Friday Lakshmi Puja: Shukravar Vrat, Lakshmi Mantra and Rituals

Quick answer: Friday is Shukravara, the day of Shukra (Venus), and across India it is the weekly day of Goddess Lakshmi and of the Devi in her many forms. Families clean the home, draw rangoli or kolam at the door, light a ghee lamp at dusk, offer white or red flowers, kumkum, and kheer or another white sweet, and chant Om Shreem Mahalakshmyai Namah. Many women keep a Friday vrat, for Lakshmi, for Santoshi Mata or as the Vaibhav Lakshmi vow.

Last updated: 10 October 2026. Friday is part of our seven-day guide to the Hindu week, where you can compare the deities, colours and offerings of every day.

Living abroad? Our separate Friday rituals NRI guide (also available in Hindi and Telugu) focuses on keeping Friday around work and school. This page goes deeper into the deities, the full puja, mantras, vrats, temples and regional customs.

Lakshmi, the Devi and Shukra: who is worshipped on Friday

Shukra, the graha of the day

Shukra, also called Bhargava because he descends from the sage Bhrigu, is in Puranic tradition the guru of the asuras, just as Brihaspati is guru of the devas. He is remembered as a great scholar and is credited in the stories with the knowledge of reviving the dead. In Jyotisha he is associated with beauty, music and the arts, marriage and partnership, comfort and refinement. White is his colour, and the diamond his traditional gem.

His verse in Vyasa's Navagraha Stotram reads:

हिमकुन्दमृणालाभं दैत्यानां परमं गुरुम् ।
सर्वशास्त्रप्रवक्तारं भार्गवं प्रणमाम्यहम् ॥ ६॥

himakundamṛṇālābhaṃ daityānāṃ paramaṃ gurum |
sarvaśāstrapravaktāraṃ bhārgavaṃ praṇamāmyaham || 6||

Meaning: I bow to Bhargava, white like snow, the kunda jasmine and the lotus stalk, the supreme teacher of the daityas, expounder of all the shastras.

Astrology is a matter of belief, and you can keep Friday as a Lakshmi day without any astrological view at all. If you are curious about the nine grahas, see our Navagraha explainer.

Lakshmi, goddess of prosperity

Lakshmi, also called Shri, is the goddess of prosperity, good fortune, beauty and auspiciousness, and the consort of Vishnu. She is shown seated or standing on a lotus, often with elephants pouring water over her, and gold coins flowing from her hand. In Hindu thought she is more than money: she is the grace that makes a home harmonious, food plentiful and work fruitful. The link with Friday comes through Shukra's associations with comfort and well-being. Visit our Goddess Lakshmi page for her forms and stories.

Durga, Amman and the Devi in many forms

Friday is also, more broadly, the Devi's day. In Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Friday crowds fill Amman and Bhagavati temples; in Bengal and the north, many families worship Durga on Fridays; across the south, Parvati as Kamakshi, Meenakshi or Lalita is honoured. Our Goddess Durga page and the Lalita Sahasranama guide are good starting points for Devi worship on Fridays.

The eight forms of Lakshmi

Many South Indian families think of Lakshmi through her eight forms, the Ashtalakshmi, each linked with one kind of blessing. Lists differ slightly between traditions, but a common one is:

The list is a reminder that the tradition sees prosperity broadly: food on the table, courage, learning and family are all Lakshmi's gifts, not only money. Some families meditate on one form each Friday over eight weeks.

A ten-minute Friday for working families

If the full puja below is not possible on a weekday, a short routine still keeps the day. Tidy the entrance and light a lamp as soon as you are home. Offer one flower and a spoonful of sugar or a piece of fruit. Chant Om Shreem Mahalakshmyai Namah 11 times and read one verse of the Mahalakshmi Ashtakam with its meaning. End by sharing the sweet with whoever is at home. Done every week, this small ritual often means more to a family than an elaborate puja done once a year.

Santoshi Mata

Santoshi Mata, the goddess of contentment, is a relatively recent and much loved figure in North and West Indian devotion, regarded in popular tradition as a daughter of Ganesha. Her Friday vrat spread widely after the 1975 Hindi film Jai Santoshi Maa. Read more on our Santoshi Mata page.

Friday Lakshmi puja at home, step by step

Friday worship often has two parts: preparing the home during the day, and a lamp puja at dusk. The whole puja takes 20 to 30 minutes.

1. Clean and decorate. Sweep and wipe the entrance, draw a rangoli or kolam, and place fresh flowers at the doorway. In Telugu and Kannada homes, women often apply turmeric and kumkum to the threshold.
2. Prepare the altar. Place a picture or murti of Lakshmi (or Lakshmi-Narayana) on a red or white cloth. Some families also place a kalash, a few coins or a Shri Yantra.
3. Bathe and dress. Wear clean clothes; white, pink or red are popular Friday colours.
4. Sankalpa. Holding water and akshata, state that you are worshipping Mahalakshmi on this Friday for the well-being of your family.
5. Lamp. Light a ghee lamp, ideally with two wicks, and incense. Many families light an additional lamp at the main door at dusk.
6. Kumkum and flowers. Offer kumkum and turmeric, then lotus, white jasmine, red roses or any fresh flowers. Some families offer kumkum while chanting the 108 names (Lakshmi Ashtottaram).
7. Naivedya. Offer rice kheer or payasam, sugar candy, a white sweet, fruit, or jaggery and roasted chana for Santoshi Mata.
8. Chant and read. Recite the mantras below, or a Lakshmi stotra your family knows.
9. Aarti. Wave the lamp while singing Om Jai Lakshmi Mata or your family aarti.
10. Share. Distribute prasad, and if you can, give food, clothes or a small sum to someone in need.

Friday offerings at a glance

Verified Lakshmi and Devi mantras with meaning

The texts below are reproduced directly from our checked source files (sanskritdocuments.org editions). They are not copied from other web pages.

1. Lakshmi mantra

ॐ श्रीं महालक्ष्म्यै नमः॥

oṃ śrīṃ mahālakṣmyai namaḥ||

Meaning: Om, salutations to Mahalakshmi. "Shreem" is the seed syllable traditionally associated with Lakshmi. Chant it 108 times with a mala, or 11 times if you are short of time.

2. Mahalakshmi Ashtakam, selected verses

This eight-verse hymn is traditionally attributed to Indra and is associated with the Padma Purana tradition. It opens with "Indra said":

इन्द्र उवाच ।

indra uvāca |

नमस्तेऽस्तु महामाये श्रीपीठे सुरपूजिते ।
शङ्खचक्रगदाहस्ते महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ १॥

namaste'stu mahāmāye śrīpīṭhe surapūjite |
śaṅkhacakragadāhaste mahālakṣmi namo'stu te || 1||

Meaning: Salutations to you, great Maya, seated on the auspicious throne and worshipped by the gods, holding the conch, discus and mace in your hands; O Mahalakshmi, salutations to you.

सिद्धिबुद्धिप्रदे देवि भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायिनि ।
मन्त्रमूर्ते सदा देवि महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ ४॥

siddhibuddhiprade devi bhuktimuktipradāyini |
mantramūrte sadā devi mahālakṣmi namo'stu te || 4||

Meaning: O Devi, giver of success and understanding, bestower of worldly fulfilment and of liberation, embodiment of mantra; O Mahalakshmi, salutations to you always.

पद्मासनस्थिते देवि परब्रह्मस्वरूपिणि ।
परमेशि जगन्माता महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ ७॥

padmāsanasthite devi parabrahmasvarūpiṇi |
parameśi jaganmātā mahālakṣmi namo'stu te || 7||

Meaning: O Devi seated on the lotus, whose very nature is the supreme Brahman, supreme goddess, mother of the world; O Mahalakshmi, salutations to you.

All eight verses with the closing verses are on our Mahalakshmi Ashtakam page.

3. Lakshmi Chalisa, opening (Hindi)

मातु लक्ष्मी करि कृपा करो हृदय में वास ।
मनो कामना सिद्ध कर पुरवहु मेरी आस ॥

mātu lakṣmī kari kṛpā karo hṛdaya meṃ vāsa |
mano kāmanā siddha kara puravahu merī āsa ||

सिन्धु सुता मैं सुमिरौं तोही । ज्ञान बुद्धि विद्या दो मोहि ॥

sindhu sutā maiṃ sumirauṃ tohī | jñāna buddhi vidyā do mohi ||

Meaning: Mother Lakshmi, be gracious and make your home in my heart; fulfil my heart's wishes and my hopes. Daughter of the ocean, I remember you; grant me knowledge, understanding and learning.

The full Chalisa and the Om Jai Lakshmi Mata aarti are on our Lakshmi Chalisa page.

4. Durga mantra for Devi worship

ॐ दुं दुर्गायै नमः॥

oṃ duṃ durgāyai namaḥ||

Meaning: Om, salutations to Durga. "Dum" is the seed syllable associated with Durga. Families who keep Friday for the Devi rather than Lakshmi often use this mantra.

5. Shukra verse

The Navagraha verse quoted earlier can be added once or three times if you also wish to honour the graha of the day.

Longer hymns to explore

Several popular Friday hymns do not yet have a verified text on this page, so we link to our dedicated guides rather than reproducing them: the Sri Suktam from the Rig Vedic appendix, the Kanakadhara Stotram of Adi Shankaracharya, and the Durga Chalisa sung in many North Indian homes.

Friday vrats: Shukravar, Santoshi Mata and Vaibhav Lakshmi

Several different vows are kept on Fridays. Choose the one your family follows, or simply worship without a formal vow.

Each vrat has its own katha, and versions differ by booklet and region. HinduTone's Shukravar vrat katha gives one telling, and our Friday fasting guide covers fasting practice in more detail.

Food customs and alternatives

• Lakshmi vrat: one main meal, often of rice, milk and white sweets. Alternative: two light vegetarian meals.
• Santoshi Mata vrat: no sour food such as tamarind, lemon, curd or pickles for the observer and often the household. Alternative: if a family member needs these foods for health reasons, the observer alone can follow the rule.
• General: no non-vegetarian food, onion or garlic in many homes. Alternative: avoid only non-vegetarian food.
• Giving: white rice, milk or sweets to others, or feeding children at the udyapan.

Fasting and your health: a Friday vow should feel steadying, not draining. Anyone with diabetes, anaemia, low blood pressure, a medical condition, or who is pregnant, breastfeeding or elderly should take medical advice before skipping meals, and may keep the vow through worship and charity instead. Do not put children on a fast. Keep water close at hand all day.

Friday do's and don'ts

These are household customs, widely shared but not universal. None should cause worry if circumstances prevent you from following them.

Worth doing

• Keep the home, and especially the entrance and kitchen, clean and bright before dusk.
• Light a lamp at the door at dusk; in popular belief Lakshmi enters homes that are clean and lit.
• Speak respectfully to the women of the household; many families see this as the truest Lakshmi puja.
• Give generously within your means. Lakshmi is honoured by circulation, not hoarding.
• Wear something clean and bright, and offer fresh flowers.

Usually avoided

• Quarrels and harsh words at home on Friday evening.
• Sour food, for those keeping the Santoshi Mata vrat.
• Leaving the house dark and untidy at dusk.
• Lending money or giving away salt on Friday, in some households. Others see no issue; follow family custom.

Common mistakes

• Treating Lakshmi puja as a transaction. The tradition speaks of gratitude and right conduct, not payment for profit. No mantra or vrat guarantees wealth.
• Buying a costly yantra under pressure. A clean altar and a lamp are enough.
• Mixing up the Santoshi Mata rules with every Friday. The no-sour-food rule belongs to that vrat; it is not a general Friday rule.
• Using an unverified mantra text. Many forwarded versions of Lakshmi mantras contain errors. Use a checked source.

Lakshmi and Devi temples for a Friday visit

Every temple below has a HinduTone page whose facts have been checked against official or published sources. Check the official website for current timings, as Friday crowds can be heavy.

• Mahalakshmi (Ambabai) Temple, Kolhapur: the goddess as Mahalakshmi and Ambabai, counted among the 'three and a half' Shakti Peethas of Maharashtra.
• Ashtalakshmi Temple, Besant Nagar, Chennai: on the seashore near Elliot's Beach, with Mahalakshmi and her eight forms.
• Bhagyalakshmi Temple, Charminar, Hyderabad: a small shrine at the foot of the Charminar in the Old City.
• Sri Lakshmi Narayani Golden Temple, Sripuram: a modern temple near Vellore whose main shrine is covered in gold.
• Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, Madurai: the twin temple of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar at the heart of Madurai.
• Vaishno Devi: the cave shrine in the Trikuta hills, where the goddess is worshipped as three rock Pindis representing Maha Kali, Maha Lakshmi and Maha Saraswati.
• Kamakhya Temple, Guwahati: one of India's great centres of Shakti worship on the Nilachal Hills.

Finding a Devi shrine abroad

Most Hindu temples outside India have a Lakshmi, Durga or Amman shrine, and many hold Friday evening Lalita Sahasranama recitations or Devi abhishekam. Check your local temple's calendar, ask at community associations, or join an online group recitation. A lamp at home is just as valid as a temple visit.

Friday with children and the family

• Rangoli or kolam. Children love drawing a small design at the door before dusk. Use rice flour or chalk.
• The lamp-lighter. Let a child light (with supervision) or carry the Friday lamp to the door.
• A giving jar. Keep a jar where children drop a coin each Friday, and decide together where to give it at the end of the month. It teaches that Lakshmi is about sharing.
• Story time. Tell the story of Lakshmi rising from the churning of the ocean, in your own words.
• One line, one meaning. Teach the first Mahalakshmi Ashtakam verse slowly over a month.

Regional Friday traditions

• Tamil Nadu: Velli kizhamai (Friday) is a day for kolam, lamps and Amman temples; many women take a head bath and light the lamp at dusk.
• Andhra Pradesh and Telangana: Shukravaram Lakshmi puja, turmeric on the threshold, and the annual Varalakshmi Vratam; Fridays of the Ashada month are also kept for the goddess, as described in our Ashada Sukravaralu guide.
• Karnataka: Varamahalakshmi on the Friday before the Shravana full moon, and Devi temple visits on Fridays.
• Maharashtra: Ambabai worship at Kolhapur and, in Margashirsha, Friday Lakshmi puja alongside the Thursday vrat; see our Margashirsha Friday Lakshmi puja guide.
• Gujarat and Rajasthan: the Vaibhav Lakshmi and Santoshi Mata vrats are widely kept.
• North India: Santoshi Mata vrat, Durga worship and Friday visits to Devi temples.
• Business communities: a short Lakshmi puja at the shop or office; our Lakshmi puja for business owners explains how.
• Bengal: weekly Lakshmi puja is usually on Thursday rather than Friday; see our Thursday guide.

Friday and the great Devi festivals

Friday's weekly worship connects to the year's great goddess festivals. Varalakshmi Vratam falls on a Friday in Shravana, and our Varalakshmi Vratham at home guide helps families abroad. Navaratri honours the Devi over nine nights. Diwali's Lakshmi Puja is the biggest Lakshmi worship of the year; see also our Diwali Laxmi Puja rituals and mantras and the Diwali 2026 hub.

Also read: 108 names of Lakshmi with meaning.

Also read: Bhavani Ashtakam with meaning and Lalita Pancharatnam with meaning.

Related reading on HinduTone

• Friday rituals: Shukravar Lakshmi puja NRI guide 2026
• Shukravar, the sacred Friday: complete guide
• Mahalakshmi Ashtakam with meaning
• Which god to pray to for a job, marriage, health or money
• Hindu days of the week and their deities

Frequently asked questions

Why is Friday dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi?

Friday is Shukravara, the day of Shukra, the graha that Jyotisha links with comfort, beauty, art and material well-being. Lakshmi is the goddess of prosperity and auspiciousness, so the two were paired in popular practice. Friday is also widely kept as a day for the Devi in general, including Durga, Parvati and village goddesses.

What time is best for Friday Lakshmi puja?

Many families light the Lakshmi lamp at dusk (sandhya), when, in popular belief, Lakshmi visits clean and lit homes. A morning puja after a bath is equally traditional. Choose whichever you can keep every week.

What are the rules of the Santoshi Mata vrat?

As usually kept, the vrat runs for 16 Fridays. The devotee offers jaggery and roasted chana, reads the Santoshi Mata katha, and takes one meal. The best-known rule is that the observer, and often the whole household, avoids sour food that day. The vow closes with an udyapan in which children are fed.

Can men worship Lakshmi on Friday?

Yes. Friday Lakshmi puja is often led by women at home, but anyone may worship Lakshmi. Many shopkeepers and business owners of every background do a short Lakshmi puja at their place of work on Fridays.

Is Varalakshmi Vratam the same as the weekly Friday puja?

No. Varalakshmi Vratam is an annual observance, kept by many Telugu, Kannada and Tamil families on the Friday before the Shravana full moon. The weekly Friday puja is simpler and can be done every week of the year.

Which Lakshmi mantra should a beginner chant on Friday?

Om Shreem Mahalakshmyai Namah is short and widely used. Once it is familiar, add a verse of the Mahalakshmi Ashtakam with its meaning. Longer hymns such as the Sri Suktam and Kanakadhara Stotram can follow later.

Editor's note (10 October 2026)

We rewrote this page on 10 October 2026 for the HinduTone days of the week series. It now covers the Devi, Santoshi Mata and Vaibhav Lakshmi traditions alongside Lakshmi. Every mantra comes from our checked texts, temples are limited to those we have verified, and claims of guaranteed wealth have been removed. Friday customs vary a great deal; if yours differ, follow your family's way.

Continue through the week

Previous day: Thursday: Vishnu, Brihaspati and Guruvar vrat | Next day: Saturday: Shani, Hanuman and Shanivar vrat