Laxmi - The Goddess of Wealth

Thought One

Diwali is round the corner and ALL I mean ALL of us shall pray to the Goddess of Wealth 'Laxmi'.

I do not need to tell you why, but let me acquaint you with Her.

She is the Beloved of Lord Narayan, also popularly known as Lord Vishnu. And you may forcibly and/or by foul means try to keep 'Laxmi' with you. But She will not stay , for longer than She needs to, until you accord the respect to Her Dearly loved Lord Narayan, as much if not more, than that, you extend to Her.

According to the sculptures and paintings that have come down from ancient times, if the Goddess Laxmi travels alone, she travels on an owl. If she travels with Lord Vishnu, she travels on the Garuda (Eagle).  Swami Nirmal Chetan explains the above symbolism thus: An owl is supposed to be blind during the day and a wealthy person without the right kind of intellect cannot see beyond his richness. Therefore whenever Laxmi (The Goddess of Weath) travels without Lord Vishnu she makes the person whom she visits metaphorically blind. However when the Goddess Laxmi travels with Lord Vishnu, She travels on  a Garuda, which is the symbol of wisdom.

On a lighter vein the word 'Daulat' (wealth) is derived from the word 'Do Laat' (Two kicks)  When 'wealth' knocks on the door of someone without the right sense of discrimination, he gets one kick, which makes him blind.  When 'wealth' decides to make its exit it gives the person another kick -- that of blood pressure or  heart attack, or some such select illness, which mostly tends to strike 'the wealthy ones'.

Moral of the story: Let us pray to Laxmi but let us not forget the worship of God, and She will grace us with Her presence forever.

May the Goddess Laxmi bestow Her choicest Blessings on all of you, this coming Diwali.

To read how the Sindhi's pray to Laxmi on Diwali,  click here.