All Hindu deities’ statues represent one or more particular aspects of the Supreme Being. And while Hindus worship many gods and goddesses, they believe that all these are forms of that one Supreme God. For this reason, it can be said that Hinduism is not just Polytheism, but a Monotheistic Polytheism. One of the celebrated goddesses in Hinduism is goddess Lakshmi. Believed to be the goddess of wealth, fortune, power, fertility, luxury and beauty, the deity promises material and spiritual fulfillment to her worshippers. Some of the many names of this goddess are Padma, Padmahasta, Bhargavi, Sridevi, Bhumi Devi, Chanchala, Indira, Ramaa Devi, Shri, Vaishnavi, Mahalaxmi, Jalaja, Aishwarya, Roma, and Padmamaladhara Devi.
This wife of Vishnu is associated with blessing the worshippers with eight types of wealth. These are Adi Lakshmi, Dhanya Lakshmi (granary wealth), Dhairya Lakshmi (wealth of courage), Gaja Lakshmi (elephant as the symbol of wealth), Santana Lakshmi (wealth of progeny), Vijaya Lakshmi (wealth of victory), Vidya Lakshmi (wealth of knowledge) and Dhana Lakshmi (monetary wealth). Statues of the goddess are depicted in a female form with four arms. She is mostly dressed in red hues with golden borders and gold jewelry. Carrying gold coins and lotuses in her hand, she is also standing on a large lotus or sitting on an owl (Ulooka) or celestial turtle. There are two elephants standing next to the goddess’s figure.
The two elephants stand for the name and fame associated with wealth, while the colour red is symbolic of activity and hard work. The four arms represent the four directions and the presence of god. The donned gold linings on the sari and jewelry denote prosperity, and the lotus the goddess stands on is symbolic of not being too attached to materialistic things like monetary wealth, just like the lotus flower that calmly floats on the surface of water but does not get wet. The deity Lakshmi’s hands too signify a great deal. The hands towards the front are symbolic of the physical world and the work that needs to be put in, in order to achieve the goals in life. The other two hands indicate the spiritual activity one must not forget to do in order to live a complete life.
Hindu Deities statues like Lakshmi idols are prayed to and kept in most homes. The goddess is especially worshipped during the festival of lights, Diwali. This daughter of the Sea is said to be the power and Maya of Lord Vishnu, who is the preserver of the world. This is the reason that some idols of Vishnu have two forms of Lakshmi. These are Sridevi, which is the goddess of wealth and knowledge, and Bhudevi, which is the mother form of the goddess.
The two elephants stand for the name and fame associated with wealth, while the colour red is symbolic of activity and hard work. The four arms represent the four directions and the presence of god. The donned gold linings on the sari and jewelry denote prosperity, and the lotus the goddess stands on is symbolic of not being too attached to materialistic things like monetary wealth, just like the lotus flower that calmly floats on the surface of water but does not get wet. The deity Lakshmi’s hands too signify a great deal. The hands towards the front are symbolic of the physical world and the work that needs to be put in, in order to achieve the goals in life. The other two hands indicate the spiritual activity one must not forget to do in order to live a complete life.
Hindu Deities statues like Lakshmi idols are prayed to and kept in most homes. The goddess is especially worshipped during the festival of lights, Diwali. This daughter of the Sea is said to be the power and Maya of Lord Vishnu, who is the preserver of the world. This is the reason that some idols of Vishnu have two forms of Lakshmi. These are Sridevi, which is the goddess of wealth and knowledge, and Bhudevi, which is the mother form of the goddess.
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