Lakshmi is a popular goddess in Hindu traditions. She oversees good fortune, beauty, and spiritual and material prosperity. She is the wife of the god Vishnu .
Lakshmi’s image appears throughout India , especially in places of business. She is pictured as lovely and serene, with four arms to suggest her great power. She usually holds one or two lotus flowers, symbols of beauty and transcendence. To be transcendent is to be above the material world. Lakshmi also is shown dropping coins or jewels on the earth, to show her generosity to her worshipers. Elephants, symbols of royalty and good luck, often flank the goddess. Like other goddesses, Lakshmi has many different names. Some of them refer to her association with the lotus. For example, Padmamukhi means the one whose face is as beautiful as the lotus.
As Vishnu’s wife, Lakshmi represents his divine energy, called shakti. In Hinduism, goddesses represent power, and gods represent form. Without a female companion, male gods are essentially powerless. In Hindu temples , gods almost always are depicted with their female counterparts.
Hindus throughout India worship Lakshmi. Her image appears in temples, especially those dedicated to Vishnu. People also honor her in private homes and businesses. At the start of a new fiscal year, business people commonly worship Lakshmi and pray for financial success. Many Hindus honor Lakshmi during Diwali , a major Hindu festival. Diwali falls annually in late October or early November. During the festival, people light candles and lanterns to guide Lakshmi into their homes to bring them prosperity. They also open doors and windows to welcome her.
