Lakshmi: the goddess of harmony and prosperity

Despite the fact that there are many gods and goddesses in Hinduism, Lakshmi, the goddess of harmony and prosperity, deserves special attention. She is the wife of Vishnu, and this says a lot. It is believed that Lakshmi accompanies the 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 quiet in the family, so they say that if everything is good in the house, then Lakshmi lives there. If in the house of misfortune, and the family lives in quarrels, it is considered that this house the goddess left.

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 the devas (gods) and the asuras (demons).

The second legend is less popular and not so beautiful, but most believable. According to this version, Lakshmi is the daughter of the sage Bhrigu.

In the third version, Lakshmi emerged from the lotus that surfaced above the surface World waters. There is a version according to which the goddess appeared from the lotus over the head of Vishnu. But in any case, all versions of the legend agree that she accompanies Vishnu in all his incarnations.

How do they describe Lakshmi? The goddess, as a rule, is portrayed as a beautiful young woman with many hands (up to 10 in some temples where this deity is worshiped). It is also depicted on a lotus with various objects. Almost always it is watered by elephants. 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 portrayed 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 more often than not, her pink skin is a symbol of compassion for everyone and everything.

Lakshmi - the goddess is multihanded, because she can give people four life goals. This wealth, enjoyment of the body, righteousness and bliss. Nevertheless, Lakshmi is most often portrayed with Vishnu, because she is his shakti, the creative energy that is inseparable from him.

What do the symbols mean in the hands of the goddess? Since Lakshmi is the goddess of prosperity and abundance, her characters are mostly associated with this. As it was said, lotuses in hands are symbols of two worlds. And how much they are revealed shows the degree of evolution of these worlds. The fruits of Lakshmi are the symbol of the result of our labors. Until the goddess does not have mercy, man will not achieve anything in life. A coconut, interestingly, corresponds to three levels of creation: causal (nut juice), thin (flesh) and coarse (shell). The garnet and the citron are also symbols of the worlds that the goddess holds. The fruit of the bilva is moksha (the highest fruit is the reward for a righteous life). Sometimes Lakshmi also holds the vessel of Ambrosia. This is a direct symbol of what it can give to people and eternal life (by analogy with Greek Ambrosia).

If you decide to buy a statue of Lakshmi, then it is best to arrange it in the hallway or in the office, since these places are connected with prosperity and well-being.