“लक्ष्मी भगवान के बिना कैसे रहेंगी?”
"How can Lakshmi ever remain without Lord Krishna?"
—Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj

🕉️ Introduction: Why We Need to Rethink Dhanteras

Each year, as Diwali approaches, we see homes decorated with lights, markets filled with glittering gold, and families planning to buy something new on Dhanteras. But, while the world rushes toward acquiring outer wealth, very few pause to reflect on what Dhanteras truly represents.

What is Dhan (wealth)? Is it gold, silver, coins, property, or bank balances?
Or is it something more profound — something eternal and spiritual?

At the Radha Krishna Temple of Dallas, we believe Dhanteras is not a shopping day — it's a reminder of a divine truth:
💬 Lakshmi will not stay in any home unless Bhagavan is present.

Let us explore this truth deeply — not through modern interpretations, but through the original scriptural and devotional lens, as beautifully explained by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj.

📅 Dhanteras 2025 Date & Muhurat (Dallas, TX)

For New Delhi, India (Date - 18th October)

• Best Puja Time: 7:16 PM – 8:20 PM
• Pradosh Kaal: 5:48 PM – 8:20 PM
• Vrishabha Kaal: 7:16 PM – 9:11 PM

✅ This is the most auspicious time to perform Dhanteras Puja in Dallas.

🕰️ Dhanteras 2025 Puja Muhurat Timings – Major Indian Cities

(Saturday, October 18, 2025)

📌 Note: Timings are in local time for each respective city.
These muhurat periods are calculated based on Pradosh Kaal + Sthir Lagna, making them ideal for Dhanteras Lakshmi-Kuber Puja.

🧭 The Deeper Origin of Dhanteras: Samudra Manthan

The story of Dhanteras begins not with markets or metal — but with a cosmic event: the Samudra Manthan, or Churning of the Ocean.

In this divine leela:

• The Devas (gods) and Asuras (demons) churned the ocean to obtain amrit (nectar of immortality).
• From this churning emerged 14 ratnas (divine jewels).
• One of the most precious was Mahalakshmi, the Goddess of Fortune.

But she didn’t just randomly appear and accept worship. She observed. She chose.

💛 Why Lakshmi Chose Krishna, Not Shiva or Kuber

Lakshmi looked at:

👴🏽 Great Rishis like Markandeya

Wise, detached, eternal—but emotionally indifferent.

“These saints won't even look at me. They’re lost in Brahman. Why choose someone who won't value a wife?”

🧘‍♂️ Sadhus and Yogis

Spiritually advanced, but dispassionate and withdrawn.

“They’ll accept me but ignore me. There’s no rasa (divine emotion) here.”

🕉️ Shiva

Powerful, eternal, but fearsome to look at—clad in ashes, adorned with skulls, snakes around his neck.

“He’s full of Vairagya. He’s beyond fear. But even I am frightened to approach!”

💰 Kuber

God of wealth, but not wealth itself. A manager, not a master.

“He handles wealth but doesn’t inspire love or divine joy.”

🛡️ Demons like Hiranyakashipu

Strong and passionate, but wicked and mortal.

“They’re full of desire, but not divine desire. My presence here would be wasted.”

💖 And Then, She Saw Him — Shri Krishna

She saw Shri Krishna, who stood out effortlessly:

• Eternal and youthful
• Gentle and compassionate
• Playful, yet supremely wise
• Full of rasa (divine nectar of love)
• Overflowing with prem (divine love)

He ignored her glances deliberately, trying not to attract attention. But she persisted. Her eyes only saw Krishna, her heart only desired Krishna.

“He is the only one who understands love, knows devotion, and holds eternity in His being.”

And so, Lakshmi garlanded Shri Krishna, choosing Him as her eternal consort.

From that day:
She stays only on His left side — eternally present but never separate.

❗ The Irony of Modern Dhanteras Worship

Today, people write in their business ledgers:

“सदा लक्ष्मी सहाय”
“May Lakshmi always help.”

But nobody writes:

“राम सहाय”
“श्रीकृष्ण सहाय”
“May God always help.”

Even during the puja, people invite all the gods in the beginning. And at the end they chant:

“या देवगणा सर्वे... लक्ष्मी-कुबेरौ स्थियतामिह।”
“All gods may go. Let Lakshmi and Kuber stay here.”

This is not only spiritually incorrect, it's illogical.

Would Lakshmi — a devoted consort — leave her eternal husband Shri Krishna and stay in a house that sent Him away?

Kripalu Ji Maharaj explains:

“अगर कोई आपसे कहे कि आपकी पत्नी हमारे घर में रहे और आप चले जाएँ — तो क्या आप सह लेंगे? यही आप लक्ष्मी से कह रहे हो!”

"If someone were to say to you, 'Let your wife stay at our house, but you leave' — would you accept that? That’s exactly what you’re saying to Lakshmi!"

This is the deep flaw in our understanding of Dhanteras today.

💸 What Is True Dhan (Wealth)?

We think of Lakshmi as:

• Gold
• Silver
• Bank balances
• Properties
• Jewelry

But the scriptures and Jagadguru Kripalu Ji say:

“ये सब तो माया हैं। ये लक्ष्मी नहीं है।”
"This is all Maya not Lakshmi."

Material wealth is:

• Temporary
• Earth-born
• Subject to fluctuation and loss

Lakshmi is divine consciousness, divine energy, and gives spiritual joy, not material glitter.

When we call a rich man “Lakshmivan,” it’s technically wrong. He is “Mayavan”, not “Lakshmivan”.

🌍 How Chanchal (Unstable) Lakshmi Is in the Material World

Just observe:

• Billionaires lose half their wealth overnight in a stock crash.
• Economies collapse. Recessions come and go.
• Countries go bankrupt. Banks fail. Even America is not immune.

As Kripaluji said:

“आज दुनिया में मंदी है। कई देश दिवालिया हो गए हैं। लाखों करोड़पति आधे रह गए हैं।”
"Today, there is a recession in the world. Many countries have gone bankrupt. Millions of millionaires have been reduced to half their wealth."

Even a banknote becomes faded over time. Why?
Because it has passed through thousands of hands — moving, shifting, never staying still.

This is Chanchal Lakshmi — unsteady, always moving.

Yet there is one place she never leaves — the left side of Bhagavan Krishna.

🙏 What Should You Actually Do on Dhanteras?

Here is a step-by-step spiritually accurate way to celebrate Dhanteras, based entirely on the wisdom of Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj:

✅ 1. Invite Radha-Krishna or Lakshmi-Narayan First

Do not begin puja with Lakshmi alone. Always begin with God first.

Set up a simple altar:

• Image or murti of Radha-Krishna or Lakshmi-Narayan
• Offer flowers, tulsi, incense, sweets, and heartfelt prayer

✅ 2. Light the Yamadeep

Place a diya outside your home during Pradosh Kaal (6:50 – 9:23 PM). Pray for:

• Family protection
• Inner strength
• Spiritual progress

✅ 3. Perform Lakshmi-Narayan Puja During Shubh Muhurat

🕯️ Puja Timing (Dallas): 8:14 PM – 9:23 PM

Include:

• Mantras for Lakshmi and Narayan
• Chanting or bhajans of Radha-Krishna
• Gratefulness for spiritual and material blessings
• Prayer for detachment and devotion

✅ 4. Update Your Accounting Ledgers – But With Devotion

It is tradition to begin new financial ledgers today.

While doing so, write:

• “राम सहाय” or
• “श्रीकृष्ण सहाय” or
• “राधे राधे”

Don’t rely on Lakshmi alone — invite her eternal consort, the source of all wealth.

🪙 Why Kuber Alone Can’t Make You Rich

People also worship Kuber on Dhanteras — the God of wealth. But as Kripaluji Maharaj says:

“कुबेर तो भगवान के सेवक हैं। वह खुद लक्ष्मी जी की भक्ति करते हैं। आप भगवान को नहीं मानोगे और कुबेर की पूजा करोगे — तो फाके पड़ेंगे।”

"Kuber is a servant of the Lord. He himself worships Goddess Lakshmi. If you don’t believe in God and worship only Kuber — you’ll end up starving."

Even Kuber derives his wealth from God. If we skip the source, we end up missing everything.

You may have money, but no peace, no love, no health, and ultimately — no satisfaction.

You may see someone with billions and think:

“He is Lakshmivan.”

But if he lacks:

• Peace
• Bhakti
• Gratitude
• Humility
  
  …then that is not Lakshmi — it is Maya.

True wealth is:

• Having love for God
• Living with purpose
• Experiencing inner joy

Being fearless of loss or gain.

🌸 Devotional Wisdom: Only One Prayer You Ever Need

All gods, all wealth, all powers — they are attracted to one thing: Bhakti (devotion).

“आप राधा-कृष्ण की भक्ति करो,
अनंत कोटि देवता — लक्ष्मी, दुर्गा, कुबेर —
सब अपने आप दौड़े आएँगे।”

So this Dhanteras, pray not for gold, but for grace.
Pray not for money, but for mercy.
Pray not for luxury, but for love.

Let Radha Krishna reside in your heart — and see how real Dhan (divine wealth) follows effortlessly.

📌 Summary Table: Dhanteras 2025 (Dallas Timings)

Call to Action

If you wish to deepen your understanding, transform your life, and constantly renew the flame of devotion, I invite you to subscribe to Swami Mukundananda’s YouTube channel for powerful discourses, kirtans, and spiritual wisdom. 👉 Swami Mukundananda YouTube Channel

May Happy Diwali 2025 truly bless you—with outer joy and most importantly, inner illumination.

🎊 Celebrate With Us at Radha Krishna Temple of Dallas

Join us this October 18, 2025 as we perform a spiritually rooted Lakshmi-Narayan Puja, Family Diwali Celebrations and bhajans in praise of Radha-Krishna.

Let’s bring back the real meaning of Dhanteras — not just as a tradition, but as a moment of transformational devotion.