Lakshmi is the Hindu goddess of good fortune and beauty. She is actively worshipped around the globe by millions of Hindus and interfaith practitioners of goddess spirituality, and personifies abundance, prosperity, and wealth. It is said that three millennia ago, Lakshmi was born, fully grown, on a pink lotus that rose from the milky sea. She was immediately bedecked, bejeweled, and worshipped by the gods and sages. They prayed that she would come to their abodes, and to their worlds, because they believed that where Lakshmi is, one finds riches and fulfillment.
"Believers" of all faiths trust that praying to the goddess of fortune brings all things good to life. Her eternal consort is Lord Vishnu, known as the Preserver, and her cohort is Ganesh, the elephant-headed Lord of Obstacles. Lakshmi, like many Hindu deities, is often pictured as a beautiful Indian woman with big dark eyes and with four arms. Most Hindu shopkeepers and business people keep her image in their place of business because they believe she brings them luck. With a sari-clad form that is very feminine and full, she sits or stands on her lotus throne. She usually holds two lotuses in her two hands at the back. Her front arms offer blessings and what are known as "boons" or favors from the gods. Her ability to enhance good fortune is symbolized by the gold coins that you see pouring from her hands back into the ocean of life.
By Laurie Sue Brockway © 2022