Lakshmi the wife of Vishnu and Goddess of Love, Beauty, and Prosperity ( Brief Details about Goddess Lakshmi )

 LAKSHMI

Lakshmi, or very commonly Sri, is the wife of Vishnu, and under various names appears in this relation in his various incarnations. "As the lord of the worlds, the god of gods, Janārddana descends amongst mankind in various shapes; so does his coadjutor Sri. Thus, when Hari was born a dwarf, the son of Aditi, Lakshmi appeared from the lotus as Padmā, or Kamalā; when he was born as Rāma (Parasurāma) of the race of Bhrigu, she was Dharāni; when he was Rāghava (Ramachandra), she was Sita; and when he was Krishna, she was Rukmini. In the other descents of Vishnu, she was his associate. If he takes a celestial form, she appears as divine; if a mortal, she becomes a mortal too, transforming her own person agreeably to whatever character it pleases Vishnu to assume."

There are two somewhat contradictory accounts of her origin; the "Vishnu Purāna" explains this. "The divinities Dhāta and Vidhātā were born to Bhrigu by Khyāti, as was a daughter Sri, the wife of Nārāyana, the god of gods." The question is asked, "It is commonly said that Sri was born from the sea of milk when it was churned for ambrosia; how then can you say that she was the daughter of Bhrigu and Khyāti?" In answer to this question, a most elaborate account of her virtues is given: "Sri, the bride of Vishnu, the mother of the world, is eternal, imperishable; as he is all-pervading, so she is omnipresent. Vishnu is meaning, she is speech; Hari is a polity, she is prudence; Vishnu is understanding, she is intellect; he is righteousness, she is devotion; Sri is the earth, Hari is its support. In a word, of gods, animals, and men, Hari is all that is called male; Lakshmi is all that is termed female; there is nothing else than they." Later on, we read, "Her first birth was as the daughter of Bhrigu and Khyāti; it was at a subsequent period that she was produced from the sea, at the churning of the ocean by the demons and the gods."

The account of the churning of the ocean, to which frequent reference is made in the Hindu scriptures, is found in the Rāmāyana, and several of the Purānas; though there are some discrepancies, they agree in the main. The reason for this great act is as follows:— A saint named Durvāras, a portion of Siva was travelling when he met a celestial nymph with a sweet-smelling garland, which at his request she gave to him. Excited with the scent, he was dancing, when he met Indra, seated on his elephant. To please the mighty god, the saint presented him with the garland, who placed it upon his elephant's bead. The elephant in his turn becoming excited seized the garland with his trunk and threw it upon the ground. Durvāras, seeing his gift slighted, cursed the god in his anger, and told him that his kingdom should be overwhelmed with ruin. From that time Indra's power began to wane; for though he sought forgiveness, the Brāhman's anger was not to be appeased. As the effects of the curse were experienced by the gods, they, fearing they should be overcome by the asuras, fled to Brahmā for help. He told them he could not assist them; that Vishnu alone could do this, whom he advised them to seek. Brahmā conducted them to Vishnu; and, having sufficiently lauded him, caused him to lend a willing ear to their request. In the following lines,94  put into verse, from the "Vishnu Purāna," we have their prayer, Vishnu's advice, and its result:—

"The gods addressed the mighty Vishnu thus:  Conquered in battle by the evil demons,  We fly to thee for succour; soul of all,  Pity and by thy might deliver us!'  Hari, the lord, creator of the world,  Thus by the gods implored, all graciously  Replied, 'Your strength shall be restored, ye gods—  Only accomplish what I now command:  Unite yourselves in peaceful combination With these your foes; collect all plants and herbs  Of diverse kinds from every quarter; cast them  Into the sea of milk; take Mandara,  The mountain, for a churning stick, and Vāsuki,  The serpent, for a rope; together churn  The ocean to produce the beverage—  Source of all strength and immortality—  Then reckon on mine aid: I will take care  Your foes shall share your toil, but not partake  In its reward, or drink th’ immortal draught.' Thus by the god of gods advised, the host  United in alliance with the demons.  Straightway they gathered various herbs, and cast them  Into the waters; then they took the mountain  To serve as churning-staff; and next the snake  To serve as cord, and in the ocean's midst  Hari himself, present in tortoise form,  Became a pivot for the churning-staff.  Then did they churn the sea of milk; and first  Out of the waters rose the sacred cow—  God-worshipped Surabhi—eternal fountain  Of milk and offerings of butter; next,  While holy Siddhas wondered at the sight,  With eyes all rolling, Vāruni uprose—  Goddess of Wine. Then from the whirlpool sprang  Fair Pārijāta, tree of Paradise, delight  Of heavenly maidens, with its fragrant blossoms  Perfuming the whole world. Th’ Apsarasas,  Troop of celestial nymphs, matchless in grace,  Perfect in loveliness, were next produced.  Then from the sea uprose the cool-rayed moon,  Which Mahādeva seized; terrific poison  Next issued from the waters—this the snake-gods  Claimed as their own. Then, seated on a lotus,  Beauty's bright goddess, peerless Sri, arose  Out of the waves; and with her, robed in white,  Came forth Dhanvantari, the gods’ physician.  High in his hand he bore the cup of nectar—  Life-giving draught—longed for by gods and demons." 

On Sri's appearance, the sages were enraptured, the heavenly choristers sang her praises, and the celestial nymphs danced before her. Gangā and the other sacred streams followed her, and the heavenly elephants took up their pure waters in golden vessels and poured them upon her. The sea of milk presented her with a wreath of unfading flowers, and the artist of the gods decorated her with lovely ornaments. Thus bathed, attired, and adorned, the goddess, in the presence of the gods, cast herself upon the breast of Hari, and, reclining there, gazed upon the gods, who were enraptured with her. Siva was most violent and wished to possess himself of her. From the demons she turned away; hence they were miserable. Seeing the cup of nectar, they tried to seize it, when Vishnu, assuming the appearance of a beautiful woman, attracted their attention, whilst the gods quaffed the divine cup. The result was that in the conflict which followed the gods were successful.  

The following account of Sri is from the Rāmāyana:— 

 "When many a year had fled,  Up floated, on her lotus bed,  A maiden fair, and tender-eyed,  In the young flush of beauty's pride.  She shone with pearl and golden sheen,  And seals of glory stamped her queen.  On each round arm glowed many a gem,  On her smooth brows a diadem.  Rolling in waves beneath her crown,  The glory of her hair rolled down.  Pearls on her neck of price untold,  The lady shone like burnished gold. Queen of the gods, she leapt to land,  A lotus in her perfect hand,  And fondly, of the lotus sprung,  To lotus-bearing Vishnu clung.  Her, gods above and men below  As Beauty's Queen and Fortune know. 

 As noticed in this last extract, Lakshmi, or Sri, is regarded as the goddess of Love, Beauty, and Prosperity. When a man is growing rich, it is said that Lakshmi has come to dwell with him; whilst those in adversity are spoken of as "forsaken of Lakshmi." In pictures, she is painted like a lady of bright golden colour, seated on a lotus, with two arms. 

"The name of Lakshmi as that of a goddess does not occur in the Rig-Veda, though the word itself is found in its signification as prosperity."   

Lakshmi is known also by the following names:—

• Haripriyā, "The beloved of Hari."
•  The Padma, "The Lotus," and Padmālaya, "She who dwells on a lotus."
•  Jaladhijā, "The ocean-born."
•  Chanchalā, "The fickle one."
•  Lokamāta, "The mother of the world."