Original text
इन्द्र उवाच । नमस्तेऽस्तु महामाये श्रीपीठे सुरपूजिते । शङ्खचक्रगदाहस्ते महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ १ ॥ नमस्ते गरुडारूढे कोलासुरभयङ्करि । सर्वपापहरे देवि महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ २ ॥ सर्वज्ञे सर्ववरदे सर्वदुष्टभयङ्करि । सर्वदुःखहरे देवि महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ ३ ॥ सिद्धिबुद्धिप्रदे देवि भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायिनि । मन्त्रमूर्ते सदा देवि महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ ४ ॥ आद्यन्तरहिते देवि आद्यशक्तिमहेश्वरि । योगजे योगसम्भूते महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ ५ ॥ स्थूलसूक्ष्ममहारौद्रे महाशक्ति महोदरे । महापापहरे देवि महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ ६ ॥ पद्मासनस्थिते देवि परब्रह्मस्वरूपिणि । परमेशि जगन्माता महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ ७ ॥ श्वेताम्बरधरे देवि नानालङ्कारभूषिते । जगत्स्थिते जगन्मातर्महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ ८ ॥ ॥ फलश्रुति ॥ महालक्ष्म्यष्टकस्तोत्रं यः पठेद्भक्तिमान्नरः । सर्वसिद्धिमवाप्नोति राज्यं प्राप्नोति सर्वदा ॥ एककाले पठेन्नित्यं महापापविनाशनम् । द्विकालं यः पठेन्नित्यं धनधान्यसमन्वितः ॥ त्रिकालं यः पठेन्नित्यं महाशत्रुविनाशनम् । महालक्ष्मीर्भवेन्नित्यं प्रसन्न वरदा शुभा ॥ ॥ इतीन्द्रकृतं महालक्ष्म्यष्टकं सम्पूर्णम् ॥
Transliteration
Indra uvacha Namaste'stu mahamaye shripithe surapujite Shankhachakragadahaste mahalakshmi namo'stu te ||1|| Namaste garudarudhe kolasurabhayankari Sarvapapahare devi mahalakshmi namo'stu te ||2|| Sarvajne sarvavarade sarvadushtabhayankari Sarvaduhkhahare devi mahalakshmi namo'stu te ||3|| Siddhibuddhiprade devi bhuktimuktipradayini Mantramurte sada devi mahalakshmi namo'stu te ||4|| Adyantarahite devi adyashaktimaheshvari Yogaje yogasambhute mahalakshmi namo'stu te ||5|| Sthulasukshmamaharaudre mahashakti mahodare Mahapapahare devi mahalakshmi namo'stu te ||6|| Padmasanasthite devi parabrahmasvarupini Parameshi jaganmata mahalakshmi namo'stu te ||7|| Shvetambaradhare devi nanalankarabhushite Jagatsthite jaganmatarmahalakshmi namo'stu te ||8|| Phalashruti || Mahalakshmyashtakastotram yah pathedbhaktimannarah Sarvasiddhimavapnoti rajyam prapnoti sarvada || Ekakale pathennityam mahapapavinashanam Dvikalam yah pathennityam dhanadhanyasamanvitah || Trikalam yah pathennityam mahashatruvinashanam Mahalakshmirbhavennityam prasanna varada shubha || Itindrakritam mahalakshmyashtakam sampurnam ||
Indra's prayer
The stotra opens with Indra uvacha — "Indra said". Tradition places it in the Padma Purana as the prayer the king of the gods offered to Mahalakshmi, and it is especially loved in Maharashtra, where Mahalakshmi of Kolhapur is the presiding goddess. Its eight verses all end with the same refrain, "Mahalakshmi namo'stu te" — "Mahalakshmi, salutations to you" — which makes it easy to learn and to sing in a group.
What the eight verses say
- Mahamaya: salutations to the great Maya, seated on the Shri-peetha, worshipped by the gods, holding conch, discus and mace.
- On Garuda: riding Garuda, terror of the demon Kolasura, remover of all sin. Kolasura is the demon of the Kolhapur legend — the city is named for him — whom Mahalakshmi destroyed.
- All-knowing: giver of every boon, terror of the wicked, remover of every sorrow.
- Bhukti and mukti: giver of success and understanding, of enjoyment in the world and of liberation; the very form of mantra.
- Without beginning or end: the primordial Shakti, the great goddess, born of yoga.
- Gross and subtle: both the visible and the subtle, the fierce, the great power that holds the universe in her womb.
- Parabrahman: seated on the lotus, the form of the supreme Brahman, the supreme Lady and mother of the world.
- In white: clad in white, adorned with ornaments, dwelling in the world as its mother.
Notice what the hymn does not do: it never asks for money directly. Lakshmi here is Mahamaya, Parabrahman, Adi Shakti — the goddess of the Devi Mahatmya as much as the giver of wealth.
The phalashruti
The closing verses set out a scale:
- Whoever reads it with devotion attains every siddhi and kingship.
- Once a day: great sins are destroyed.
- Twice a day: one is blessed with wealth and grain.
- Three times a day: great enemies are destroyed, and Mahalakshmi is always pleased and gives boons.
When to recite it
- Fridays, and daily during the sixteen-day Mahalakshmi Vrat (Bhadrapada shukla ashtami to Ashwin krishna ashtami).
- Diwali, Navratri (especially the Lakshmi days) and Sharad Purnima.
- Pair it with the Kanakadhara Stotram or the Mahalakshmi Chalisa.
Frequently asked questions
Who composed the Mahalakshmi Ashtakam?
It is spoken by Indra and is traditionally placed in the Padma Purana.
Who is Kolasura in the second verse?
The demon whom Mahalakshmi destroyed at Kolhapur, according to the local legend that gives the city its name.
How many times a day should it be recited?
The phalashruti gives three levels: once for removal of sins, twice for wealth and grain, three times for victory over enemies and Mahalakshmi's constant grace.
Can it be sung in a group?
Yes. The repeating refrain "Mahalakshmi namo'stu te" makes it a favourite for group recitation and bhajan.
Is this the same as the Lakshmi Ashtottara?
No. The Ashtottara is a list of 108 names; the Ashtakam is an eight-verse hymn with a phalashruti.
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