Lakshmi
Lakshmi South and Central AsiaThe lotus goddess of Hindu mythology, wife of Vishnu and symbol of his creative energy; she is the goddess of agriculture, characterized by the lotus, the vegetable symbol beneath her and the lotus flower she carries in her left hand. Lakshmi, ‘good fortune’, is not only the universal mother of life in her benevolent life-increasing aspect, but more in her magnanimous wisdom-bestowing activities she is the entrance to transcendental life.
A myth recounts that at the beginning of every universal renewal, the cosmic waters grow a thousand-petalled lotus of pure gold, which in turn gives birth to Brahma the Creator. With this universal womb Lakshmi is associated as Loka-mata, ‘the mother of the world’, and Jaladhi-ja, ‘ocean born’. Lotus-eyed, lotus-coloured, and decked with lotus garlands, she stands as the symbol of maternal benevolence, her full breasts the constant source of succour and delight.
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