Lakshmi pooja is performed differently in the different parts of India. North Indian worship Lakshmi on the occasion of Diwali (festival of lights) while South Indians, worship her on Vara Maha Lakshmi vratham day, the first Friday of the month of Shravan.
The word “Lakshmi” is derived from the Sanskrit word “Laksya”, meaning ‘aim’ or ‘goal’. Her name symbolizes prosperity, both material and spiritual. Also ‘lakh’ means “one hundred thousand – a monetary unit in India, is the first part of Lakshmi’s name. This indicates that her blessings that pour forth abundantly on her devotees.
Ancient scriptures claim that Lakshmi dwells only where cleanliness, nobility, honesty,virtue, compassion, beauty, Dharma exist.
Lakshmi has many names. She is known to be very closely associated with the Lotus, and her many epithets are connected to the flower, such as Padmapriya, Kamalapriya, Padmamukhi and so on…
Goddess Lakshmi is known to reside in a place that is free of clutter. So, get rid of clutter in your home if you wish to have the blessings of Goddess Lakshmi.
Lakshmi is always depicted as a beautiful woman with four hands, sitting or standing on a full-bloomed lotus and holding a lotus bud, which represents beauty, purity and fertility. Her four hands represent the four ends of human life: dharma or righteousness, kama (desires), artha(wealth), and moksha (liberation from the cycle of birth and death).
As a female counterpart of Lord Vishnu, Lakshmi is also called “Shree”, the female energy of the Supreme Being.
She is the goddess of prosperity, wealth, purity, generosity, and the embodiment of beauty, grace and charm.
Some of Lakshmi’s other symbols include elephants, water, gold coins and rice. She is also associated with the Moon and the Ocean. Holly and basil are sacred to Lakshmi. This Goddess is aligned with gold and fragrant flowers.
According to ancient scriptures, t is believed that the Goddess emerged during the churning of the oceans between the Devas & Asura, who were in search of Amrit ( nectar ) of wealth. It is mentioned how the Devas as well as Asuras longed for such wealth & power; eons had passed while they churned the oceans in search for Goddess Lakshmi. Pleased by their efforts, Lakshmi finally emerged, wearing red silk, bedecked with gold ornaments & jewellery, seated on a beautiful lotus.
It is also mentioned that she incarnated as the daughter of the sage Bhrigu and his wife Khyati.
She was later born out of Ksheer Sagar (ocean of milk) while being churned.
As consort of Vishnu, she is born as his spouse whenever he incarnates.
