Goddess Laxmi - Informative & researched article on Goddess Laxmi
  Indianetzone: Largest Free Encyclopedia of India with thousand of articles Indian Religion


in  
Art & Culture | Entertainment | Health | Reference | Sports | Society | Travel
Forum  | RSS Feeds  | Free E-magazine
Indian Religion : Vastu Shastra l Indian Religions l Indian Myths l Indian Mythology l Gods of India l Goddesses Of India l Religious Thinkers of India l Types of Religion in India l History of Indian Religion l Indian Yogis l Ajivikas l Sacred Scriptures in Indian Religion l Tantra l Shaivism l Indian Communities l Sacred Animals in India l Roman Impact on South Indian Art and Society l Bhattacharyas l Indian Classical Terms
Home > Society > Indian Religion > Types of Religion in India > Hinduism > Hindu Goddesses > Goddess Laxmi
Goddess Laxmi
Goddess Laxmi is considered as the Goddess of wealth and prosperity by all the Hindus.

Goddess LaxmiLaxmi is the beloved of Lord Narayan, also popularly known as Lord Vishnu. Everybody wants to please the Goddess of wealth and keep her appeased so as to have lot of wealth and peace.

According to the sculptures and paintings that have come down from ancient times, Owl is the carrier of Goddess Laxmi. If she travels with Lord Vishnu, she travels on the Garuda (Eagle). This travelling on both the animals has symbollic significance: An owl is supposed to be blind during the day and a wealthy person without the right kind of intellect cannot see beyond his richness. Therefore whenever Laxmi (The Goddess of Wealth) travels without Lord Vishnu she makes the person whom she visits metaphorically blind. However when the Goddess Laxmi travels with Lord Vishnu, She travels on a Garuda, which is the symbol of wisdom.

As a female counterpart of Lord Vishnu, Mata Lakshmi is also called "Shri", the female of the Supreme Being. Goddess Lakshmi means "Good Luck" to Hindus. The word "Lakshmi" is derived from the Sanskrit word "Laksya", meaning `aim` or `goal`, and she is the goddess of wealth and prosperity, both material and spiritual. Also `lakh` which means "one hundred thousand" as a monetary unit in India, is the first part of Lakshmi`s name, symbolizing her blessings that pour forth abundantly.

The story of Lakshmi`s birth begins when the Devas (minor gods) were in a race against the Asuras (demons) to obtain amrit (the nectar of immorality). The Devas consulted Vishnu who was on earth as Kurma, a tortoise. They decided they would churn the oceans for the amrit. They created to churn by the threading the serpent Vasuki around Mount Mandara. Kurma dived to the ocean floor and balanced Mount Mandara on his back.

In the grip of Kurma`s cosmic clutch, the mountain could not sink into the ocean bed. The gods churned and received the Nectar of Immortality from Lakshmi Devi and then fourteen treasures came to their hands. Lakshmi Chose Lord Vishnu as Her Consort. Vishnu carried Lakshmi from the ocean into His heaven. Each time Vishnu descends on earth as an avatar an avatar of Lakshmi accompanies him.

(Last Updated on : 27/01/2009)
  More on Hindu Goddesses...
 
Goddess Durga Goddess Kali Goddess Laxmi
Goddess Saraswati Parvati Chandi
Chamunda Chhinnamastaka Manasa
Shaktism Agathamma Aghorahanta
Brahmi Chandi Manasa
Mattangi Syama Sri, Goddess Lakshmi
Susti Sinivali, Vedic Goddess Saranyu
Ambha Matha Annapurna Shakti Goddess
Dakshayana Mari Padmavati
Paulomi Prasuti Pratyusha
Rati Renuka Rudrakali
Jyeshta Kalindi, Goddess Yamuna Kamakhya, Hindu Goddess
Karali Kaumari Kushmanda
Lalita    
Recently Updated Articles in Indian Religion
  • Dhammapada
    Dhammapada, the core of Buddhist teaching in Pali language, is considered the gospel of Buddhism even today
  •  
  • Brahma Nirvana
    Brahma Nirvana is the ultimate communion with the eternal Reality of life that is the Brahma.
  •  
  • Ahmadiyya Sect,
    Ahmadiyya Sect is an Islamic sect founded in India by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian.
  •  
  • Arahant
    Arhant according to the philosophy of Dhammapada is an individual who has attained the highest degree.
  •  
E-mail this Article | Post a Comment
Free E-magazine
Subscribe to Free
E-Magazine on Indian Religion

 
Goddess Laxmi - Informative & researched article on Goddess Laxmi
Sitemap
Contact Us   |   RSS Feeds
Copyright © 2008 Jupiter Infomedia Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved including the right to reproduce the contents in whole or in part in any form or medium without the express written permission of Jupiter Infomedia Pvt. Ltd.