Varalakshmi Vratham Story

Varalakshmi Vrata is observed in the lunar month of Shravana, on Friday in the Shukla Paksha, seeking the blessings of Goddess Mahalakshmi.

Once, Lord Shiva and Parvati were playing dice in Kailasa, amusing themselves. The game came to an end, and a dispute broke out between the two about who won the game. Chitranemi, who belonged to Shiva's Gana, was asked to declare the winner. Out of his intense devotion to the Lord, Chitranemi couldn't even imagine that his Lord could ever lose. So, he said Shiva had won.

Devi Parvati became angry and cursed him, saying that he would suffer from leprosy.

The Lord intervened, saying, 'Don't do that. Chitranemi is always truthful. He said so out of his devotion for me. Now, give him relief from the curse.'

A mother is always a mother. Her heart filled with kindness, she said, 'Let him live by the side of the divine lake. There, he will happen to see Apsaras observing a Vrata. When this happens, he will become normal again.'

Chitranemi started living near the lake. The Shukla Paksha Friday of Shravana came, and the Apsaras arrived at the lake and started their worship.

Chitranemi approached them and asked what Puja they were doing. They replied, 'Varalakshmi Puja,' and gave him the procedure for the Vrata and Puja. His leprosy disappeared.

This is the legend behind Varalakshmi Vrata.

Can Mother Parvati curse someone to become a leper? No, that's just her leela.

Otherwise, how would we have received the procedure for performing Varalakshmi Vrata, which only the Apsaras knew until then?

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi