[Summary] Liṅga Mahāpurāṇa Chapter 6 — The story of Alakṣmi

Read the full text of Liṅga Mahāpurāṇa Chapter 6 with Sanskrit and transliteration — https://dharmavidya1008.blogspot.com/...

Listen to the complete chapter 6 — coming soon

The sages ask Lomaharshana about the origin of Jyeṣṭhā, the deity of misfortune. Sūta narrates that to delude the world, Viṣṇu created two aspects: one consisting of Brāhmaṇas, Vedas, virtues, Lakṣmī, and Padmā, and another of Jyeṣṭhā (Alakṣmī), inauspiciousness, and sin. Since Alakṣmī appeared before Padmā, she was called Jyeṣṭhā (the elder). She was born when poison emerged before nectar during the churning of the Ocean of Milk.

The sage Duḥṣāha married Jyeṣṭhā and wandered with her. She feared places where Viṣṇu and Śiva were worshipped, where Vedic hymns were chanted, and where sacrificial rites were performed. Seeing this, Duḥṣāha was confused and sought guidance from sage Mārkaṇḍeya. Mārkaṇḍeya advised him that Jyeṣṭhā should reside in impure places, such as homes where quarrels, ignorance, sinful activities, and disrespect toward Viṣṇu and Śiva existed.

Later, Duḥṣāha abandoned Jyeṣṭhā, and she pleaded with Viṣṇu for sustenance. Viṣṇu decreed that the wealth of those who neglected devotion to Him and Śiva would belong to her. Since then, devotees of Viṣṇu also make offerings to Jyeṣṭhā to ward off misfortune. Those who recite this story gain prosperity and liberation.