लक्ष्मी
[laksmi] IAST: LAKṢMĪ
Consort of महाविष्णु .
Origin
देवी originated from the left side of परमात्मा ( सुप्रेमे बेइन्ग् ). The beautiful देवी by a command from the सुप्रेमे बेइन्ग् divided herself into two enchanting damsels both equal in figure, splendour, age, majesty, adornment and love. One of these was लक्ष्मीदेवी and the other राधादेवी . That born of the left was रमा and that of the right, राधा . राधा wedded herself to the two-handed श्री कृष्ण and लक्ष्मी also wanted the same person and so भगवान् himself became two, श्रि कृष्ण from the left side as a two-handed person and as four-handed विष्णु from the right side. (9th Skandha. Devī Bhāgavata) .
Different incarnations of लक्ष्मी
लक्ष्मी had many incarnations and she had been on earth in different forms at different times. They are given below:
Birth from the ocean of milk
Once the देवस् became aged and afflicted with rugosity and grey hairs by a curse of दुर्वासस् . इन्द्र lost his majesty and was ousted from स्वर्ग . स्वर्गलक्ष्मी deserted देवलोक and went to वैकुण्ठ and merged with महालक्ष्मी .
The Devas were greatly aggrieved on account of this plight of theirs and they went to Satyaloka and appealed to ब्रह्मा to find a solution to their difficulties. ब्रह्मा was helpless in the matter and so they all together went to वैकुण्ठ and represented their grievances before महाविष्णु . विष्णु smiled and told महालक्ष्मी thus: "You go and be born as क्षीरसागरकन्यका using a part of your inherent power and do give relief to the Devas." Accordingly when the Devas conducted the churning of the ocean of milk ( क्षीराब्धिमथन ) महालक्ष्मी , the goddess of beauty, wealth and prosperity arose from the ocean as क्षीरसागरकन्यका (Daughter of the ocean of milk) and blessed the Devas and put a वनमाला (garland of wild flowers) on महाविष्णु . The Devas got back all their lost wealth and prosperity and they, on going to Devaloka, worshipped लक्ष्मीदेवी properly. (9th Skandha, Devī Bhāgavata) .
महालक्ष्मी was born as a mare. (See under Ekavīra, Para 2) .
महालक्ष्मी was born as the तुलसी plant (Holy Basil. (See under Tulasī) .)
महालक्ष्मी was born as सीता and वेदवती . (See under Sītā) .
Other births:
महालक्ष्मी was born as a daughter to the sage भृगु of ख्याति . When महाविष्णु incarnated as सूर्य , लक्ष्मी rose up from the lotus. When विष्णु became परशुराम , लक्ष्मी became the earth. When महाविष्णु incarnated as श्री राम , लक्ष्मी became सीता and when विष्णु was born as कृष्ण लक्ष्मी became राधा . Thus whenever and wherever महाविष्णु changed his form, महालक्ष्मी also changed hers to form part of the changed life. (Chapter 9, Aṃśa 1, Viṣṇu Purāṇa)
महालक्ष्मी cursed विष्णु
Once महालक्ष्मी cursed महाविष्णु , her husband, that his head would drop off from his body. (See under Cital) .
Two forms of लक्ष्मी
महालक्ष्मी has two forms, विष्णु -priyā लक्ष्मी and राज्यलक्ष्मी . The former is the embodiment of chastity and virtuousness. The latter goes about courting Kings. राज्यलक्ष्मी is fickle and unsteady. This लक्ष्मी enters all places where virtue and charity are found and as soon as these two vanish from any place राज्यलक्ष्मी will also vanish from that place.
लक्ष्मी in cow-dung
The people of भारत consider cow dung as very sacred and there is a story in the 82nd Chapter of अनुशासन पर्व as to how cow-dung became so sacred;
Once a herd of cows was grazing in a large grassy ground when लक्ष्मी happened to pass that way. महालक्ष्मी was pleased at the cows and bade them ask for any boon they wanted. The cows were prosperity incarnate and contented and they rejected the offer of लक्ष्मी and when pressed again by her, said that they would like to have prosperity deposited in their dung also. महालक्ष्मी did so and so even today it is believed that the cowdung is embedded with prosperity.
Other details:
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लक्ष्मी stays in the court of कुबेर . [mh-2-10-19 ] .
महालक्ष्मी is installed in temples as an idol carrying a lotus in her right hand and a Bilva fruit in her left hand. (Chapter 50, Agni Purāṇa) .
लक्ष्मीदेवी stays in the court of ब्रह्मा also. [mh-2-11-41 ] .
A daughter of दक्षप्रजापति . She was married to धर्मदेव . [mh-1-66-14 ] .
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