Deepavali: The Festival of Lights — When and Why We Worship Goddess Lakshmi

10/20/20262 min read

Diwali comes from the Sanskrit word Deepavali, meaning “a row of lights.” The word is derived from deepa (light, lamp or symbolically, knowledge) and avali (row or series).

Lakshmi Puja is a central part of Diwali celebrations. On the main day, devotees worship Goddess Lakshmi, light lamps, and seek prosperity. But why is Lakshmi worshipped on this particular day?According to traditional belief, wherever the Sun enters, it has the power to awaken the divine energy associated with that sign. When the Sun enters Libra, Lakshmi is said to be awakened. However, the timing of her worship can also be chosen based on the Moon’s movement in the cosmos.

When the Moon is in Aries and the Sun is in Libra, a full moon occurs. This full-moon night, observed during the Hindu month of Ashwin, is celebrated as Kojagari Puja (also spelled Kojagori or Kojagara). It is a Lakshmi Puja observed on Sharad Purnima, the full-moon night of Ashwin

Lakshmi is worshipped again on Amavasya —the new-moon day—when the Sun and Moon are together in Libra. This Amavasya, usually in the month of Kartika, is the main Lakshmi Puja night of Diwali.

Full Moon or New Moon?

Should Lakshmi be worshipped on a day when the Moon is fully bright or when it is dark? The answer is that both observances have different purposes

Lakshmi Worship on Purnima

On Amavasya (new-moon night), the Moon is positioned close to the Sun and faces it. The Sun is the only direct source of energy for life on Earth, and it may be symbolically understood as representing all resources available to us. On this night, the Moon is said to have gone to her husband’s house—the Sun’s abode. This symbolism is reflected in divine pairings: Sita with Ramaa, Lakshmi with Vishnu, and Parvati with Shiva.

On Purnima (full-moon night), the Moon shines with complete brightness. She has now come to her father’s house, on the side of Jupiter, facing the broader cosmos. This is a night of fullness, happiness, gathering, and celebration. Therefore, worshipping Goddess Lakshmi on Purnima is traditionally associated with eternal happiness, spiritual fulfilment, and a higher purpose in life.

We worship Lakshmi on this day so that the soul may become more satisfied and content. In its deepest sense, the soul is often described as light—pure, radiant, and self-luminous. The full Moon thus becomes a beautiful outer symbol of the inner light that we seek to awaken through devotion.

When to Worship Lakshmi

Ideally, Lakshmi should be worshipped after Pradosha Kalam, that is, after 8:00 PM, when the Lagna (ascendant) is in Aries (Mesha Lagna). This period is considered especially auspicious for invoking Goddess Lakshmi’s blessings of prosperity, peace, and inner abundance.

A Note on the Symbolism

  • Amavasya represents union with the Sun, inner darkness being removed, and the lighting of lamps to invite Lakshmi into the home.

  • Purnima represents fullness, expansion, divine grace, and the soul’s satisfaction under the Moon’s complete light.

  • Lakshmi is worshipped in both contexts, but with complementary purposes: on Amavasya, to create light and prosperity; on Purnima, to celebrate abundance, contentment, and spiritual illumination.

Sarvam Śrī Kṛṣṇārpaṇam astu.

I offer my respectful gratitude to my Parampara of Achyutananda dasa and my Guru, Sanjay Rath, through whose grace this knowledge has been received.