Maa Lakshmi is said to be unsteady and transient and does not stay at one place for long. Since everyone desires that She stay within the home permanently, prayers are offered to Maa Lakshmi. It is believed that the art of attracting Goddess Laxmi through devotion is secret and difficult to achieve. This is because of a strict direction by Vishvamitra, who directed that the procedures must be kept secret and taught to a capable successor only at the end of one's life.
In the Ravana Samhita, Ravana has said that devotion to Lakshmi is an outstanding devotion, and that he learnt it from Kuber, the God of Wealth. He said that with that knowledge he was able to make Lanka prosperous.In the Goraksh Samhita, Guru Gorakhnath has also described devotion to Lakshmi a outstanding. Lord Krishna stressed that through devotion to Lakshmi great prosperity can be attained as He did in Dwarka. In the Hitopadesh, 178, it is said: Whoever is enthusiastic, active, capable in his work, not addicted to vice, grateful and devotedly friendly shall find that Lakshmi voluntarily comes to reside in his home.
In the Mahabharata, Udyogparv, it is said: Patience, self-control, control over the senses, compassion, gentle speech and holding no grudges against friends and others promote glory and prosperity.