Are you wondering what is the relationship between amma (the divine mother Maha Lakshmi) and amla (Indian gooseberry)? Before trying to answer that question, have you ever tasted plain water after having a bite of amla? If so, you must have noticed that water tastes sweet after having amla. Amla’s association with water invokes a sweet taste.

Similarly, Our amma Maha Lakshmi invokes (existing) necessary qualities in God which can help in uplifting us. Her association provokes God to act on what is necessary for our well-being. Those necessary qualities can be daya or shakthi or any others that serve the purpose of the day.  

Sami tree is worshipped on the day of Vijaya Dasami / Dasara / Dusserah. The tree is revered as an embodiment of Maha Lakshmi. We offer our respect and prayers to mother Maha Lakshmi vested in the form of Sami tree on the festival of Vijaya Dasami.

How can a tree be revered as Maha Lakshmi?

Eleven purana:s in connection with Ve:nkata:chala Ma:ha:tmyam reveal three verses that Venkateswara Swami Himself meditated before heading out for parinayam (wedding/union) with Padmavathi Devi. The verses explain that sami tree supported and energized three key divine figures of worship in our history. 

The verses spell out that the five brothers, pa:ndava:s sought refuge of sami tree to rejuvenate their weapons. Their victory in the later days proved the strength of sami tree’s blessings.

The verses spell out that Ramachandra sought blessings of sami tree before the vanara se:na marched ahead to find the whereabouts of Sitha Devi. Rama heard the message of Sitha Devi as a diseased one would receive a medicine that heals. The healing attributed itself to the blessings of sami tree.

Venkateswara Swami set out to marry Padmavathi Devi only after offering prayers to sami tree. It is said that He got onto a beautiful horse named, pancha Kalyani tying a red rope on His forehead, offered prayers to sami tree and then marched towards His union with Padmavathi Devi. 

The verses spell out that the sami tree takes away all the inauspicious times and replaces them with auspiciousness. It takes away bad dreams and fills one with wealth and prosperity. 

The grace of mother Maha Lakshmi in the form of sami tree is also explained in a:gma scriptures. 

Therefore, Lord Ranganattha in the Sri Rangam temple also goes to a sami tree that is situated in Narasimha Swami temple, performs prayer and returns with rejuvenated energy back to the His abode. 

Following the lead of Ramachandra, Pandavas, Venkateswara Swami and the a:gama scriptures, let us worship sami tree and seek Her grace in eliminating our passive/inert nature and rejuvenate our energy for a more promising attitude and action. 

How do we use the rejuvenated energy for a more promising attitude and action?

Today, as the covid-19 infections are possibly going lower in Bharath, people are beginning to forget the lesson taught by nature. We must regulate all our actions by carefully asking some basic questions such as: 

Do I need to buy this or am I being greedy?
Am I using/buying something that is non-friendly to the environment?
What am I running for – a more luxurious lifestyle or purposeful life?
Am I sharing all the benefits that God bestowed me with others?
Am I being supportive of all those who are less fortunate?
Am I being thankful to God for life or always complaining about the troubles?

Unless we regulate our conduct, we will continue to miss out on the true happiness that the divine duo Maha Lakshmi and Narayana are waiting to give us.

– From the discourse of Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji
– Vijaya Dasami, 25 ^th October 2020
– Divya Saketham, JIVA, Sri Ramnagar

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