Sri Lakshmi

Manifestation

The formless Supreme Being (Brahman) has eternally manifested as a triad of three couples of which Vishnu represents the Divine role as the Lord, Preserver, Sustainer of the bounteous creation which is represented by His consort Lakshmi. When Vishnu incarnates as Rama and Krishna to vanquish evil and re-establish the primacy of Dharma, Lakshmi co-incarnates with Him as Sita and Rukmani respectively.

Although eternal, Lakshmi hid in the primeval ocean and re-appeared to remarry Vishnu during the churning of this ocean on the day of Diwali, the greatest of Hindu festivals. The word ‘laksha’ literally means ‘lady owner of a hundred thousand’ and figuratively means ‘owner of infinite riches’. Therefore, ‘Lakshmi’ means mother nature or the universe which has infinite riches. The different kinds of wealth, glories, excellence or treasures in our lives like grains, victory, children and money are regarded as Her worldly manifestations that we should cherish and respect. ‘Laksh’ also means ‘to observe’ and ‘Lakshya’ means ‘purpose and focus’, indicating that prosperity comes only to those who are observant and focused in their lives.

Physical Attributes/Symbolism

• She is often shown being showered with water by elephants. This symbolizes the importance of regular rain to produce bounteous harvests and prosperity in the country.
• She wears a red Sari which represents the emotional and active aspect of our personalities. She is adorned with precious jewels. Elephants reflect her royal splendor.
• She rides an owl, a symbol of foolishness in Hindu traditions (unlike the ‘wise owl’ in western traditions). This indicates that Lakshmi takes a foolish man (owl) for a ride, whereas a wise person never lets his wealth overpower his wisdom.
• Lakshmi is closely associated with the Lotus flower, which grows out of muddy beds of ponds but rises above everything to remain pure. This indicates that one must toil and work hard to obtain wealth, but the wealth must always be pure and not contaminated by dishonesty and cheating.

Qualities

• Lakshmi is said to reside in homes which are neat and tidy, where people work hard and are free of anger, are grateful for what they have, are worshipful of the Deities, and are respectful towards the elders; where they dress decently, are truthful, calm, polite and good natured. Therefore, Lakshmi herself is depicted as a Deity who is very polite, gracious, calm and respectful.
• In Hindu narratives, Lakshmi is said to be very fickle and unfaithful, and disappears from time to time. This is to teach us that wealth is not permanent and moves constantly from the hands of one person to the other. Therefore, we should not be too possessive or obsessed with material possessions and success because they are not everlasting.

Ways of Worship and Types of Devotees

On Diwali, Hindus in North India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal worship Lakshmi and pray for prosperity in their lives for the next year. They clean their homes, adorn new clothes and invite Her for the worship, offering Her turmeric and vermillion (sindoor). Lakshmi is worshipped along with Vishnu by Hindus who are Vaishnavas (for whom Vishnu is the chief Deity), as well as by those Hindus (Shāktas) who worship the Divine as a Devī (Universal Mother).

Avatars of/Related to

She incarnated as Sita when Vishnu appeared as Rama. And She appeared as Rukmani when Vishnu took on the Avatara of Krishna.

Regions most worshiped

The famous Mahalakshmi Mandir in Kolhapur (India) is dedicated to Her. She is worshipped alongside Vishnu in many other temples and is often referred to as ‘Shree’, a personification of glory, splendor, beauty and wealth. Other famous temples to Her are at Chhattarpur (Delhi), Mahalakshmi (Mumbai) etc. The Mūrti in our temple is a smaller replica of the original at the Varadarāja temple in Kanchipuram (India) constructed in 1053 CE.

Well-Known Stories

• These occur in scriptures like the Vishnu Purāṇa, Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Mahābhārata and several Pāñcharātra and Vaikhānas Āgamas.
• Wealth versus Wisdom: Lakshmi represents wealth whereas Sarasvati represents wisdom and knowledge. In a conversation over who is greater, Lakshmi or Sarasvati, Vishnu said, “Both of you are great in your own way. Without knowledge and wisdom, a human being is no better than an animal. Therefore, Sarasvati is very important and great. On the other hand, without money, you cannot buy books, pens and other materials for acquiring education. A poor scholar lives in misery.”

Fascinating Facts

• When Hindus buy a new home (or other valuable possessions, like cars), a little girl is made to dip her feet in a red slurry of vermillion in water and walk a few steps from the entry door into the house. This symbolizes that Lakshmi has entered the home and will ensure its prosperity and well-being.
• When a couple marry, the bride is welcomed into her new home by her in-laws as a manifestation of Lakshmi who has arrived to adorn and glorify their family.

Other Popular Names

• Shree: Glory, splendor, beauty, royalty, wealth.

Popular/Well-known Prayers

• “Om Hreem Shreem Lakshmeebhyo Namah” (Om! Salutations to Shree Lakshmi, Hreem being an esoteric word indicating Her mysterious power) is a short mantra chanted popularly.
• The Shree Sūkta in the Rigveda and Yajurveda.
• Mahālakshmī Aṣhtakaṃ, a hymn of 8 verses in the Padma Purāṇa