Story of Lakṣmī

Consort of Mahāviṣṇu.

Origin.

Devī originated from the left side of Paramātmā (Supreme Being). The beautiful Devī by a command from the Supreme Being divided herself into two enchanting damsels both equal in figure, splendour, age, majesty, adornment and love. One of these was Lakṣmīdevī and the other Rādhādevī. That born of the left was Ramā and that of the right, Rādhā. Rādhā wedded herself to the two-handed Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Lakṣmī also wanted the same person and so Bhagavān himself became two, Śri Kṛṣṇa from the left side as a two-handed person and as four-handed Viṣṇu from the right side. (9th Skandha. Devī Bhāgavata).

Different incarnations of Lakṣmī.

Lakṣmī had many incarnations and she had been on earth in different forms at different times. They are given below:

(i) Birth from the ocean of milk. Once the Devas became aged and afflicted with rugosity and grey hairs by a curse of Durvāsas. Indra lost his majesty and was ousted from Svarga. Svargalakṣmī deserted Devaloka and went to Vaikuṇṭha and merged with Mahālakṣmī.

The Devas were greatly aggrieved on account of this plight of theirs and they went to Satyaloka and appealed to Brahmā to find a solution to their difficulties. Brahmā was helpless in the matter and so they all together went to Vaikuṇṭha and represented their grievances before Mahāviṣṇu. Viṣṇu smiled and told Mahālakṣmī thus: "You go and be born as Kṣīrasāgarakanyakā 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 (Kṣīrābdhimathana) Mahālakṣmī, the goddess of beauty, wealth and prosperity arose from the ocean as Kṣīrasāgarakanyakā (Daughter of the ocean of milk) and blessed the Devas and put a Vanamālā (garland of wild flowers) on Mahāviṣṇu. The Devas got back all their lost wealth and prosperity and they, on going to Devaloka, worshipped Lakṣmīdevī properly. (9th Skandha, Devī Bhāgavata).

(ii) Mahālakṣmī was born as a mare. (See under Ekavīra, Para 2).

(iii) Mahālakṣmī was born as the Tulasī plant (Holy Basil. (See under Tulasī.)

(iv) Mahālakṣmī was born as Sītā and Vedavatī. (See under Sītā).

(v) Other births: Mahālakṣmī was born as a daughter to the sage Bhṛgu of Khyāti. When Mahāviṣṇu incarnated as Sūrya, Lakṣmī rose up from the lotus. When Viṣṇu became Paraśurāma, Lakṣmī became the earth. When Mahāviṣṇu incarnated as Śrī Rāma, Lakṣmī became Sītā and when Viṣṇu was born as Kṛṣṇa Lakṣmī became Rādhā. Thus whenever and wherever Mahāviṣṇu changed his form, Mahālakṣmī also changed hers to form part of the changed life. (Chapter 9, Aṃśa 1, Viṣṇu Purāṇa).

Mahālakṣmī cursed Viṣṇu.

Once Mahālakṣmī cursed Mahāviṣṇu, her husband, that his head would drop off from his body. (See under Cital).

Two forms of Lakṣmī.

Mahālakṣmī has two forms, Viṣṇu-priyā Lakṣmī and Rājyalakṣmī. The former is the embodiment of chastity and virtuousness. The latter goes about courting Kings. Rājyalakṣmī is fickle and unsteady. This Lakṣmī enters all places where virtue and charity are found and as soon as these two vanish from any place Rājyalakṣmī will also vanish from that place.

Lakṣmī in cow-dung.

The people of Bhārata consider cow dung as very sacred and there is a story in the 82nd Chapter of Anuśāsana Parva as to how cow-dung became so sacred;

Once a herd of cows was grazing in a large grassy ground when Lakṣmī happened to pass that way. Mahālakṣmī 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 Lakṣmī and when pressed again by her, said that they would like to have prosperity deposited in their dung also. Mahālakṣmī did so and so even today it is believed that the cowdung is embedded with prosperity.

Other details:

(i) Lakṣmī stays in the court of Kubera. (Śloka 19, Chapter 10, Sabhā Parva).

(ii) Mahālakṣmī 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).

(iii) Lakṣmīdevī stays in the court of Brahmā also. (Śloka 41, Chapter 11, Sabhā Parva).