Labh Pancham

Labh Pancham

लाभ पंचमी 

The last festival during the Diwali is Labh Pancham on Kartik. It is also known as 'Laakheni Panchmi' and 'Saubhagya Panchmi'. Pancham is an auspicious day to commence business. Jains celebrate Pancham or Panchami by worshiping their books and praying for more knowledge. Hindu businessmen worship Goddess Lakshmi and open their accounts. 

Those who have not performed Sharda Pujan on Diwali, perform pujan of their new ledgers today and ritually open their shops and businesses. In the days following Diwali including today, people visit friends and relatives, to renew solidarity. Sweets and other items are offered to guests, symbolically 'sweetening' relations. 

'Labh' means benefit. People today usually wish for material 'labh' such as: a good job, good in-laws, riches and so forth. Yet the scriptures and sadhus inform us that the greatest 'labh' is human birth itself. With this one should endeavor for God-realization. 

The scriptures define 'labh'  as:-

Laabhasteshaam jayasteshaam kutasteshaam paraajayaha, 
Yeshaam indeevarashyaam hrudayastho janaardanaha. 

He is the true beneficiary and the truly victorious, who has installed the consort of Lakshmi, God, in his heart. Diwali then, is a festival of inner enlightenment. It is an occasion to eradicate one's inner darkness, by renouncing any addictions, bad habits and 'doshas' - base instincts, by obeying the God.