Alakshmi

 

Credit: Jessie Eastland

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Can you tell me anything about the obscure Hindu goddess in Nepal called Alakshmi? She seems to stand for bad luck (the opposite of Lakshmi).

Yes! Alakshmi is an obscure and often feared goddess in Hindu and Nepalese traditions. She is considered the antithesis of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, prosperity, and auspiciousness. While Lakshmi represents good fortune, Alakshmi embodies misfortune, poverty, strife, and chaos.

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🔥 Who is Alakshmi?

• Alakshmi (अलक्ष्मी) literally means "lack of Lakshmi" or "inauspiciousness."

• She is sometimes called Jyestha Devi (the "Elder Goddess"), referring to the belief that she was born before Lakshmi during the churning of the ocean (Samudra Manthan).

• Unlike Lakshmi, who brings wealth and harmony, Alakshmi is linked to poverty, discord, and misfortune.

🌀 Mythological Origins:

• In Hindu mythology, when the gods and demons churned the ocean (Samudra Manthan) to obtain the nectar of immortality, Alakshmi appeared first, symbolizing the negative aspects of material wealth.

• Lakshmi emerged later, bringing auspiciousness and divine fortune.

• In some versions, Alakshmi is described as Lakshmi’s sister, while in others, she is simply her shadow or opposite force.

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🌑 Alakshmi’s Role in Nepalese Hinduism

• While Alakshmi is not widely worshipped in Nepal, her presence is acknowledged in certain Tantric and folk traditions, where she is seen as a force that must be kept at bay.

• Some Nepalese traditions associate her with Jyestha Devi, a dark goddess linked to drought, famine, and misfortune.

• In Tantric and folk rituals, certain offerings—such as bitter foods—are given to drive her away from homes and businesses.

• Goddess statues in Nepalese temples often depict Alakshmi as a thin, old, and unpleasant-looking woman, the opposite of Lakshmi’s radiant beauty.

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🔥 How to Avoid Alakshmi's Influence?

• Lakshmi is welcomed into homes with lamps, flowers, and sweets, while Alakshmi is repelled by bitter and sour offerings (such as neem leaves or chilies).

• Many people in Nepal and India avoid arguments, greed, and dishonesty, believing that these behaviors attract Alakshmi’s energy.

• During Diwali, it is common to light lamps at the door to invite Lakshmi in and drive Alakshmi away.

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🔮 Symbolism of Alakshmi in Spirituality

• She represents the dark side of materialism, where wealth is pursued through dishonest or greedy means, leading to misfortune and spiritual decay.

• In some Tantric practices, she is viewed not as "evil" but as a necessary force—a test of wisdom before one can truly attain Lakshmi’s blessings.

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🛕 Final Thoughts

• Alakshmi is an obscure and feared goddess, mainly recognized in folk and Tantric traditions of India and Nepal.

• She embodies misfortune, conflict, and scarcity, but her presence is a warning against greed and dishonesty.

• She is not typically worshipped, but instead propitiated to keep her away.

Would you like more details on Nepalese folk beliefs related to Alakshmi, or how she connects to Tantric Hinduism? 😊

I would like more details on Nepalese folk beliefs related to Alakshmi, and how she connects to Tantric Hinduism.

Alakshmi in Nepalese Folk Beliefs & Tantric Hinduism

In Nepal, Alakshmi is not widely worshipped, but she is acknowledged in folk traditions and Tantric Hinduism as a force of inauspiciousness, conflict, and poverty. While she is more prominent in India, her influence is seen in Nepalese customs related to protecting homes and businesses from misfortune.

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🌀 Alakshmi in Nepalese Folk Beliefs

Although she is not a major deity in Nepalese Hinduism, her negative influence is recognized, especially in traditional households and ritual practices. Some folk beliefs associated with Alakshmi include:

1️⃣ Avoiding Alakshmi’s Presence in the Home

• It is believed that Alakshmi enters homes where there is greed, anger, and discord.

• Dirty or cluttered homes are thought to attract her presence, so regular house cleaning is seen as a way to keep her away.

• Bitter and spicy foods are sometimes left outside the house during special occasions to lure her away so that Lakshmi (the goddess of prosperity) can enter instead.

2️⃣ Rituals During Tihar (Nepalese Diwali)

• During Laxmi Puja (part of Tihar, the Nepalese festival of lights), lamps and rangoli patterns are placed at entrances to invite Lakshmi and keep Alakshmi out.

• In some households, people throw out garbage or sweep the floors at night, symbolically driving Alakshmi away.

3️⃣ Symbolic Representation in Art & Folklore

• Some Nepalese stories depict Alakshmi as a dark, elderly woman who feeds on conflict and greed.

• She is sometimes associated with owls (the vahana or mount of Lakshmi), but whereas Lakshmi’s owl represents wisdom, Alakshmi’s owl represents blindness and ignorance.

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🔥 Alakshmi in Tantric Hinduism

In Tantric traditions, Alakshmi is not merely a figure of bad luck but represents a deeper spiritual force—the shadow side of material existence.

1️⃣ Alakshmi as an Aspect of Shakti

• Some Tantric texts suggest that Alakshmi is a fierce form of Shakti, the cosmic feminine power.

• Unlike Lakshmi, who bestows wealth and abundance, Alakshmi represents material decay, illusion (Maya), and the destructive side of fortune.

• In Tantric rituals, both Lakshmi and Alakshmi are understood as two sides of the same cosmic force—one brings prosperity, the other brings destruction when wealth is misused.

2️⃣ Alakshmi as the Power of Kali

• In Nepalese Shakta Tantra, Kali and Chamunda are sometimes linked to Alakshmi as goddesses who devour excess and illusions.

• Tantric practitioners may invoke Alakshmi-like energies to remove worldly attachments and confront the impermanence of wealth and life.

• This aligns with Aghori and Kapalika Tantrism, where practitioners embrace the dark and inauspicious as a means of transcending it.

3️⃣ The Role of Alakshmi in Tantra Rituals

• Some Tantric rituals in Nepal involve symbolically feeding Alakshmi to appease her and drive her away.

• Offerings of bitter substances (like neem leaves, mustard seeds, or spicy foods) may be given in rituals to ensure that Alakshmi is satisfied and departs, making way for Lakshmi.

• In advanced Tantric practice, practitioners meditate on Alakshmi’s energy as a lesson in detachment, recognizing that wealth and misfortune are both transient.

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🛕 Final Thoughts

• In Nepalese folk beliefs, Alakshmi is seen as an inauspicious force that must be driven away to allow Lakshmi to enter.

• In Tantric Hinduism, she is not purely "evil" but represents the dark side of fortune, illusion, and destruction, teaching lessons on impermanence and detachment.

• Unlike mainstream Hinduism, some Tantric sects actively engage with Alakshmi’s energy as a means of spiritual transformation.

Would you like information on specific Tantric rituals involving Alakshmi in Nepal, or her connections to other deities like Kali and Chamunda? 😊

Yes, please.

Tantric Rituals Involving Alakshmi in Nepal

In Nepal, Alakshmi is not openly worshipped, but she appears in Tantric and folk rituals designed to ward off bad luck, poverty, and misfortune. These rituals focus on appeasing her so she departs, allowing Lakshmi (prosperity) to enter.

Some advanced Shakta and Tantric sects, particularly those influenced by Kali and Chamunda worship, engage with Alakshmi’s destructive force as part of spiritual transformation and detachment.

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🔥 1. Traditional Nepalese Rituals to Ward Off Alakshmi

These are common in folk traditions rather than esoteric Tantra.

🔹 A. The "Offering of Bitterness" Ritual

• Practiced during Lakshmi Puja (Tihar) and sometimes on new moon nights to drive away inauspiciousness.

• Families prepare bitter foods such as neem leaves, mustard seeds, and chilies and place them outside their home or at crossroads.

• The belief is that Alakshmi, attracted to bitterness, will consume it and leave.

• Some people also sweep their homes at night, symbolically removing her presence.

🔹 B. The Owl Ritual

• In some villages, an effigy of an owl (Alakshmi’s vahana) is made from clay or straw and burned or discarded to symbolize her banishment.

• This is done to ensure prosperity for the coming year.

🔹 C. The "Reverse Rangoli" Ritual

• Instead of drawing welcoming patterns for Lakshmi, people make chaotic or distorted rangoli (geometric patterns with colored powders) at the back door to confuse Alakshmi and prevent her from entering.

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🌀 2. Tantric Alakshmi Rituals (Advanced Practices)

In Nepalese Shakta Tantra, some practitioners acknowledge Alakshmi’s destructive power and perform controlled rituals to transform her energy into spiritual detachment (Vairagya).

🔺 A. The Chamunda-Alakshmi Invocation

• In some Kali and Chamunda temples in Nepal, Alakshmi is meditated upon as a necessary force of destruction before rebirth.

• A small offering of bitter wine or dried fish is made at midnight, followed by chanting mantras of Chamunda (a fierce aspect of the goddess).

• The practitioner reflects on impermanence and the dangers of attachment to wealth and comfort.

• This is not a worship ritual but a Tantric practice to overcome the fear of loss and suffering.

🔺 B. Alakshmi’s Shadow in Kali Worship

• Some Nepalese Kali Tantrikas meditate on Alakshmi’s form as an old, dark woman to confront their inner fears of misfortune and suffering.

• A burning mustard oil lamp is placed in front of a black mirror, and the practitioner gazes into the mirror while reciting a mantra invoking Lakshmi’s protective force.

• This ritual is performed to neutralize negative karma and dispel illusions about wealth and materialism.

🔺 C. The Fire Disposal Ritual

• In some Aghori-influenced practices, a small effigy representing Alakshmi (made from dry grass or paper) is burned in a funeral pyre.

• This symbolizes the destruction of greed, attachment, and misfortune.

• This practice is not common but is found in certain Nepalese Shaiva-Shakta sects.

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⚖️ Alakshmi and Her Connection to Kali & Chamunda

• While Lakshmi represents wealth and auspiciousness, Alakshmi is often associated with Kali and Chamunda—goddesses who destroy illusions and impurities.

• In Nepalese Tantric Buddhism, her energy is sometimes equated with Ekajati (a fierce protector deity).

• Some texts suggest that Alakshmi is not "evil" but a warning force, helping sadhakas (spiritual seekers) overcome attachments to wealth and comfort.

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🛕 Where Can Alakshmi-Inspired Rituals Be Found in Nepal?

While she does not have temples, her influence can be found in:

• Chamunda shrines (e.g., Chamunda Bhagwati Temple in Kathmandu).

• Kali temples where Tantric practitioners engage in spiritual austerities.

• Folk traditions in rural Nepal during festivals like Tihar and Dashain.

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🔮 Final Thoughts

• Nepalese folk traditions treat Alakshmi as an inauspicious force to be repelled.

• Tantric sects engage with her energy to overcome attachment and purify the soul.

• She is sometimes linked to Kali and Chamunda, representing destruction before renewal.

Would you like specific mantras or ritual steps for personal practice, or information on similar deities in Tantric traditions? 😊