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Lakshmi
Lakshmi, also known as Sri, attained importance as the consort
of Vishnu. Her previous existences, described in the Vedas, make
her the wife of Varuna or of the sun. Alternatively, like Sarasvati,
she is said to have issued from Prajapati. In these early times
she is associated with both good and bad fortune. Lakshmi is now
generally thought to have existed first as the daughter of the
sage Bhrigu and to have taken refuge in the ocean of milk during
a period when the gods were exiled from their kingdom as a result
of a rishi's curse. She was reborn during the churning of the
milk ocean as Lakshmi, one of the fourteen precious things. She
emerged from the ocean froth fully grown and radiant, bearing
a lotus in her hand. As soon as the gods saw her each of them
wanted her as his wife. Shiva was the first to claim her, but
as he had already seized the moon, Lakshmi's hand was accorded
to Vishnu, whom Lakshmi herself preferred. It is sometimes said
that it was Shiva's despair at this judgment that led him to catch
in his mouth the poison vomited by the serpent. Thereafter Lakshmi
was reborn as Vishnu's consort in each of his incarnations. For
his incarnation as the dwarf, Vamana, Lakshmi was born from the
waters, floating on the flower of a lotus. For this reason she
was called Padma (lotus) or Kamala. When Vishnu was born as Parasurama,
Lakshmi was Dharani, the earth. When he became Rama she was faithful
Sita, born from a furrow in a ploughed field. When he was incarnated
as Krishna, she entered both phases of his life: as the cowgirl
Radha and as his wife, Rukmini. As Rukmini, she was the mother
of Pradyumna, Kama's reincarnation. Lakshmi thus has a clear share
in Vishnu's activities as preserver, and this reinforces her earlier
character as goddess of fortune and giver of wealth. Despite her
complete fidelity, most strikingly shown in her incarnation as
Sita, she is also described as the 'fickle goddess', for the wheel
of fortune is ever-changing. Lakshmi is generally represented
as a beautiful golden woman, usually sitting or standing on a
lotus, her symbol. Though she really has four arms, as the ideal
of feminine beauty she is often represented with only two. She
is usually worshipped in conjunction with her husband, when she
is portrayed as exhibiting her devotion to him by massaging his
feet as he lies on the coils of the serpent Shesha; or seated
beside him on a lotus; or riding with him on Garuda. When she
is worshipped alone she is considered to be the female energy
of the supreme being, 'mother of the world'.
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