Shree MahaLakshmi is the goddess of wealth, prosperity, and good fortune, not just in money but in all aspects of our life.
Goddess Lakshmi is the consort or equal partner of Lord Vishnu.
We Hindus believe in many forms of Gods.
Apart from the Supreme Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva with their consorts, Sarasvati, Lakshmi, and Parvati, all other gods are minor deities.
The Bhaagavata Purana says: One day, Sage Durvasa came across a beautiful garland and he thought that he may present it to the King of God Indra.
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Even a visit from a rishi such as Durvasa should have been considered a gift by Lord Indra.
But as it happened, Indra did not even get off his elephant to accept the gift from the rishi.
Usually Sage Durvasa, known for his short temper, would not have been happy wth this disrespect.
But this was Indra lucky day, or was it ?
He then decided to leave the garland on the head of his elephant Ayravat, while he pulled up his hair readying it to wear the garland.
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Just then came a honey bee to taste the nectar of the flowers, annoying the elephant, who promptly picked up the garland, smashed it to the floor and stomped on it.
This was indeed an insult.
The sage was enraged, he told Indra that not only had Indra insulted him, a sage, he had also disrespected MAHALAKSHMI, the goddess of sustenance, who resides within the garland, a sign of auspiciousness.
This act would cost him and his subjects to become weak and deprived, said the sage, as the goddess does not tolerate lack of virtue in anyone.
And just as predicted, Lakshmi devi left the gods and entered the ocean of milk.
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Soon, indra s kingdom of amaravati, started to fall.
The gods became weak, the asuras easily entered the heavens and conquered them.
Health, success and fortune left them.
Lost and disillusioned, the gods went to Lord Vishnu for help.
The Lord told them that the only way for them to get Lakshmi devi back from the milky ocean was to churn it.
So, the gods made a pact with the asuras and all together they churned the ocean for many years.
Many magical items came out of the ocean, some good and others dangerous.
Finally, satidfied with their hard work and perseverance, Goddess Lakshmi rose from the ocean on top of a fully bloomed lotus, trembling with fierce energy and radiating power.
This story of Lakshmi Devi’s rebirth tells us that even the gods cannot hold onto to her if they move away from the path of Dharma or righteousness.
Goddess lakshmi resides in places of virtue, hard work and bravery, where the heart is pure.
She quickly leaves when these qualities are lost.
She is said to respond to humility and sincerity and is easily offended by pride and greed.
Wealth is not only the money.
Tradition and values of life is also wealth.
Our family and progress is also wealth.
Our belongings such as land, properties, animals, grains, etc as well as virtues like patience, persistence, purity etc in the form of a character are nothing but our wealth and so also glory or victory.
Thus this eightfold Sri Lakshmi is known as Sri Ashta Lakshmi.
Mother Lakshmi is the source and provider of the following enumerated well-known sixteen types of wealth and many more:
- Fame
- Knowledge
- Courage and Strength
- Victory
- Good Children
- Valour
- Gold and other gross properties
- Grains in abundance
- Happiness
- Bliss
- Intelligence
- Beauty
- Higher Aim, High Thinking and Higher Meditation too
- Morality and Ethics
- Good Health
- Long Life
Let us glance upon the glory of mother Ashta Lakshmi’s individual nature and forms.
The Eight Forms of Lakshmi (Ashta Lakshmi)
The eight manifestations of goddess Laxmi cover all the dimensions of existence. There are a total of eight verses in the Ashtalakshmi Stotram dedicated to each manifestation of the Ashtalakshmi.
1. Adi Lakshmi
Mother Lakshmi resides with Lord Narayana in the Vaikuntha, the abode of Lord Narayana.
She is known as Ramaa, means bringing happiness to the mankind.
She is also known as Indira (who holds lotus or purity in the hands or heart.)
Divine Mother’s this form is normally seen serving Sri Narayana.
Lord Narayana is omnipresent.
Adi Lakshmi or Ramaa Lakshmi serves Sri Narayana is symbolic of her serving the whole creation.
Though Sri Narayana is attended by innumerable devotees, still she personally loves to serve the Lord.
Actually mother Adi Lakshmi and Narayana are not two different entities but one only.
Many a place we see her form sitting in the lap of Sri Narayana.
Adi Laxmi helps the Sadhaka reach his source and blesses one with enlightenment.
She opens the doors to eternal bliss and peace helping one realize the impermanence of the world.
As a result, one spontaneously develops dispassion.
Know that Adi Laxmi can be equated to Brahman or the supreme goal of all spiritualists.
Now, let me describe the form of Adi Laxmi. Adi Laxmi is a four-armed goddess.
Her lower hands are in the Abhaya and Varada mudra which is commonly seen in most of the Sanatana Dharma deities.
She holds a lotus and a flag with a sun symbol on it.