Maha - Lakshmi .

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Hare Krishna ! Maha-Lakshmi is the consort of Maha-Vishnu and the divine Mother of the Universe . In all Poornavatars of Vishnu , Lakshmidevi becomes His wife . She married Sri Rama (in Her incarnation as Sita), Sri Krishna (as Rukmini) and Sri Venkateshwara (as

Padmavati ) . According to the VEDAS , Lakshmidevi is the Goddess of wealth , light, wisdom and fortune, as well as luck, beauty and fertility . Origin Maha-Lakshmi's origins are found in the great Sri Sukta ("Hymn to Sri") that is part of the Rig-Veda . He birth is related to an ancient story . Durvasa the short-tempered Sage once presented

Indra the king of the Devas, with a garland of flowers which would never wilt . Indra kept this garland on the head of his elephant, Airavata before wearing it . The elephant after being disturbed by the bees trampled the divine garland . Seeing this, the short-tempered Durvasa cursed Indra, for showing disrespect . The Sage cursed Indra that he and all the Devas would lose their power because it had made them so proud and vain. Due to the curse,

the Asuras vanquished the Devas out of the heavens. The defeated Devas sought the help of Lord Brahma and then approached Lord Siva who took them to Vaikunta to seek the intervention of Bhagavan Maha-Vishnu . Bhagavan asked them to churn the ocean of milk, to obtain the nectar of immortality. Vishnu incarnated as Kurma (Tortoise) and supported the Manthara

Parvata (mountain) as a churning rod , while the king of the serpents, Vasuki, became the churning rope. The Devas and the Asuras (under the leadership of King Bali ) both helped each other in churning the ocean of milk . Amongst the host of divine gifts which appeared from the ocean, Goddess Maha-Lakshmi emerged as the greatest beauty ever . The enchanting Goddess then chose Maha-Vishnu as Her husband , as

only Bhagavan had the power to control Maya (illusion) . Because of this event , Lakshmi is also called the daughter of Sea-God . The popular public perception is that Lakshmidevi is the Goddess of money . This, however, is only partially correct : Maha-Lakshmi is also the Goddess of prosperity, divinity and purity. She is the Goddess of whom we ask for happiness in family, friends, marriage, children, food and wealth, beauty and health . Hence Maha-Lakshmi is the most popular Goddess , worshipped by every vedic-follower. She is also called as Dharidranashini (destroyer of poverty) and Dharidradvamshini (one who opposes poverty). Divine Names of Maha-Lakshmi Lakshmi is also known to very closely associated with the Lotus . Her many names are connected to the flower, such as : Padmapriya : One who likes lotus, Padmamaladhara devi : One who wears a garland of lotuses, Padmamukhim : One who is as beautiful as a lotus. Padmakshi : One whose eyes are as beautiful as a lotus. Padmahastam : One who holds a lotus Padmasundari : One who is as beautiful as a lotus The Divine form of Maha-Lakshmi Maha-Lakshmi is the most beautiful female in the entire universe . She is extremely fair , with four arms, seated on a lotus, dressed in fine garments and precious jewels . She has a benign countenance, is in her full youth and yet has a motherly appearance. In the form of Bhudevi or Mother Earth, she supports life and nature. In the form of Sridevi, she is with the Supreme God Maha-Vishnu and is the Goddess of beauty. Bhudevi and Sridevi are the same Lakshmi . As being the wife of Maha-Vishnu or Narayana , She is also known as Narayani . As the Divine Mother of the Universe, Maha-Lakshmi is worshiped for Her motherly feelings and power. She mercifully introduces the Bhaktas to Maha-Vishnu and urges Him to bless them . The most striking feature of Lakshmi is Her persistent association with the lotus. The meaning of the lotus in relation to Shri-Lakshmi refers to purity and spiritual power . Rooted in the mud but blossoming above the water, completely uncontaminated by the mud, the lotus represents spiritual perfection and authority. Both Maha-Lakshmi and husband Maha-Vishnu , typically sit or stand upon a lotus, which suggests their spiritual authority . To be seated upon or to be otherwise associated with the lotus suggests that the being in question : God, human being-has transcended the limitations of the finite world (the mud of existence, as it were) and floats freely in a sphere of purity and spirituality . Shri-Lakshmi thus suggests more than the fertilizing powers of moist soil and the mysterious powers of growth . She suggests a perfection or state of refinement that transcends the material world. Lakshmi is associated not only with the royal authority but with also spiritual authority, and She combines royal and priestly

powers in her presence. The lotus, and the goddess Lakshmi by association, represents the fully developed blossoming of organic life. Maha-Lakshmi's vehicle, the “owl” (Ulooka in Sanskrit), is a bird that sleeps through the day and prowls through the night . It is said that owing to its lethargic and dull

nature the Goddess takes Owl for a ride ! She could be attained only by those who know how to control it ; how to make best use of resources, like Maha-Vishnu . But those who ignore Lakshmidevi are verily the Owls or Ulookas . Worship of Maha Lakshmi Hindus worship Maha-Lakshmi the most on Deepavali , the festival of lights . According to tradition devotees would put small candles outside their homes on Deepavali and Lakshmidevi mercifully comes to bless them . The prefix Sri (also spelled as Shri, pronounced as shree) renders as 'one who takes delight in Sri (Lakshmi) , meaning wealth, wealth

of any kind. Primarily eight kinds of wealth are established, associated with Goddess Maha-Lakshmi. They are : 1) Ādi Lakṣmī [The main Goddess] . 2) Dhānya Lakṣmī [Granary wealth] . 3) Dhairya Lakṣmī [Wealth of courage] . 4) Gaja Lakṣmī [Elephants, symbols of wealth] . 5) Santāna Lakṣmī [Wealth of progeny] . 6) Vijaya Lakṣmī [Wealth of victory] . 7) Vidyā

Lakṣmī [Wealth of divine knowledge] . 8) Dhana Lakṣmī [Monetary wealth] . Any thing that need be affluent gets the auspicious prefix or suffix 'Lakshmi', or 'Sri' like Rajya Lakshmi (Wealth of Empire), Shanti Sri (Wealth of Peace), etc. Goddess Maha-Lakshmi is worshipped by those who wish to acquire or to preserve wealth. Lakshmidevi goes only to those houses which are clean and where the people are hardworking. She does not visit the places which are unclean/dirty or where the people are lazy. “Srimad Narayaneeyam ” (which was personally approved by Sri Krishna) confirms (verse 2.6) : “ Oh! Maha-Vishnu , the dearest husband of Maha-Lakshmi ! Because of Her addiction to Your Supreme charm , Lakshmidevi’s prosperous grace to others is inconsistent . But , in the case

of Your Bhaktas who always praise Your glories , Maha-Lakshmi dwells permanently to hear about Her husband “ . Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya!!! Krishnadaya .

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