Lakshmi

**//__Lakshmi __//**

Lakshmi is the goddess of peace, prosperity,  light, wisdom, fortune, and fertility. She  is a popular household goddess and

 her colors are gold, pink,
 and orange.

= =



**//__Appearance__//**

She has 4 arms, black hair, a crown, sometimes 1 or 2 elephants behind her, she holds a lotus flower, she is standing or sitting on a lotus flower wearing a long pink dress and jewelry.



__//**Symbols**//__

 Her symbols are the Lotus Flower, the Gesture of Reassurance, Gesture of Giving, Lustrating Elephants, and Beautiful Coins.

 § Lotus Flower- represents transcendence and purity, yet it grows in murky muddy waters  § Gesture of Reassurance- represents fearlessness, and is seen issuing gold coins  § Gesture of Giving- represents unending generosity  § Lustrating Elephants- represents fertility and growth  § Beautiful Coins- represents wealth and prosperity

<span style="background-color: #fcf5b5; color: #ff00ff; display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 170%; text-align: center;">Her consort is Lord Vishnu, the maintainer and preserver god. <span style="background-color: #fcf5b5; color: #ff00ff; display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 170%; text-align: center;"> Vishnu represents all that is male.





Worship and Temples

<span style="background-color: #fcf5b5; color: #ff00ff; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Lakshmi is worshiped in 3 places: § <span style="background-color: #fcf5b5; color: #ff00ff; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 180% 'Times New Roman';">Bengal <span style="background-color: #fcf5b5; color: #ff00ff; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 180%;"> § Orissa <span style="background-color: #fcf5b5; color: #ff00ff; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 180%;"> § Gaja

<span style="background-color: #fcf5b5; color: #ff00ff; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">In Bengal, Lakshmi descends to Earth and takes away the darkness of poverty, stagnation, anger, and laziness.

<span style="background-color: #fcf5b5; color: #ff00ff; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 150%;"> In Orissa, footmarks are painted on the door step as if Lakshmi has entered the house.

<span style="background-color: #fcf5b5; color: #ff00ff; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 150%;"> In Gaja, it is a festival of rejoicing for the girls.


 * <span style="background-color: #fcf5b5; color: #ff00ff; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">All festivals are at the Festival of Lights, just in different cities.
 * <span style="background-color: #fcf5b5; color: #ff00ff; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">At all places people put oil lamps outside their homes and hope that Lakshmi will come and bless them.

<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;"> To learn more about Lakshmi's festivals click HERE

<span style="background-color: #fcf5b5; color: #fa8629; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 285%;">Myth

<span style="background-color: #fcf5b5; color: #ff00ff; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 150%;"> Lakshmi was reborn as the daughter of sage Bhragu. Her mother was Khyati. She then married Narayana, an incarnation of Vishnu. She had two sons, Bala and Unmada. As said Lakshmi was born out of Vishnu’s right half as Radha was born out of his left half. In Vishnu’s images Lakshmi is shown comprising Vishnu’s left half.

<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">To find out more myths about Lakshmi click HERE

<span style="background-color: #fcf5b5; color: #fa8629; display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 190%; text-align: left;">Other Information-
 * <span style="background-color: #fcf5b5; color: #ff00ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">Lakshmi means "Good Luck" to Hindus
 * <span style="background-color: #fcf5b5; color: #ff00ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">her name comes from the Sanskrit word "Laksya" meaning "aim" or "goal"
 * <span style="background-color: #fcf5b5; color: #ff00ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">Lakshmi may be incarnated Rukmini, if Vishnu is Krishna or Sita
 * <span style="background-color: #fcf5b5; color: #ff00ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">she is the pantheon of gods and goddesses
 * <span style="background-color: #fcf5b5; color: #ff00ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">represents everything that is beautiful and bountiful
 * <span style="background-color: #fcf5b5; color: #ff00ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">source of power, pleasure, and prosperity
 * <span style="background-color: #fcf5b5; color: #ff00ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">fully bloomed lotus that she sits on is a seat of divine truth
 * <span style="background-color: #fcf5b5; color: #ff00ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">she is adored by Lord Ganesha
 * <span style="background-color: #fcf5b5; color: #ff00ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">Lakshmi represents all that is female

<span style="background-color: #fcf5b5; color: #ff00ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 170%;">These are some websites you can use to find more information about Lakshmi:

<span style="background-color: #fcf5b5; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">@http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakshmi <span style="background-color: #fcf5b5; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;"> @http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/sub/goddess/lakshmi.html <span style="background-color: #fcf5b5; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;"> @http://www.koausa.org/Gods/God6.html <span style="background-color: #fcf5b5; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">@http://www.eaglespace.com/spirit/lakshmi.php