Goddess Lakshmi – Hindu Goddess of Wealth and Fortune

Last Updated on / Atualizado em
November 13, 2020 by DanFF

In this post, you’ll learn who Goddess Lakshmi is, which are her main symbols, her attributes, her story and how to summon her.

Table of contents:

• Who is Goddess Lakshmi?
• Which are Lakshmi’s main symbols?
• Goddess of Fortune, Vishnu’s consort
• Goddess of Wealth, Ganesha’s Mother
• Prosperity and Persistence
• How to summon Lakshmi?
• The Goddess Tarot

Who is Goddess Lakshmi?

Goddess Lakshmi is a Hindu Goddess which is considered to be part of every woman. She is usually depicted as a woman with golden skin and four arms symbolizing the goals of mankind: Dharma (seek for a moral and ethical life), Artha (search for spiritual wealth), Kama (search for love, emotional fulfilment) and Moshka (self-knowledge).

You can watch the video below and/or continue reading this post:

As the Goddess of Wealth, the name Lakshmi means “good luck” and she is revered every Friday on an altar inside the houses of her devotees as she brings fortune to the family. She is also seen as the
Goddess of Fortune.

She is the Goddess who attracts and generates prosperity, purity, generosity, grace and charm. However, if she is mistreated or scorned she can bring misfortune and poverty.

Which are Lakshmi’s main symbols?

Lakshmi’s main symbols are:

• The Lotus flower;
• Golden coins;
• Elephants spouting water;
• Jewels and sparkling precious stones.

Lakshmi is considered to be:

• Goddess of wealth;
• Goddess of prosperity (both mental and spiritual).
• Goddess of Fortune;
• Goddess of Beauty;
• Goddess of Abundance;
• Goddess of Luck.

Goddess of Fortune, Vishnu’s consort

Lakshmi is also called Sri. During the battle of the gods against the Daityas, the gods were defeated thanks to a curse cast by Durvasas that left them without strength and without good fortune.

So the Gods called Vishnu and asked him to protect them from the Asuras. In brief, Vishnu proposed that the Gods and Asuras joined together to churn the ocean of milk, the provider of the nectar of life that would be divided among all. During the event, from a Lotus flower, arises Sri (Lakshmi) who brings back strength, luck and fortune to all Gods and becomes the consort of Vishnu.

In the text Visnu and Sri from the book Classical Hindu Mythology the greatness of Lakshmi and Vishnu is praised. Read it below:

Visnu and Sri

The eternal Sri, loyal to Visnu, is the mother of the world. Just as Visnu pervades the universe, O excellent brahmin, so does she. Visnu is meaning; Sri is speech. She is conduct, Hari is behaviour. Visnu is knowledge; she is insight. He is Dharma; she is virtuous action.

Visnu is the creator, Sri is creation. She is the earth and Hari earth’s upholder. The eternal Laksmi is contentment, o Maitreya, blessed lord is satisfaction. Sri is wish, the lord desire. He is the sacrifice, she the fee. The goddess is the offering of butter, Janardana the sacrificial cake. At the sacrifice, Lakshmi is the women’s hut, Madhusudana the sacrificial site. Laksmi is the altar, Hari the sacrificial pole. Sri is the firewood, the lord the sacred grass. The lord has the nature of the Sama Veda; the lotus-born Sri is the ugitha*. Lakshmi is the svaha cry; Jagannatha Vasudeva is the oblation-eating fire.

*the principal part of the chant called saman.

Sauri the lord is Sankara, and Laksmi is Gauri, excellent brahmin. Kesava is the sun, Maitreya, and the lotus-dwelling goddess is its light. Visnu is the host of the Fathers, Padma the svadha offering of constant nourishment. Sri is the sky; Visnu, the Self of everything, is wide-open space. Sri’s husband is the moon; its beauty is the constant Sri. Lakshmi is fortitude, enacted in the world, Hari the all-pervading wind. Govinda is the ocean, O brahmin; Sri is the shore, great seer.

Laksmi bears the form of Indrani**, while Madhusudana is Indra, her spouse, among the gods. The discus-bearing Visnu is Yama personified; the lotus-dwelling Laksmi is his wife. Sri is prosperity; the one who possesses Sri is the lord of wealth himself. Illustrious Laksmi is Gauri; Kesava is Varuna himself. Sri is the host of gods, chief brahmin, and Hari is lord of the host.

He who bears a mace in his right hand is reliability, O excellent twice-born one; Laksmi is power. Laksmi is the instant, the lord the wink of an eye. He is the hour; she is the second. Laksmi is light; he is the lamp. Hari is everything and lord of everything as well. Sri, mother of the world, is a forest creeper while Visnu is a tree. Sri is the starry night; the god who carries mace and discus is the day. Visnu, granter of wishes, is the bridegroom; the lotus-dwelling goddess is the bride.

Appearing in the form of a male river is the lord, while Sri takes as a female river. The lotus-eyed god is a banner; the lotus-dweller is flag. Lakshmi is desire, O Maitreya, and Jagannatha Narayana is greed. Together Laksmi and Govinda are passion and love.

What more is there to tell? In summary, let it be said that among and human beings, Hari is all that is known as male, and Sri all that is known as female. There is nothing more beyond these two!

***Indra’s wife

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Goddess of Wealth, Ganesha’s Mother

Lakshmi had no children. At one point in her life, Lakshmi found herself surrounded by riches but she felt something was missing in her life. Shiva warned her that she lacked the experience of being a mother in order to understand that only material wealth was not enough to be happy.

Then, Lakshmi appealed to Goddess Parvati and asked to adopt one of her two children. Parvati found the request of Lakshmi strange since she travelled a lot, thus there would be no time to take care of a child. Lakshmi begged and promised to take care with all the love and affection that were needed. Parvati accepted the request and sent Ganesha to be the son of Lakshmi.

Lakshmi then became complete and all her wealth, which once supported her ego, came to sustain love and generosity. Lakshmi represents wealth and Ganesha represents wisdom. It is not possible to possess wealth without wisdom.

Prosperity and Persistence

Through her teachings, the Goddess Lakshmi shows how to achieve goals, material and spiritual prosperity with wisdom and purity.

Like other Hindu Goddesses such as Goddess Sarasvati, Goddess Lakshmi is also often associated with the lotus flower, which blooms in clean or dirty water. This is a symbolism for life itself: even though it does not possess favourable conditions to flourish, the lotus flower flourishes showing that with determination and perseverance everything can be achieved.

How to summon Goddess Lakshmi?

Diwali is the most important celebration of the year for the Hindus, it is the celebration of the New Year, the festival of lights. It lasts for at least five days and it’s known for the joy of the people and the intensity of the lights from dusk.

It is believed that Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha will visit everyone during this period bringing peace and prosperity. It is common for devotees to dress in new clothes, to share sweets and food with the family, and to light oil lamps.

Summoned for love, abundance, wealth, power, physical health and harmony, Lakshmi spills her blessings at any time of year. You can summon her through one of her mantras:

Om Shrim Maha Lakshmiyay Swaha

Which means: “Greetings to the one who offers abundance.“

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The Goddess Tarot

The Goddess Lakshmi is on the Goddess Tarot by Kris Waldherr. The card number X, Lakshmi, represents Fortune.

The Hindu Goddess of fortune and prosperity. It is believed that Lakshmi is drawn to brilliant jewels, which are like the riches she bestows upon her favourite worshipers.

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Also read about other Hindu Goddesses

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