The Sanskrit term Alakṣmī can be transliterated into English as Alaksmi or Alakshmi, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Hinduism

Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)

Source: SriMatham: Vaiṣṇava Iconology based on Pañcarātra Āgama

Alakṣmī (अलक्ष्मी):—The name for the older sister of Lakṣmī who represents everything that is the opposite of Lakṣmī. She is also known as Jyeṣṭha (“The Elder”). Alakṣmī is also identified as the Mahāvidya Dhūmavatī and the goddess of misfortune—Nirṛti. She resides wherever there is dirt, filth, crime, povery etc. She is depicted as naked, unkempth and rides a donkey. Her offerings consists of chillies and limes.

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Pancaratra (पाञ्चरात्र, pāñcarātra) represents a tradition of Hinduism where Narayana is revered and worshipped. Closeley related to Vaishnavism, the Pancaratra literature includes various Agamas and tantras incorporating many Vaishnava philosophies.

Shilpashastra (iconography)

Source: Red Zambala: Hindu Icons and Symbols | Devi

Alakṣmī (अलक्ष्मी, “misfortune”).—The daughter of Lakṣmī, who is the Hindu Goddess of fortune, and the śakti of Viṣṇu. Alakṣmī is also known as Jyeṣṭhā (“the elder sister”).

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Shilpashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, śilpaśāstra) represents the ancient Indian science (shastra) of creative arts (shilpa) such as sculpture, iconography and painting. Closely related to Vastushastra (architecture), they often share the same literature.

Ayurveda (science of life)

Source: archive.org: Vagbhata’s Ashtanga Hridaya Samhita (first 5 chapters)

Alakṣmī (अलक्ष्मी) refers to “unbeautifulness”, as mentioned in verse 5.21-23 of the Aṣṭāṅgahṛdayasaṃhitā (Sūtrasthāna) by Vāgbhaṭa.—Accordingly, “[...] among the (different kinds of milk [viz., payas]), cow’s milk [viz., gavya] (is) a vitalizer (and) elixir; (it is) wholesome for pulmonary rupture and pulmonary consumption, intellectualizing, invigorative, productive of breast-milk, (and) purgative, (and) destroys fatigue, giddiness, intoxication, unbeautifulness [viz., alakṣmī], dyspnea, cough, excessive thirst, hunger, old fever, strangury, and hemorrhage [...]”.

Note: Alakṣmī (“unbeautifulness”) has been represented by dpal ñams (“impaired beauty”).

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Āyurveda (आयुर्वेद, ayurveda) is a branch of Indian science dealing with medicine, herbalism, taxology, anatomy, surgery, alchemy and related topics. Traditional practice of Āyurveda in ancient India dates back to at least the first millenium BC. Literature is commonly written in Sanskrit using various poetic metres.

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation

Alakṣmī (अलक्ष्मी) or Alakṣmīka refers to “losing one’s fortune”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.4.1 (“The dalliance of Śiva”).—Accordingly, as Lord Viṣṇu said to Brahmā: “[...] If any one separates the copulated pair by a tricky expedient, he will have the pangs of separation from his wife and sons in every birth. He will fall from perfect wisdom. His glory will be destroyed. He will lose his fortune (alakṣmīka). That sinner after his death will suffer the tortures of the hell Kālasūtra for a hundred thousand years. The sage Durvāsas separated Indra in copulation with Rambhā and the sage got separation from his wife as a result thereof. [...]”.

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The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.

Languages of India and abroad

Marathi-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

alakṣmī (अलक्ष्मी).—f (S) Misfortune, poverty, adversity. According to the popular understanding (of which see the correction under jyēṣṭhā kaniṣṭhā) lakṣmī & ala- kṣmī are two sisters, and arose together out of the sea. The first was espoused to Vish̤ṇu, the second seeks a husband at every door.

Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-English

alakṣmī (अलक्ष्मी).—f Poverty, misfortune.

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Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Alakṣmī (अलक्ष्मी).—f.

1) Evil fortune, bad luck, distress, poverty; कामान् दुग्धे विप्रकर्षत्यलक्ष्मीम् (kāmān dugdhe viprakarṣatyalakṣmīm) Uttararāmacarita 5.3.

2) The goddess of misfortune.

Derivable forms: alakṣmīḥ (अलक्ष्मीः).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Alakṣmī (अलक्ष्मी).—f.

(-kṣmīḥ) Misfortune, poverty. E. a priv. and lakṣmī fortune.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Alakṣmī (अलक्ष्मी).—f. bad luck, [Rāmāyaṇa] 3, 72, 25.

Alakṣmī is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms a and lakṣmī (लक्ष्मी).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1) Alakṣmī (अलक्ष्मी):—[=a-lakṣmī] f. evil fortune, bad luck, distress, poverty

2) [v.s. ...] (mfn.) causing misfortune, [Śāṅkhāyana-gṛhya-sūtra]

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Alakṣmī (अलक्ष्मी):—[a-lakṣmī] (kṣmī) 3. f. Misfortune.

[Sanskrit to German]

Alakshmi in German

context information

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.

Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Alakṣmi (ಅಲಕ್ಷ್ಮಿ):—

1) [noun] bad luck; ill fortune; trouble; adversity; misfortune.

2) [noun] the goddess of misfortune, the elder sister of Lakṣmi.

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

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