Vaibhav Lakshmi Vrat Niyamवैभव लक्ष्मी व्रत नियम

The Vaibhav Lakshmi Vrat niyam are the rules and customs that devotees commonly follow on each vrat Friday and through the whole period of the vow. They are simple and centred on purity, self-control and kindness. This page covers the sankalp count, food, conduct, missed Fridays, menstruation and travel. Customs vary between families and regions; where your elders follow a different practice, it is fine to follow theirs.

Who can keep the vrat

The vrat is traditionally kept mostly by married women for the prosperity and harmony of the family, but men and unmarried girls also keep it. Any devotee who can follow the simple rules with faith may take the vow.

The sankalp and the count of Fridays

• On the first Friday the devotee makes a sankalp (resolve) to keep the vrat for a fixed number of Fridays. The usual numbers are 11 or 21; some take 51 or 101.
• The number is chosen at the start and not changed midway.
• Only Fridays on which the fast and puja are actually done are counted.
• When the count is complete, the vrat is closed with the udyapan on the last Friday. After the udyapan, one may take the vow again with a fresh sankalp.

The day to begin is discussed on the vrat start date page.

Food rules

• The fast is kept through the day and broken after the evening puja with prasad.
• Only one meal is taken, after the puja. It should be sattvic: no onion or garlic, no meat, eggs or alcohol.
• Many take only water during the day; some take fruit and milk. Customs vary.
• Some families also avoid sour food on vrat Fridays.
• The prasad (usually kheer or a white sweet) is eaten first, then the meal.

Pregnant women, the sick, the elderly and people on medication should take a doctor's advice and may keep a lighter vow, for example a fruit fast or the puja alone. This is not medical advice; if you feel unwell, consult a doctor.

Conduct on vrat Fridays

• Keep the house clean, especially the puja place and the kitchen.
• Avoid harsh words, quarrels, gossip and anger.
• Honour women and elders in the home.
• Keep the mind on the goddess through the day; reading the katha and chanting a mantra quietly are common.
• Do the puja with faith and without show. The tradition holds that devotion matters more than costly offerings.

Missed Fridays

If a vrat Friday is missed for any reason, common practice is simply to skip it without counting it and continue on the next Friday. The vow is not considered broken. For example, if you took a sankalp of 21 Fridays and missed two, you keep the vrat until 21 Fridays have actually been completed. Many devotees also say a short prayer asking the goddess to forgive the gap.

During menstruation

Common practice in many families is that a woman does not do the puja on a Friday when she is menstruating. That Friday is skipped and not counted, and she continues on the next Friday; the count is not broken. Some families have different customs, so follow the practice of your household.

Illness and travel

• Illness: If you are unwell, skip that Friday without counting it, or keep a lighter fast if your doctor agrees. Health comes first.
• Travel: If you are away from home on a Friday and cannot do the puja properly, common practice is to skip it and continue the next Friday. Some devotees carry a small picture and do a simple puja where they are staying; customs vary.
• Births and deaths in the family: During the period of sutak or mourning that the family observes, the puja is usually paused and the Fridays are not counted.

Summary of the rules

Frequently asked questions