Ni ca devīṃ mātaraṃ śriyaṃ vāsaya me kule || 12 ||

English Translation

May the waters produce all things that bring moisture, nourishment and well-being.

O Ciklīta, please dwell in my home and establish your divine Mother, Goddess Śrī, within my family.

May my household be blessed with nourishment, harmony and continuing prosperity.

Mantra 13 — Moon-like Lakṣmī and the Power of Nourishment

Sanskrit with Vedic Svara

आ॒र्द्रां पु॒ष्करि॑णीं पु॒ष्टिं॒ पि॒ङ्ग॒लां प॑द्ममा॒लिनीम् । च॒न्द्रां हि॒रण्म॑यीं ल॒क्ष्मीं जात॑वेदो म॒ आव॑ह ॥ १३ ॥

English Transliteration

Ārdrāṃ puṣkariṇīṃ puṣṭiṃ piṅgalāṃ padmamālinīm |

Candrāṃ hiraṇmayīṃ lakṣmīṃ jātavedo ma āvaha || 13 ||

English Translation

O Jātavedas, please bring to me Goddess Lakṣmī, who is tender and nourishing like the waters of a lotus pond.

She is nourishment itself, golden-brown in complexion, adorned with a garland of lotuses, soothing like the Moon and radiant with golden brilliance.

May that divine Mahālakṣmī come into my life.

Mantra 14 — Sun-like Lakṣmī and the Power of Support

Sanskrit with Vedic Svara

आ॒र्द्रां यः॒ करि॑णीं य॒ष्टिं॒ सु॒व॒र्णां हे॑ममा॒लिनीम् । सू॒र्यां हि॒रण्म॑यीं ल॒क्ष्मीं॒ जात॑वेदो म॒ आवह ॥ १४ ॥

English Transliteration

Ārdrāṃ yaḥ kariṇīṃ yaṣṭiṃ suvarṇāṃ hemamālinīm |

Sūryāṃ hiraṇmayīṃ lakṣmīṃ jātavedo ma āvaha || 14 ||

English Translation

O Jātavedas, please bring to me Goddess Lakṣmī, who is gentle and compassionate yet possesses strength and the power to support and sustain.

She is associated with the strength of the elephant and the symbolism of the supporting staff. She is golden in appearance, adorned with golden garlands and radiant like the Sun.

May that brilliant, golden Mahālakṣmī come into my life.

Textual note: Mantras 13 and 14 follow the reading found in the accented Stotra Sangraha edition and in several widely circulated Ṛgvedic Śrī Sūkta texts. Other recitation collections give a different arrangement of the lunar and solar descriptions. The expression “yaḥ kariṇīṃ yaṣṭim” also receives different explanations in commentarial traditions.

Mantra 15 — Complete and Lasting Prosperity

Sanskrit with Vedic Svara

तां म॒ आव॑ह॒ जात॑वेदो ल॒क्ष्मीमन॑पगा॒मिनी᳚म् । यस्यां॒ हि॑रण्यं॒ प्रभू॑तं॒ गावो॑ दा॒स्योऽश्वा᳚न्वि॒न्देयं॒ पुरु॑षान॒हम् ॥ १५ ॥

English Transliteration

Tāṃ ma āvaha jātavedo lakṣmīm anapagāminīm |

Yasyāṃ hiraṇyaṃ prabhūtaṃ gāvo dāsyo ‘śvān vindeyaṃ puruṣān aham || 15 ||

English Translation

O Jātavedas, please bring into my life that Goddess Lakṣmī who does not depart.

Through her divine presence, may I obtain abundant gold, cattle, horses, attendants and people who contribute to the prosperity and well-being of my household.

May I enjoy lasting material abundance through the stable presence of Goddess Mahālakṣmī.

Traditional Recitation Instruction — Commonly Numbered as Mantra 16

This verse is commonly recited after the 15 principal mantras. It explains the practice of Śrī Sūktam rather than describing another form of the Goddess.

Sanskrit with Vedic Svara

यः शुचिः॒ प्रय॑तो भू॒त्वा जु॒हुया᳚दाज्य॒मन्व॑हम् । श्रियः॑ प॒ञ्चद॑शर्चं॒ च श्री॒कामः॑ सत॒तं ज॑पेत् ॥ १६ ॥

English Transliteration

Yaḥ śuciḥ prayato bhūtvā juhuyād ājyam anvaham |

Śriyaḥ pañcadaśarcaṃ ca śrīkāmaḥ satataṃ japet || 16 ||

English Translation

A person who desires the blessings of Śrī should maintain purity of body and mind, offer ghee in the sacred fire daily and regularly recite the fifteen mantras dedicated to Goddess Śrī.

Some editions read “sūktaṃ pañcadaśarcaṃ ca” in the second line. Both readings appear in published recitation collections.

Important Notes for Vedic Study

The 15 principal mantras present different dimensions of Śrī: radiance, stable prosperity, royal resources, satisfaction, protection from misfortune, fertility, food, truthful speech, family continuity and abundance.

The hymn contains a particularly important distinction between Śrī and Alakṣmī. Śrī represents prosperity and auspicious well-being, while Alakṣmī represents deprivation and misfortune. The hymn therefore prays both for the arrival of prosperity and the removal of conditions that obstruct it. The traditional extended Śrī Sūktam also contains additional verses beginning with Padmānane Padmaūrū, prayers such as Aśvadāyī Godāyī, the Mahālakṣmī Gāyatrī and other concluding verses. Their inclusion and order vary across recitation traditions. They should not automatically be treated as part of the same 15-mantra core.