Lakshmi: Goddess of Wealth and Good Fortune
Who the goddess Lakshmi is, her birth from the cosmic ocean, her symbols and eight forms, and how she is worshipped at Diwali and beyond.
Lakshmi is the Hindu goddess of wealth, prosperity, good fortune and beauty. She is the consort of Vishnu and one of the most widely worshipped goddesses in Hinduism. Her blessing is sought for material success, but also for spiritual wealth: generosity, contentment and well-being. She is also known as Shri, a word meaning radiance, auspiciousness and prosperity, which is still used as an honorific before names.
Birth from the ocean of milk
The best-known story of Lakshmi's origin is the churning of the ocean of milk (samudra manthan), told in the Puranas and the Mahabharata. The gods and demons worked together to churn the cosmic ocean in search of amrita, the nectar of immortality, using Mount Mandara as a churning rod and the serpent Vasuki as a rope. Vishnu, as the tortoise Kurma, supported the mountain on his back.
Many treasures emerged from the ocean, including the wish-granting cow, the moon and a deadly poison which Shiva swallowed. Then Lakshmi rose from the waters, seated on a lotus. She chose Vishnu as her eternal husband.
Lakshmi and Vishnu
Lakshmi is inseparable from Vishnu, and is often shown on his chest or seated at his feet as he rests on the serpent Shesha. When Vishnu takes an avatar, Lakshmi is believed to be born alongside him: as Sita, the wife of Rama, and as Rukmini, the chief queen of Krishna. In the Sri Vaishnava tradition of south India, she is the compassionate mediator through whom devotees approach Vishnu.
Symbols
- Lotus: Lakshmi stands or sits on a lotus and holds lotuses in her hands. The lotus grows from mud yet remains pure, a symbol of beauty and spiritual purity.
- Gold coins flowing from her hand: wealth and generosity.
- Elephants pouring water over her: royal power, fertility and rain. This image is known as Gaja Lakshmi and is one of the oldest forms of her in Indian art.
- Owl (uluka): her vehicle in some traditions, especially in Bengal.
- Red clothing: usually a red sari with gold borders, symbolising auspiciousness.
The eight Lakshmis
Lakshmi is often worshipped as Ashtalakshmi, eight forms representing eight kinds of wealth: Adi Lakshmi (the primordial goddess), Dhana Lakshmi (money), Dhanya Lakshmi (grain and food), Gaja Lakshmi (power and royalty), Santana Lakshmi (children), Veera Lakshmi (courage), Vijaya Lakshmi (victory) and Vidya Lakshmi (knowledge). The exact names vary between lists.
Worship of Lakshmi
Lakshmi is honoured above all at Diwali, when homes are cleaned and lit with lamps to welcome her, and families perform Lakshmi Puja alongside Ganesha. She is believed to stay only where there is cleanliness, hard work and honesty. Other occasions include:
- Fridays, traditionally her day of the week.
- Kojagari Lakshmi Puja, on the full-moon night after Durga Puja, especially in Bengal and Odisha.
- Varalakshmi Vratam, a vow kept by married women in south India in the month of Shravana (July or August).
The Shri Sukta, an ancient hymn appended to the Rig Veda, is recited in her honour. Many Hindu businesses keep an image of Lakshmi, and some communities open new account books under her protection after Diwali.
Sources and further reading
- David Kinsley, Hindu Goddesses: Visions of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Tradition (University of California Press, 1986), chapter 2.
- Constantina Rhodes, Invoking Lakshmi: The Goddess of Wealth in Song and Ceremony (SUNY Press, 2010).