||Shri Suktam||

Shlok 3

Certificate for wealth acquisition : Strength, Bravery, Sprightliness

A?hwa-p?rvám ratha-madhyám hasti náda prabódhiním

?hriyam devím upahvaye ?hrír ma devír jushatám||(3)

Translation

I invoke that Goddess of Prosperity who comes with horses in the front and chariots in the middle and whose coming is announced by the trumpeting of elephants. May that Goddess of Prosperity come and bless me.

“The real poor is he who misuses what he has.

The real rich is he who well uses what he has “

~ Mikhail Naimy

Certificate for wealth acquisition

Shri Suktam’s shlok 3 accurately explains nature and environment of Mother Lakshmi. It shows that how, when and where, goddess of wealth listen our invocation and blesses us with wealth. It testifies Certificate for acquiring wealth.

Strength

Goddess who comes with horses in front and chariots in the middle signifies strength. Horses and chariots were use to be considered as icon of military power.(akshauhini (akshauhinee¹).Strength is required when your are fighting a battle against financial situation, a battle against oneself, a battle against poverty,a battle against global warming,a battle against terror,a battle against wicked; man vs. man, man vs. nature, man vs. regime, man vs. systems and so on. Here, devotee invites goddess and his trust in goddess is seen in description. He describes her like he is going to fight against army/person/situation with the help of her. It creates an environment of joy and power, it shows boldness and bravery, which is needed for reform. Yes, Reform needs ‘Shaurya geet’ (bravery song) and that is the reason soldiers sing that before going for the battle.

Exhibition for societal prosperity

Switzerland is famous for two ‘B’s – Nature’s Beauty and Humans’ Banking. One is exhibition of wealth and another is secrecy of wealth. To name few; trees, rivers, mountains, flowers are Switzerland’s wealth and I personally cherish them (Unknowingly, we all do by watching Bollywood songs) because it is demonstrated, expressed and celebrated wealth. But I certainly don’t consider those secret bank accounts as wealth parameters. To me, they are mere currency having no value. It is not society’s strength but is individual (person/organization)’s weakness of not able to spend earned/looted/tricked wealth in constructive and creative ways for planet upliftment. Money is strength when it is utilized for lofty purposes and is folly when we miss opportunities to use it in proper channel. Forget about Swiss bank accounts, we often hear in neighborhood about someone died leaving abundance of wealth without any will to use it. How can someone live life so uneventful where there is no purpose for wealth utilization? Earning ethically in abundance is the way to live life but not spending it or spending it for vested interests is a way of dying.

Trumpeting of elephants represents exhibition of wealth (Mind you! there is difference between exhibition and show off!). By exhibition, I understood ‘presence of wealth with me is apparently known to all and not hidden’. It says that, If one million dollars is earned; it has to be known with a blow of sound as good as trumpeting of elephants. In context of exhibition, it explains non-possessiveness. I am talking about non-possessiveness exhibited by the king Raghu who was the abode of charity and gentleness and an ocean of mercy on this earth.

If one is not capable enough to acquire certificate of wealth acquisition by cultivating qualities like strength, boldness, wealth exhibition (Once again, it’s not about show off! BMW is not an indicator of exhibition!), kindness, heroism, generosity then it’s better for her or him to live life as a dependent; like child dependent on parents , beggar dependent on society and wicked dependent on government/mafias/pirates – the ghetto way of living life.

My learning

Wealth earned boldly, utilized charitably, invested heroically and consumed (for personal usage) frugally will never lead to any type of financial crisis and ensure happy life.

1. A fighting unit consisting of 109350 foot-soldiers, 65610 horses and horsemen, 21870 elephants and elephant warriors, and 21870 chariots and their human equipment.)

Tags: Battle, Chariots, Horses, Shri Suktam, Warrior, Wealth management, Wealth qualities