Lakshmi, when translated, roughly means ‘she who leads to one’s goals.’ She is also known by other names such as Sri, Narayani, Bhargavi, Bhagvati, Padma, Kamla, Vaishnavi and many more. Goddess Mahalakshmi is a part of the Tridevi, along with Goddess Parvathi and Goddess Sarasvati.
Who is Mahalakshmi?
Lakshmi is a prime Hindu goddess and the wife of God Vishnu. According to Online Temple services by experts, she is one of the Supreme beings of the Vaishnavism sect and aids Vishnu in protecting and transforming the Universe. She is usually depicted as an ornately dressed, golden complexioned woman that is sitting in Padmasana or standing on a fully bloomed red/ pink lotus and showering wealth and prosperity on her devotees.
She transcends on Earth whenever Vishnu takes the form of one of his avatars to descend on Earth, accompanying him as his consort. For example, when Vishnu took the form of Rama or Krishna, Lakshmi accompanied his descent by taking the form of Sita or Radha and Rukmini. She has eight different manifestations:
- Adi Lakshmi/ Mahalakshmi
- Dhana Lakshmi
- Dhanya Lakshmi
- Gaja Lakshmi
- Santana Lakshmi
- Veer/ Dhairya Lakshmi
- Jaya/ Vijay Lakshmi
- Vidya Lakshmi
These manifestations are collectively known as Ashtalakshmi, all symbolizing the eight types of wealth. Out of them, the first and most powerful form of Goddess Lakshmi is Adi Lakshmi, alternatively known as Goddess Mahalakshmi, as explained by the Online Temple pandits. In Vaishnavism, she is known as a principle aspect of the Mother Goddess, the Creator of the Universe.
Meaning of Mahalakshmi
Mahalakshmi is made up of 2 words- Maha and Lakshmi. Maha means Supreme and Lakshmi is the Goddess of Fortune. Put together, the word means that ‘She who is the Supreme form of Lakshmi’. She showers her devotees with ultimate happiness, wealth, health, fortune, beauty, power, and prosperity.
Story of Mahalakshmi
Since Mahalakshmi is a part of Lakshmi, her story is the same as Goddess Lakshmi. To know the details, we need to summarise a part of the Vishnu Puran.
The story begins with the interaction between Lord Indra, the king of gods and the chief of Sages, Sage Durvasa. With ultimate respect, the Sage offered a garland of flowers to Lord Indra. He takes the garland and places it on the head of his white elephant Airavat, who takes the garland down by his trunk and throws it to the ground.
Seeing the disrespectful treatment of his gift, Sage Durvasa gets extremely angry and curses, “Though you’re the King of Gods, you have an inflated ego. In your arrogance, you have not respected the garland of flowers where the Goddess of Fortune dwelled in. Hence, your kingdom will be destroyed just like how you have thrown the garland on the ground in your pride.”
Lord Indra didn’t bow to him and they both went their separate ways. Soon, the capital city of the Gods, Amravati, begins to go through disastrous changes following the curse of Sage Durvasa.
The plants and vegetables start dying, gods and mortals lose their energy and vigor, minds become corrupted, and people stop doing charity and begin engaging in ultimate sensory pleasures, even getting very excited for materialistic objects. Their desires begin playing havoc on them and negatively affecting the populace.
As the Gods started getting weaker by the passing of time, the demons planned and launched an attack on them, successfully defeating them and driving everyone out of heaven. Getting driven out of their own homes, the Gods went to God Vishnu and consulted him about the solution. Vishnu suggested churning of the Kshirasagar with the demons, to obtain Amrit, the potion of immortality.
Online puja services experts say, thus began the Samudra Manthan, the churning of the ocean with Lord Vishnu in the avatar of Kurma, a tortoise. With Mount Mandar which was placed on Kurma’s shell and Vasuki, the 100 headed serpent of God Vishnu as the rope around the mountain, both Gods and demons began churning the ocean of milk.
Numerous celestial divine objects came up during the Samudra Manthan and was taken by either the demons or the Gods. Then, Goddess Mahalakshmi arose from the sea with a lotus in her hand, and with her came divine cow Kamadhenu, Varuni, Parijat tree, Apsaras, Chandra (the moon), and Dhanvantari with Amrit.
When she came up, she was given the choice to choose either Gods or demons, and all treasures appearing with her would go with her to the side she chooses to be on. Lakshmi chooses the Gods and out of 30 deities, chooses Vishnu as her partner. The Amrit along with the other treasures went to the Gods side as a result.
With the Gods now becoming powerful and immortal, they defeated the demons and took back their homes. The lesson of the story becomes that if one is arrogant and prideful, Goddess Mahalakshmi is sure to forsake them, even if they are the Gods themselves. Goddess Lakshmi is not just about wealth, as many would believe.
She is the Goddess of Fortune, and when she gets angry, there abounds a distinct lack of energy, no will to perform good work, poverty, hunger, lack of spiritual and mental peace, inability to conjure willpower, and an aimless life. Hence, she is worshipped sincerely by everyone in the 3 realms (heaven, earth and underworld), as told by the pros at Online Temple.
Mahalakshmi Mantra
ॐ श्रीं ह्रीं श्रीं कमले कमलालये प्रसीद प्रसीद
ॐ श्रीं ह्रीं श्रीं महालक्ष्मयै नम:॥
Om Shreem Hreem Shreem Kamale Kamalalaye Praseed Praseed
Om Shreem Hreem Shreem Mahalakshmaye Namah॥
Mahalaxmi Mantra Benefits
Chanting the mantra of Goddess Mahalakshmi has tremendously powerful benefits. They are as follows:
- Grants imminent beauty and grace.
- Bestows immense wealth on the devotees.
- Betterment of financial conditions.
- Blesses with health and prosperity.
- Removes problems of debts, loans, etc.
- Generates positive vibes in and around.
Also Read :- History of Kali Maa | Onlinetemple