Lakshmi
Lakshmi (/ˈlʌkʃmi/; Sanskrit: लक्ष्मी, IAST: Lakṣhmī;
or Lakṣmī; lit. 'goddess
who leads to one's lakshya or
goal') is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism. She was first mentioned
in the Śrī Sūkta of the Rigveda. She is regarded as the goddess
of wealth, fortune, love, beauty, Māyā, Yoga Maya, joy, and
prosperity. She is both the wife and divine energy (shakti) of Vishnu, one of the principal deities of Hinduism
and the Supreme Being in the Vaishnava tradition. Lakshmi is
often depicted with Saraswati and Parvati as forming the
trinity (Tridevi). It is
described that for mankind, 8 types of goals (Lakshmi) are necessary according to Hinduism: spiritual
enlightenment, food, knowledge, resources, progeny, abundance, patience, and
success. Hence there are Ashta Lakshmis ('Eight Lakshmis'): Ādi
('primeval'), Dhānya ('grain'), Vidya ('knowledge'), Dhana ('money'), Santāna
('progeny'), Gaja ('elephant'), Dhairya ('courage'), and Vijaya ('victorious')
Lakshmi.
In most legends, Lakshmi emerged from the churning of the primordial
ocean (Samudra Manthan), choosing Vishnu as her eternal
consort. The Vishnu Purana mentions that when Vishnu descended
on the Earth as the avatars Rama and Krishna, Lakshmi
descended as Sita and Rukmini. Lakshmi is also known by the
honorific Shri, as she
is endowed with six auspicious qualities (guṇas). She represents the material world of the earthly realm
as the mother goddess, referred to as Bhūmi. In South India, she is
also known by her twin identities as Bhudevi and Sridevi, and in
another form, as Nila Devi. In Bengali Hindu culture, Lakshmi is
considered the daughter of Durga.
Lakshmi is depicted in Indian art as an elegantly dressed,
prosperity-showering golden-colored woman with an owl as her vehicle,
signifying the importance of economic activity in the maintenance of life, her
ability to move, work and prevail in confusing darkness. She typically
stands or sits like a yogin on a lotus pedestal, while holding a
lotus in her hand, symbolizing fortune, self-knowledge, and spiritual
liberation. Her iconography shows her with four hands, which represent the
four aspects of human life important to Hindu culture: dharma, kāma, artha,
and moksha.
Archaeological discoveries and ancient coins suggest the recognition and
reverence for Lakshmi existing by the 1st millennium BCE. Lakshmi's
iconography and statues have also been found in Hindu temples throughout
Southeast Asia, estimated to be from the second half of the 1st millennium
CE. The festivals of Diwali and Sharad Purnima (Kojagiri
Purnima) are celebrated in her honor.
Etymology
Lakshmi in Sanskrit is derived from the root word lakṣ (लक्ष्) and lakṣa (लक्ष), meaning 'to perceive, observe,
know, understand' and 'goal, aim, objective', respectively. These roots
give Lakshmi the symbolism: know and understand your goal. A
related term is lakṣaṇa,
which means 'sign, target, aim, symbol, attribute, quality, lucky mark,
auspicious opportunity'.
Lakshmi (Lakṣmī) is one
of many Hindu deities whose meaning and significance evolved in
ancient Sanskrit texts. Lakshmi is mentioned once in Rigveda, in
which the name is used to mean 'kindred mark, a sign of auspicious fortune'.
In Atharva Veda, transcribed about 1000 BCE, Lakshmi evolves into a
complex concept with plural manifestations. Book 7, Chapter 115 of Atharva Veda
describes the plurality, asserting that a hundred Lakshmis are born with the
body of a mortal at birth, some good, Punya ('virtuous') and auspicious, while others bad, paapi ('evil') and unfortunate.
The good are welcomed, while the bad urged them to leave. The concept and
spirit of Lakshmi and her association with fortune and the good is significant
enough that Atharva Veda mentions it in multiple books: for example, in Book
12, Chapter 5 as punya Lakshmi. In
some chapters of Atharva Veda, Lakshmi connotes the good, an auspicious sign,
good luck, good fortune, prosperity, success, and happiness.
Later, Lakshmi is referred to as the goddess of fortune, identified with
Sri and regarded as the wife of Viṣṇu (Nārāyaṇa). For example, in Shatapatha
Brahmana, variously estimated to be composed between 800 BCE and 300 BCE, Sri
(Lakshmi) is part of one of many theories, in ancient India, about the creation
of the universe. In Book 9 of Shatapatha Brahmana, Sri emerges from Prajapati,
after his intense meditation on the creation of life and the nature of the universe. Sri is
described as a resplendent and trembling woman at her birth with immense energy
and powers. The gods are bewitched, desire her, and immediately become
covetous of her. The gods approach Prajapati and request permission to kill her
and then take her powers, talents, and gifts. Prajapati refuses, tells the gods
that males should not kill females and that they can seek her gifts without
violence. The gods then approach Lakshmi, deity Agni gets food,
Soma gets kingly authority, Varuna gets imperial authority, Mitra
acquires martial energy, Indra gets force, Brihaspati gets priestly
authority, Savitri acquires dominion, Pushan gets
splendor, Saraswati takes nourishment and Tvashtri gets
forms. The hymns of Shatapatha Brahmana thus describe Sri as a goddess
born with and personifying a diverse range of talents and powers.
According to another legend, she emerges during the creation of
universe, floating over the water on the expanded petals of a lotus flower; she
is also variously regarded as the wife of Dharma, mother of Kāma, sister
or mother of Dhātṛ and Vidhātṛ, wife of Dattatreya, one of
the nine Shaktis of Viṣṇu,
a manifestation of Prakṛti as
identified with Dākshāyaṇī in
Bharatasrama and as Sita, wife of Rama.
In the Epics of Hinduism, such as in Mahabharata, Lakshmi
personifies wealth, riches, happiness, loveliness, grace, charm and
splendor. In another Hindu legend, about the creation of the universe as
described in Ramayana, Lakshmi springs with other precious things
from the foam of the ocean of milk when it is churned by the gods and demons
for the recovery of Amṛta.
She appeared with a lotus in her hand and so she is also called Padmā.
