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Re: Seeking Laxmi Info
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To: alt-hindu@uunet.uu.net
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Subject: Re: Seeking Laxmi Info
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From: sadananda@anvil.nrl.navy.mil (K. Sadananda)
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Date: Thu, 02 Feb 1995 09:29:32 -0500
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Distribution: world
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Followup-To: alt.hindu
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From usenet@ra.nrl.navy.mil Thu Feb 2 09: 54:43 1995
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Newsgroups: alt.hindu
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Organization: Naval Research Lab, Code 6323
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References: <3gp6qt$gpi@ucunix.san.uc.edu>
In article <3gp6qt$gpi@ucunix.san.uc.edu>, griffin@gate.net (Kris Gilbert)
wrote:
> Hi folks,
> I'm interested in information on Laxmi (Lakshmi?)... things like:
> Who is she, exactly, and what kinds of things has she done?
> How does one "get to know her better," spiritually?
> (I don't know much about Hinduism, so i'd need clear details suitable for
> "a beginner." I had a very wonderful experience the other night
> meditating on her and chanting "Om Namoh Laxmi namah," which is what's
> prompting this inquiry. That chant is just about the only thing i know of
> her other than that she is "the Hindu Goddess of wealth and beauty.")
> I really enjoyed the recent post on Saraswati. If someone has a similar
> post for Laxmi i'd love to see it.
>
> take care,
> Kris
Kris - be careful
Lakshmi is the consort of Mahavishnu or Narayana. Narayana carries her in
his chest (bosom). If you go after her without Narayana, she will ruin
you. On the otherhand when you go after Narayana, Lakshmi atomatically
comes. That is why in India (as I am familier) whenevery they do Lakshmi
vratam or puja, they always keep Narayana. ON the same token, when you do
puja to Narayana, it is a custom to offer whatever Lakshmi (dashana) you
have at the puja plate.
Conceptually you can see whenever one goes after beauty and wealth without
the wisdom (Narayana), it will eventually contribute to the downfall of
that person.
ON the otherhand when you go after Narayana, the beauty and wealth of
knowledge is added on to you automatically.
Lakshmi is the symbolic of many things. Lakshmi ashtottara mantra provides
a glimps of these. There are ashta Lakshmis (that is the eight fold aspect
of Lakhmi) that has been symbolized even pictorially. In understanding-
Lakshmi stands for Prakriti -
Krishana says in the Geeta:
Maya adhyashena prakritih suyate sacharacharm
Hetunanena kounteya jagadviparivartate
Me as the suprevisor prakriti brings forth the phenomenal world of movable
and immovables.
By that reason Oh Arjuna the world revolves around.
Which implies all the phenomenal forces starting from gravitational forces
etc the whole universe is the outcome of prakriti under the supervision of
the Lord.
For Srivishnavaites - essentially Sri Ramanuja followers, Sri or Lakshmi is
given the most prominence. She is the mother of the universe. and you
cannot approach the father without going through the mother. Because of
her love, mother is ready to hug the child, when the child needs her, even
though the child is filled with filth and dirt. Only after washing and
cleaning up the child the mother presents it to the father who can then
appreciate the child. When any child is in difficulty, he/she always goes
to the mother first. Only through the mother, father is approached.
The first person that is recognized and the first the word that comes of
the baby is "ma" (universally), the mother. In vedic tradition, Mathru
deva bhava, that is Prostrations to the Mother comes before the Pitru deva
(father) bhava. Lakshmi is the mother of the whole universe and the
parents are considered as living representatives of Lakshmi and Narayana.
With pranams - Sadananda
