Religious Articles
SRI MAHA LAKSHMI	Return to Articles Index
The Divine Mother or Ãdi Parãšakti, in Her manifestation as the bestower of wealth and prosperity, is known as Šri Lakshmi. Among many other meanings, the word Lakshmi stands for good fortune, success, wealth & riches, beauty, grace, charm, etc. In order that She may be able to confer all the above blessings on Her devotees, the Divine Mother Herself must have an infinite reservoir of these. The Divine Mother manifests these qualities in the form of eight powers or Ashta Lakshmis (eight Lakshmis). The first is known as Šri Mahã Lakshmi, the beloved Consort of Lord Nãrãyana. Šri Mahã Lakshmi is usually depicted as seated in yogãsana or padmãsana on a red lotus. She has the complexion of the full moon and wears a mellow smile (mandasmita) in Her countenance. She is endowed with four hands bestowing boons (vara) and refuge (abhaya) with two hands and holding divine lotuses in the other two. The petals of the lotus in which Šri Mahã Lakshmi is seated is the source of the seven other powers She manifests when She confers blessings on Her devotees. These seven powers are personified as: Veera Lakshmi (for bravery); Dhana Lakshmi (for wealth); Santãna Lakshmi (for progeny); Jaya Lakshmi (for victory); Dhãnya Lakshmi (for grains or food); Dhairya Lakshmi (for courage); and Rãjya Lakshmi (for kingdom or land). An accidental glance from Her eyes is enough to shower on a devotee all prosperity like: knowledge, wealth, health, progeny, cattle, land, grains, fame, nobility, success and longevity, etc. This attribute of Sri Lakshmi is vividly illustrated in the touching story behind Ãdi Šankara’s hymn Kanaka Dhãra Stotram in praise of Šri Mahã Lakshmi. Moved and inspired by the love with which a poor housewife fed Šankara with the only fruit she had in her house, Šankara composed this hymn appealing to Šri Mahã Lakshmi to dispel poverty from that household. Immediately, Šri Mahã Lakshmi literally showered that poverty-stricken household with golden fruits thereby removing misery from their lives. Thus, Ãdi Parãšakti or Sat Chit Ãnanda (Existence, Consciousness and Bliss), personifies Herself as Šri Mahã Lakshmi, or Šri Saraswati or Šri Durgã and blesses all Her devotees according to their respective needs. Therefore, devotion to the Divine Mother is the ultimate treasure one can have and accordingly one’s pure bhakti or devotion to Her is the greatest Lakshmi one can have.
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OM PEACE, PEACE, PEACE

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