Hindu Pantheon
Lakshmi
Also known as Sri, Mahalakshmi
- wealth
- fortune
- prosperity
- beauty
Goddess of wealth, fortune, prosperity, and beauty. Consort of Vishnu, she incarnates alongside him in his avatars. She represents both material and spiritual prosperity.
About Lakshmi
The Goddess of Prosperity
Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth, fortune, prosperity, and beauty. She is the divine consort of Vishnu and accompanies him in each of his avatars—as Sita with Rama, as Rukmini with Krishna. She embodies both material abundance and spiritual grace.
The Churning of the Ocean
Lakshmi emerged from the Samudra Manthan (churning of the cosmic ocean), rising from the waters seated on a fully-bloomed lotus. Gods and demons churned the ocean for the nectar of immortality, and she arose as one of the fourteen treasures (ratnas).
Eight Forms of Lakshmi (Ashta Lakshmi)
She manifests as eight forms representing different types of wealth: Adi Lakshmi (primeval), Dhana Lakshmi (monetary), Dhanya Lakshmi (grain), Gaja Lakshmi (elephants/power), Santana Lakshmi (progeny), Veera Lakshmi (courage), Vijaya Lakshmi (victory), and Vidya Lakshmi (knowledge).
Diwali and Worship
The festival of Diwali is dedicated to Lakshmi, when homes are lit with lamps to welcome her. Her symbols include the lotus, gold coins flowing from her hands, and elephants showering her with water.
Origin story
Lakshmi emerged from the churning of the cosmic ocean (Samudra Manthan), standing on a lotus flower. The gods and demons churned the ocean to obtain the nectar of immortality, and Lakshmi arose as one of the treasures.
Across traditions
Parallel figures
Figures who play a role like Lakshmi's in other traditions.
YorubaAjeIllustrationBoth are goddesses of wealth, prosperity, and commercial abundance
Compare Lakshmi and Aje side by side
JapaneseDaikokutenIllustrationDaikokuten is a god of wealth, commerce, and prosperous harvest, matching Lakshmi's core domain
Compare Lakshmi and Daikokuten side by side
Worship and cult
Temples, festivals, and practices recorded for Lakshmi
Coins, lotus, and a swept threshold on Diwali. Vaishnava houses keep her with Vishnu; merchants keep her for the till. The cult is invitation: she stays where the house is clean.
Sacred sites
- Padmavathi Temple at Tiruchanur
- Ashtalakshmi temples
- Household shrines beside Vishnu
Festivals
- Diwali / Deepavali
- Varalakshmi Vratam
- Kojagiri Purnima
Family
In the atlas
Where Lakshmi appears
Stories
Sources and further reading
Source notes
These references are recorded in the catalog. Their passage wording and translation have not been checked, so quotations are not displayed here.
- Vishnu Purana (trans. Dutt, after Wilson)
About this entry
By Elizabeth Stein for Mythos Atlas. About the author. Editorial notes are grounded in the site's cited sources and can be challenged through the contact page.
Parallels are editorial comparisons across traditions: a shared role does not, by itself, establish a shared origin.
Family relationships come from the atlas's kinship records. Ancient sources often disagree on divine genealogy.
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Genealogy
Family tree
Lakshmi's parents, consorts, children and rivals, as recorded in the atlas.