---
title: Lakshmi
author: Mark Cartwright
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/Lakshmi/
format: machine-readable-alternate
license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/)
updated: 2023-03-30
---
# Lakshmi
_Authored by [Mark Cartwright](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/markzcartwright/)_
Lakshmi (or Laksmi) is the [Hindu](https://www.worldhistory.org/hinduism/) goddess of wealth, good fortune, youth, and beauty. She is the wife of the great [god](https://www.worldhistory.org/God/) [Vishnu](https://www.worldhistory.org/Vishnu/) and the pair is often worshipped in tandem as Lakshmi-Narayana. Just as her husband has many avatars when he descends to earth so too Lakshmi takes on different forms:
- Sita, wife of lord [Rama](https://www.worldhistory.org/Rama/),
- Dharani, wife of Parashurama,
- Queen Rukmini, wife of [Krishna](https://www.worldhistory.org/Krishna/)
- Padma, wife of Hari
Lakshmi may also be called Lokamata, 'mother of the world' and Lola, meaning fickle, in reference to her seemingly haphazard dispensation of good fortune.
### Birth & Associations
In the *[Mahabharata](https://www.worldhistory.org/Mahabharata/)*, Lakshmi was born from the stirring of the primeval milky ocean by the gods and demons. Following the intervention of [Brahma](https://www.worldhistory.org/Brahma/) and Vishnu, Lakshmi miraculously appeared from this sea of clarified butter clothed all in white and radiating youth and beauty. For this reason, the goddess is sometimes called Ksirabdhitanaya, 'daughter of the sea of milk'. Lakshmi immediately gave herself to Vishnu's protection and for this reason, she is said to dwell on Vishnu's chest giving rise to one of the god's alternative names, Shrinivas meaning 'the dwelling place of Sri'. Sri (Shri) means prosperity and is another of Lakshmi's many names. According to the *Harivamsa* Lakshmi is the mother of Kama, the god of love and so provides an interesting parallel to the [Greek](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/greek/) goddess [Aphrodite](https://www.worldhistory.org/Aphrodite/) and her son [Eros](https://www.worldhistory.org/Eros/), the former also born from a foaming sea.
The goddess is particularly associated with the lotus flower and is sometimes referred to simply as the Lotus Goddess. In this guise, she is a member of the [Buddhist](https://www.worldhistory.org/buddhism/) [pantheon](https://www.worldhistory.org/Pantheon/) too. The goddess has no temples built in her name but she is particularly worshipped in one of [Hinduism](https://www.worldhistory.org/hinduism/)'s most evocative celebrations, the annual Diwali or 'Festival of Lights', held every October-November.
In one myth Lakshmi got a little fed up with her husband and went to live with the royal family of King Akasha Raja in southern [India](https://www.worldhistory.org/india/). There, now calling herself Padmavati, she was eventually found by a distraught Vishnu, himself in the guise of Shrinivas. Brahma and [Shiva](https://www.worldhistory.org/shiva/) had actually conspired for the two to meet and they, of course, fell in love and married in a lavish ceremony (again) which is still commemorated today in the town of Tirupati in southern India.
[  Lakshmi, Somanathapura Nagarjun Kandukuru (CC BY) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/4006/lakshmi-somanathapura/ "Lakshmi, Somanathapura")### How is Lakshmi Represented in Art?
In art, Lakshmi is often represented either standing or seated on a large lotus flower and holding a water pot and single lotus flower in her hands, always either blue or pink. With her other two hands she typically gives a sign of blessing and showers coins on her loyal followers. The goddess usually wears a pink sari and is accompanied by various traditional symbols of good luck such as painted elephants decorated with garlands of flowers, often spraying water from their trunks. Lakshmi regularly appears alongside her husband Vishnu in [temple](https://www.worldhistory.org/temple/) decorative [sculpture](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Sculpture/), for example, massaging his feet with lotus flowers or riding his gigantic man-bird vehicle [Garuda](https://www.worldhistory.org/Garuda/).
In Cambodian art, Lakshmi is more typically portrayed as a single-figure statue, standing, wearing a tiara and holding a lotus bud. In Cham art the goddess is always seated and besides the lotus bud can also hold a conch shell. Finally, in Javanese art Lakshmi holds a grain of rice as there she is regarded as the goddess of this important food.
#### Editorial Review
This human-authored definition has been reviewed by our editorial team before publication to ensure accuracy, reliability and adherence to academic standards in accordance with our [editorial policy](https://www.worldhistory.org/static/editorial-policy/).
## Bibliography
- [Anonymous. *Hindu Myths.* Penguin Classics, 2004.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0140449906/)
- [Craven, R.C. *Indian Art.* Thames & Hudson, 1997.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0500203024/)
- [Das, R. *The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism.* Lorenz Books, 2012.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0754820564/)
- [Dowson, J. *Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology and Religion; Geography, History.* DK Print World, 2000.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/8124601089/)
- [Hackin, J. *Asiatic Mythology 1932.* Kessinger Publishing, LLC, 2005.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/1417976950/)
- [Harle, J.C. *The Art and Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent, Second Edition.* Yale University Press, 1994.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0300062176/)
- [Michell, G. *Hindu Art and Architecture.* Thames & Hudson, 2000.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0500203377/)
## About the Author
Mark is WHE’s Publishing Director and has an MA in Political Philosophy (University of York). He is a full-time researcher, writer, historian and editor. Special interests include art, architecture and discovering the ideas that all civilizations share.
## Timeline
- **c. 1500 BCE - c. 500 BCE**: The Vedic Period in [India](https://www.worldhistory.org/india/) after a greater migration of the Indo-[Aryans](https://www.worldhistory.org/Aryan/) from Central Asia
- **c. 1500 BCE - c. 500 BCE**: Indian scholars of the so-called Vedic Period commit [the Vedas](https://www.worldhistory.org/The_Vedas/) to written form; basic tenets of [Hinduism](https://www.worldhistory.org/hinduism/) are established.
## Questions & Answers
### What is Lakshmi the god of?
Lakshmi is the Hindu goddess of wealth, good fortune, youth, and beauty.
### What are the powers of Lakshmi?
The powers of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi include the ability to dispense good fortune.
### How is Lakshmi shown in Hindu art?
Lakshmi is often shown in Hindu art as a woman sitting on a lotus flower. She usually holds a water pot and a single blue or pink lotus flower.
## Cite This Work
### APA
Cartwright, M. (2015, August 14). Lakshmi. *World History Encyclopedia*.
### Chicago
Cartwright, Mark. "Lakshmi." *World History Encyclopedia*, August 14, 2015. .
### MLA
Cartwright, Mark. "Lakshmi." *World History Encyclopedia*, 14 Aug 2015, .
## License & Copyright
Submitted by [Mark Cartwright](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/markzcartwright/ "User Page: Mark Cartwright"), published on 14 August 2015. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/deed.en). This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.