Karagre Vasate Lakshmi कराग्रे वसते लक्ष्मीः

Word-by-word meaning

karāgre

at the tip of the hand (fingertips)

vasate

dwells, resides

lakṣmīḥ

Goddess Lakshmi, prosperity

karamadhye

in the middle of the palm

sarasvatī

Goddess Saraswati, learning

karamūle

at the base of the hand

govindaḥ

Govinda, Lord Vishnu / Krishna

prabhāte

at daybreak, in the morning

karadarśanam

looking at (seeing) the hands

When and how to recite

1. As soon as you wake, sit up in bed before looking at your phone or anything else.
2. Join both palms side by side, open like a book, and hold them in front of your face.
3. Look at your palms and recite the shloka slowly once (or three times).
4. Touch your palms gently to your eyes or face, then continue with the Samudra Vasane prayer before stepping down.

Significance

Karagre Vasate Lakshmi is the very first prayer of the Hindu day. On opening the eyes, before reaching for anything else, one joins the palms, looks at them and recites this short verse. It sees Lakshmi, Saraswati and Govinda dwelling in one's own hands, so the day begins with gratitude and a reminder that our hands are meant for honest, sacred work. Its brevity makes it one of the first shlokas children learn at home.

The verse turns an ordinary glance at the hands into an act of remembrance. Lakshmi at the fingertips points to the wealth earned through our own effort, Saraswati in the palm to the knowledge that guides that effort, and Govinda at the base to the Divine that supports everything. Beginning the day this way encourages self-reliance, right action and humility. In some regions the third quarter is recited as 'karamūle sthitā gaurī' (Gauri at the base) or with Brahma in place of Govinda; 'karamūle tu govindaḥ' is the most widely recited form.

Frequently asked questions