Despite the fact that there are quite a lot of gods and goddesses in Hinduism, Lakshmi - the goddess of harmony and prosperity - deserves special attention. She is the wife of Vishnu, and that says a lot. It is believed that Lakshmi accompanies God in all his incarnations.
Therefore, she is an example of an ideal wife. Lakshmi is a goddess who personifies generosity, prosperity, harmony and beauty, compassion for all living things. She can bestow peace and tranquility in the family, so they say that if everything is good in the house, then Lakshmi lives there. If there is misfortune in the house, and the family lives in quarrels, then it is believed that the goddess left this house.
There are several legends about how Lakshmi appeared. According to the most popular version, the goddess was born during the churning of the ocean by devas (gods) and assurs (demons).
The second legend is less popular and less beautiful, but the most plausible. According to this version, Lakshmi is the daughter of the sage Bhrigu.
According to the third version, Lakshmi emerged from a lotus that floated above the surface
world waters. There is a version according to which the goddess appeared from a lotus above the head of Vishnu. But in any case, all versions of the legend agree that sheaccompanies Vishnu in all his incarnations.
How is Lakshmi described? The goddess, as a rule, is depicted as a beautiful young woman with many hands (up to 10 in some temples where this particular deity is revered). She is also depicted on a lotus with various objects. Elephants almost always water it. This shows that the Indian goddess Lakshmi connects the power of the divine (lotuses) with the power of the world (elephants). Like all gods, Lakshmi is depicted in a different color, which has a deep symbolism. For example, the dark color of the skin indicates that in front of you is the dark aspect of the goddess. Golden yellow is a symbol of abundance. White is pure nature. But most often her skin is pink - a symbol of compassion for everyone and everything.
Lakshmi is a multi-armed goddess, as she can give people four life goals. This is we alth, bodily pleasures, righteousness and bliss. However, most often Lakshmi is depicted with Vishnu, as she is his shakti, the creative energy that is inseparable from him.
What do the symbols in the hands of the goddess mean? Since Lakshmi is the goddess of prosperity and abundance, her symbols are mainly associated with this. As it was said, the lotuses in the hands are the symbols of the two worlds. And how open they are shows the degree of evolution of these worlds. The fruits of Lakshmi are a symbol of the result of our labors. Until the goddess has mercy, a person will not achieve anything in life. Coconut, interestingly, corresponds to three levels of creation: causal (nut juice), subtle (pulp), and gross (shell). pomegranate andcitron are also symbols of the worlds held by the goddess. The fruit of bilva is moksha (the highest fruit is the reward for a righteous life). Sometimes Lakshmi also holds a vessel of Ambrosia. This is a direct symbol of the fact that she can give people eternal life (similar to the Greek Ambrosia).
If you decide to purchase a statue of Lakshmi, then it is best to place it in the hallway or in the office, since these places are associated with prosperity and well-being.
