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Sri Laxmi
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Contrary
to the popular perception, Laxmi is not the goddess of wealth. She is the
goddess of good fortune and the capable personality, the forceful ability and
the manifold skills that confer the right to rule. Sri also means in another
sense glory, brilliance, glow and beauty. Wealth is just the external
manifestation of these attributes. It is perhaps understandable that people
should jump to the conclusion that Laxmi is the goddess of wealth, seeing as how
all the illustrations show rivers of gold coins flowing out of her hand. Kubera,
the Yaksha King is the God of Wealth, and so surprisingly is Ganapati. To make
matters even more interesting, Laxmi, Kubera and Ganapati are all Yaksha deities
absorbed into Hinduism about a thousand years ago. That is another story, to be
dealt with when I cover the Yakshas.
Laxmi is actually two goddesses in one. The Yaksha deity has merged with the
Vedic concept of SRI - the power of good fortune that enables a king to rule.
When Sri deserted a king, he lost his physical, intellectual and even moral
powers to rule, and went rapidly into decline. Sri has deserted even Indra,
chief amongst the gods. Sri is that unmistakable air of authority and competence
that sits upon somebody at the peak of their powers, when they are in midseason
form and performing wonders. Mozart for instance was blessed with Sri all his
life, his genius and superiority being unmistakable, but money was not part of
the equation. Fame and acclaim, two boons of Sri Laxmi, were to be his lot as
well as an enduring name. Somehow it is almost irrelevant today that he had no
money. However, it is not commonly known that Laxmi has a fearsome dark side to
her, a veritable Shadow of Shadows called A-Laxmi, the anti-Laxmi. This is not
the mere absence or desertion by Sri, it is a real presence that brings bad luck
like a perpetual hex. Fortunately this Laxmi is easily mollified - once the
reasons for her appearance are understood and acknowledged. It is a brilliant
concept to illustrate poverty consciousness and the lack of integrity that is
punished by the universe.
Today Laxmi has become safely domesticated as the wife of Vishnu, perpetually
watching over her sleeping husband in mythological carvings. There are many
complaints about this situation in the regional literature of devotion. Poets
afflicted with poverty, as all poets always are, loudly complain about the
eternal old man who is unable to control the capricious whims of his young wife,
who bestows fortune and money on the undeserving while the worthy struggle.
Hence one of the epithets is Chanchala, 'the unstable'. (Not 'fickle' as is
often mistakenly translated.) At a time when fortunes disappear overnight
because men's expectations outrun their prudence, i.e. at any time at all in
history, such complaints become common. Laxmi, therefore, has been very popular,
but a little undercurrent of bitterness against her unstable nature has ensured
she is worshipped in almost every home, but there is not one single major temple
built in her name. The sole exception is Mahalaxmi temple in Mumbai City, the
only city in India that is unapologetic about making money and more importantly
believes it can be generated, not snatched from others. Mahalaxmi temple is
certainly an ancient Yaksha shrine and look where it has taken the city. Mumbai
city alone pays over 80% of the income tax generated in India. Not kidding!
- In
the earliest myths about Sri we learn that Prajapati, the Cosmic Father
created her - and instantly made the other gods jealous. They proceeded to
steal her qualities from her, a list of virtues that vary in different
accounts, but usually agree on these ten. Food, Kingly rule, Power that
glows, Noble rank, World domination, Beauty, Plentitude, Good fortune,
Physical power and Purity. It is a pretty comprehensive list and explains
why there are always a group of devotees who claim supreme goddess status
for her. The Sri-sukta section of the Rig-Veda praises her in extravagant
terms and for the first time you have a goddess described in Kingly terms
with Kingly attributes like a throne, elephants and chariots to ride on.
This is almost certainly a borrowing from the extant Yaksha mythology of the
time. What impresses you straight away is the constant glow or luster that
the poet is never tired of referring to. She radiates power like the sun,
and has the usual quota of over-ornamentation that is so beloved of Sanskrit
literature. The Sri sukta is important for being the first to refer to her
as a goddess who grants fertility, both animal and vegetable, again a Yaksha
attribute. From that association with the soil has grown the myth of Sita,
avatar of Laxmi and found in a furrow ploughed by the Sage-King Janaka. It
is a perfect amalgamation of all the mythological attributes, Janaka being
pre-eminent both in wisdom as well as wealth, Janaka, foremost in prestige
and teacher of rishis, and surely in abundant possession of Sri, so much so
that she has to be referred to as his daughter! Sri Laxmi is by far the most
popular form of god to be associated with the lotus, which is itself an
integral part of the cultural consciousness of Asia. She is even called
Padma or Lotus as a result. The symbolism of fertility as well as the
religious overtones of the lotus have provided many commentators with
endless work and speculation. The lotus is a symbol of the entire universe
in creation and Sri Laxmi is the glowing lustrous heart of it. Another
popular form of Laxmi is the Gaja-Laxmi, the elephant Laxmi. This means that
elephants attend her, not that she is fat! Elephants are another fertility
symbol, clouds with their life giving rain being the elephants of the sky,
as well as symbolizing the grace and power of Kingship. A picture of Laxmi
seated on a lotus, showered with sacred water by elephants around her while
a river of gold issues forth from her hand or a sacred vessel may seem trite
today, but there was a time when it was a powerful archetypal figure. Even
today, meditating on the many layers of meaning veiled in that image is an
extraordinary experience.
While poets may moan of Laxmi's peculiar conferring of favors, the
scriptures are unanimous in declaring her to be the kindest goddess of all.
So forgiving and compassionate is Laxmi that she protects even those who
persecute her! When Hanuman wanted to kill the rakshashis who were planning
to make dinner of Sita, she peremptorily ordered him to forget about it.
Even if they had apologized out of fear for their worthless skins, they had
asked for protection and it would not be denied. This infinite kindness is
what led Sri Aurobindo to make the perceptive remark that it is best to
worship the mother as Laxmi. Kali, the Black Mother, makes life too hectic
and exciting for her devotees, unless you are a hardy soul with a natural
bent for such things. Durga, the White Mother, is of such a terrifying
dignity and superiority that it intimidates and sometimes even disheartens
the worshipper. Only Laxmi, the Red Mother, is the right blend of love and
power for the average devotee.
The best-known origin story of Laxmi is a curiously flat one. She emerged
like another Aphrodite from the churning of the Ocean of Milk, looked around
for a suitable mate, and found only Vishnu to be her equal, if not superior.
She garlands him as her choice of husband. End of Story. While there is no
doubt that Laxmi is now the spouse of Vishnu, her power as Sri seemed to
retain this embarrassing habit of sneaking off and favoring the mortal
enemies of the gods, the asuras. The explanation given is that as long as
you are virtuous and deserve success because of your actions, it cannot be
denied to you. You lose your Sri when you let your power and glory go to
your head and act arrogant and foolishly. Laxmi has nothing to do with
either situation. In the Mahabharatha she is made to state," I dwell in
truth, giving gifts, austerities, vows, strength and virtue."
In the Vaishnava schools of South India, Laxmi grew to become the greatly
merciful mediator between weak humanity and a justly stern Vishnu. She
intervenes for the worshipper and coaxes out of Vishnu the act of prasada,
the grace that saves. It is an act of love and forgiveness, not a conferring
of just deserts. Were that so, many people would be in deep trouble. Sri has
therefore been called karunyasima, the 'ultimate in compassion' or, more
literally, 'compassion without limit'. The great poet Desika has argued the
entire process is implicit in her names thus.
Sriyate: She who is resorted to
Srayate: She who resorts (to the Lord)
Srnoti: She who listens (to humans)
Sravayati: She who compels listening (from the Lord)
Srnati: She who removes (past karmas, faults et al)
Srinati: She who makes perfect
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