Lakshmī Carita (Devī Bhāgavata)
The Lakshmī Carita is the account of Lakshmī told in the Devī Bhāgavata Mahā Purāṇa. In it, Śrī Nārāyaṇa tells the ṛshi Nārada how Mahālakshmī came into being from Śrī Kṛshṇa’s left side in the rāsa-maṇḍala (the circle of the Rāsa dance) before creation. He tells of Rādhā, who arose from Kṛshṇa’s right side. He tells how Kṛshṇa shows himself both as two-armed Kṛshṇa and as four-armed Vishṇu. He tells of the three great forms of Lakshmī, her nature as the embodiment of pure sattva, and the fruits of honouring her.
The origin of Mahālakshmī
Śrī Nārāyaṇa tells Nārada that before creation (sṛshṭi-pūrva-kāla), Lakshmī herself arose from the rāsa-maṇḍala of Śrī Kṛshṇa Paramātmā. She came from the left side of Kṛshṇa as a girl of twelve years and perfect beauty. She was śyāma-varṇa (dark in colour), with eyes full of love. Her face shone like a hundred full moons of autumn, and the beauty of autumn lotuses was reflected in her eyes. She was Kṛshṇa’s own śakti, the power in him that creates and sustains, shown in a form of her own.
At the same moment, from the right side of Kṛshṇa, Rādhā arose. She was like Lakshmī in every way. The two forms were equal in beauty, light, youth, dress, ornaments, qualities, laughter, glance, love and grace. There was not the smallest difference between them in any quality.
- Rādhā is the right-side form of Kṛshṇa’s own śakti.
- Lakshmī is the left-side form of Kṛshṇa’s own śakti.
Kṛshṇa’s two forms
Kṛshṇa saw that both forms had arisen together and that both wished for him as their lord. He then showed himself in two forms.
- Two-armed Kṛshṇa (dvi-bhuja Kṛshṇa). He is the beloved of Rādhā, the cowherd Kṛshṇa, Muralī-mohana (the charmer with the flute), who belongs to the world of the gopīs in Vṛndāvana.
- Four-armed Vishṇu (caturbhuja Vishṇu). He is the manifestation of Kṛshṇa’s left side, the husband of Lakshmī, who rules as Śrī Nārāyaṇa in Vaikuṇṭha.
The two-armed Kṛshṇa stayed with Rādhā in the Vṛndāvana rāsa-maṇḍala, with the gopas and gopikās. The four-armed Vishṇu took Mahālakshmī with him and went to Vaikuṇṭha, where the two have ruled together since the start of creation. The text says: “Kṛshṇa and Nārāyaṇa are both equal in all respects, parama (supreme), and are one reality in two forms.”
The nature of Mahālakshmī
Mahālakshmī is called Śuddha-sattva-svarūpiṇī (one whose own form is pure sattva). Through the sweetness of her kind glance (tīkshṇa-karuṇa-dṛshṭi) she brings beauty and good fortune to the whole world, moving and unmoving. Through Vishṇu-yoga (her union with Vishṇu) she shows herself in countless beautiful and auspicious forms. In Vaikuṇṭha, the highest divine realm, she is Mahālakshmī, paripūrṇatamā (completely full and perfect). She is Sakala-saubhāgya-lakshmī, the Lakshmī of all good fortune. Among all women she is the most beloved and the first.
The three great forms of Lakshmī
The Devī Bhāgavata names three forms of Lakshmī Devī that belong to the three worlds.
| Form | Domain | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Svargalakshmī | Svarga | The wealth and rule of Indra in the world of the devas, the abundance and splendour of Indra’s court |
| Nāgalakshmī | Pātāla (the world below) | The Lakshmī of the Nāga realm, ruler of the jewels, treasures and riches beneath the earth |
| Rājyalakshmī | Bhūloka (the earth) | The Lakshmī of kings and of ruling power, who gives and takes away royal fortune |
These three forms fill all three levels of existence. So Lakshmī is the śrī of all of them: prosperity, beauty, good fortune and royal power.
Lakshmī pūjā and its fruits
Chapters 41 and 42 tell of the pūjā (honouring) of Lakshmī and its fruits. The month of Kārtika (October to November) is named as especially holy for Lakshmī pūjā, above all Kārtika-pūrṇimā (the full-moon day) and the nights of the Dīpa-utsava (festival of lamps). A person who does the set Lakshmī-arcana with devotion, offers her lotus flowers, lights lamps, and recites her names and stotras (hymns of praise) will receive:
- freedom from poverty and from every want of the body and the world
- royal wealth and fame
- the blessing of sons, wealth, cattle and grain
- cleansing from all pāpa (sin) gathered in earlier births
- moksha (liberation) in the end, through the grace of Vishṇu and Lakshmī together
The text also says that the Lakshmī-vrata (vow) and the recital of the Lakshmī-stotra on Kārtika-pūrṇimā give the puṇya (merit) of all yajñas (fire rituals) and of visiting all tīrthas (holy places). Those who honour Lakshmī on this holy day with pure devotion will live in Vaikuṇṭha, in the presence of Lakshmī and Nārāyaṇa, for many kalpas (ages of the world).
Sources
- Devī Bhāgavata Mahā Purāṇa, Skanda 9, Chapters 39–42