23 - The dwelling places of Lakshmi

Narayana said - Indra was immensely pleased and accompanied with the gods and Bruhaspati, he went to the ocean of milk for getting back Lakshmi and he had worn the kavacha placing it in a small casket, round his neck and he started reciting the divine stotra again and again in his mind. 

Similarly, all the people present there offered prayers to Lakshmi with their minds filled with devotion and lowering their heads. 

Thereafter, hearing the prayer of the people, Lakshmi appeared before them who was seated on a thousand petalled lotus having the lustre of hundreds of moons. 

О sage, her lustre pervaded the entire universe. The mother of the universe then spoke to the gods, these words which were beneficial and appropriate besides being the essence of her

Mahalakshmi said - О son, I do not want to go to you your place. I am unable to go to your abode at the moment because I am afraid of looking at the people who are cursed by the Brahmanas who happen to be my life and are dearer to me than my sons. Therefore, I depend upon whatever is given to me by the Brahmanas. In case the Brahmanas pleasantly ask me to 10, only in that case can I go; otherwise they are mable to adore me even for a moment. 

On whomsoever misfortune appears it does so because of the move of destiny. He is thus cursed by his teachers, Brahmanas, gods and ascetics. 

Though lord Narayana happens to be the cause of all the causes, the lord of all and is everlasting yet even he feels panicky because of the curse of the Brahmanas. 

O Brahman, at that point of time a group of delightful Brahmanas arrived there, who were shining with divine lustre and wearing a serene smile on the faces. 

They included Angira, Praceta, Kratu, Bhrugu, Pulaha, Pulastya, Marichi, Atri, Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana, Sanatkumara, Kapila the form of Narayana, Asuri, Vodhu, Panchashikha, Durvasa, Kashyapa, Agastya, Gautama, Kanva, Aurva, Katyayana, Kanada, Panini, Markandeya, Lomasa and Vasistha. 

Thereafter all the Brahmanas adored goddess Lakshmi offering many presents. The gods in return offered presents and naivedya with devotion. The sages adored her with devotion and delightfully said, "O mother of the universe, you kindly be graceful to visit the houses of the gods and the humans." On hearing the words of the sages, Lakshmi the mother of the universe with the permission of the Brahmanas thought of coming on earth and said to Brahmanas. 

Mahalakshmi said - О Brahmanas I am going to the abode of gods with your permission, but I am going to tell you the details about the people whom I shall not visit in the land of Bharata. You please listen to me. 

I shall firmly reside in the houses of the meritorious people and those who move on the noble path and whether they are kings or householders. Living with them, I shall take care of them like a mother. 

But I shall not go to the places of the people with whom the teachers, the gods, the parents, the brothers, the guests and the manes, are not happy. 

Those who always speak falsehood, the one who does not study, is untruthful and is of wicked nature, I shall never visit the houses of such people.

Those who are not truthful, betray the trust, give false evidence, are betrayers of the faith and are ungrateful, I do not visit the places of such people. 

Those who are extremely worried, panicky, surrounded by the enemies, extremely beautiful, debtors, extremely miserly. I do not visit the houses of such sinners. 

Those who are devoid of diksha, grief-stricken, foolish, defeated by woman, husbands or sons of wicked persons, I do not visit the houses of such people. Those who eat a food of the wicked woman, those who eat the food of a widow, having no son or husband, the one who eats the food of a Sudra and the one who performed yajna of a Sudra, I do not visit the houses of such people. 

 The one who speaks harsh words, is quarrelsome and the house in which Kali always resides, the one which is dominated by a lady, I never visit such houses. 

The places were there is no adoration of gods and no recitation of his name and no prayers are offered to the lord, I do not visit such houses. 

Those who sell away their daughters, food, Vedas, are killers of human beings, terrorists and such of the houses which are like hell, are never visited by me. О sages, the one who does not maintain properly his parents, teachers, daughter of the teachers and orphan sister or daughter or the relatives who are without any protection because of miserliness and is always engaged in collecting of wealth, such a house is never to be visited by me. Such of the people as have dirty teeth and clothes, dry heads, the one whose mouth get deformed at the time of speaking or laughing, I do not visit the place of such people. 

Such foolish people who live near the droppings of refuse and urine, the one who sleeps with wet feet, I do not visit the abodes of such people. 

 The one who sleeps without washing the feet or sleeps getting unrobed or the one who sleeps during the day time or the evening, I do not visit the houses of such people. The one who first applies oil on the head and then on the entire body, I do not visit the place of such people. 

Those who after applying oil on the body, drop refuse or ease themselves or bow in reverence or picks up flowers, I do not visit the houses of such people.

The one who breaks the straw with nails and digs the earth with his nails, the one whose body and the feet always remain dirty, I do not visit the house of such people. 

The one who being all knowledgeable, usurps the property of others, the houses of such people are never visited by me. Such of the foolish persons who are wicked and perform sacrifice without offering dakshina, they are deprived of all the merits and I do not visit the houses of such sinful people. 

The one who lives on the application of the knowledge of mantra, the one who performs yajna from village to village, is the vaidyas, the store-keepers and temple priests, I never visit the houses of such people. 

The one who destroys some religious ceremony including the performing of marriage in anger or the one who indulges in love-sport during the day time, I do not visit the places of such people. 

О Narada, thus speaking Mahalakshmi disappeared from the scene and started gazing at the houses of the gods and the humans. 

All the gods, sages then bowed in reverence to her delightfully and went back to their respective abodes which had been relieved of the enemies and were filled with friends. О sage, the gods got back their kingdoms and the everlasting Lakshmi. The drums were beaten in heaven and flowers were rained. 

О son, thus I have narrated to you the noble story of goddess Lakshmi who bestows all the pleasures and salvation and is the essence of all. What else do you want to listen to from me?