Lakshmi
is the consort of Vishnu, similar to Kuan Yin in the Buddhist faith. She is the
Hindu goddess of wealth and fortune, power and beauty. Her blessings are necessary
to assure a good life, which makes her the most worshipped feminine deity in the
Hindu faith. The descriptions of Sri or Lakshmi are very similar in Indian literature.
Some scholars believe that Sri was a pre-vedic deity connected with fertility,
water and agriculture. She was later fused with Lakshmi, the Vedic goddess of
beauty.
According to the Puranas, Lakshmi was incarnated as the daughter of the
sage Bhrigu and his wife Khyati. She was later born out of Ksheer Sagar while
she was churning. Hence, her appellation, Ksheera Samudra Raja Tanaya. As consort
of Vishnu, she is born as his spouse whenever he incarnates. When Vishnu appeared
as Vamana, Parasurama, Rama, Krishna, she appeared as Padma or Kamala, Dharani,
Sita and Rukmini. She is inseparable from Vishnu as speech is from meaning or
knowledge from intellect, or good deeds from righteousness. |
Vishnu
represents all that is male and Lakshmi, all that is female. Lakshmi is enchantingly
beautiful, and is seen standing on a lotus and adorned with a lotus garland. Often
elephants are seen on either side of her, as celestial maidens empty pitchers
of water over her. She is variously described as dark, pink, golden, yellow or
white. If Lakshmi is pictured as dark in complexion, it is to show that she is
the consort of Vishnu, the dark god. If golden yellow, she is the source of all
wealth. If white, she represents the purest form of prakriti (nature) from which
the universe grew. As she is the mother of all, a pinkish complexion reflects
her compassion for all creatures. Lakshmi
Puja is performed differently in the different parts of India. In the North of
India, Lakshmi is worshipped on the occasion of Divali while in the South of India,
she is worshipped on Vara Maha Lakshmi Vratham day, the first Friday of the month
of Shravan. |