8 Avatars & Names of Ashta Lakshmi .pdf

The Goddess Lakshmi is known as the Goddess of prosperity and wealth. These two things lay
at the fundamental of everyone’s lives. But only a few people know that Lakshmi shows her
grace in eight different forms. There are unique names for each form. These all names together
are called ashta lakshmi.

1. 8Avatars&NamesofAshtaLakshmi
(WithMeaning,Storyand
Significance)
TheGoddessLakshmiisknownastheGoddessofprosperityandwealth.Thesetwothingslay
atthefundamentalofeveryone’slives.ButonlyafewpeopleknowthatLakshmishowsher
graceineightdifferentforms.Thereareuniquenamesforeachform.Theseallnamestogether
arecalledashtalakshmi.
Shakti,thelife-givingandvibrantenergyofthedivine,residesineverylivingbeingandis
intrinsicallyfeminine.Lakshmi,famouslyknownforherbeautyandalluringgracefulness,isone
ofthemostsignificantmanifestationsofShakti.
Asifweneededanotherreminderaboutthisbenevolentfemininedeity,Lakshmihasbeen
creditedwitheverythingfromfortunetoprosperity-evenloveandjoy.Sheisasignificant
memberoftheTridevi(trinity)ofHinduismprinciplesgoddesses,alongsideParvatiand
Saraswati.
ListofAshtaLakshmiNames(Forms)
So,let’sknowthenamesofAshtaLakshmi,alongwiththeirsignificanceandmeaning.
1.AdiLakshmi

2. AdiLakshmiisbelievedtobethemostprimordialformofLakshmi,andshebestowsknowledge
tothoseseekingit.Herprimordialformsignifiesknowingone'sgoalandunderstandingwhat
needstobedoneinordertoachieveit,whichiswhysheprovidespeoplewithallthe
materialisticwealththeyneedforthatverypurpose.

3. Thisgoddesswascalleduponduringthegreatchurningofthesea,andsheisknownfor
grantingliberation.ItissaidthatsageBrhigubeggedforthisdeitytoawakenfromherslumber,
forithasbeenfartoolongsinceshehadlastintervenedinuniversalaffairs.
AlloftheexistencesprangforthfromthewombofMotherAdiLakshmi,andshewasbelievedto
bethecreatorofallgodsandgoddesses.Hence,thegoddessisassociatedwithfertilityand
marriedwomen.
Soit'straditionaltoofferherredflowersthatrepresentloveanddesire.AlongwithVishnu,she
isalsoknownforbeingwhereallwealthresidesinthisuniverse.
SuggestedReading:NavratriFastingFoodList:5DeliciousUpwasFoodRecipes
2.DhanaLakshmi

4. Wealth;whatdoesitmean?
Itcouldrepresentmoney,fame,orpower.Butatitscore,dhana(wealth)alsoembodiesinner
strengthandintellect.DhanaLakshmi,amongthe8ashtalaxminames,isarepresentationof
thissidetohumans.Itgrantsusanabundanceofwealthandprosperitywhentouchedbyher
divinegrace.

5. InHinduMythology,DhanaLakshmiissaidtobethedeityofwealthandprosperity.Herstory
beginswhenshebecomesangrywithLordVishnuforhisopiniononmoney.Whenthis
happened,sheleftVaikunta(heaven)andwenttoEarth.
Soonaftersheleaves,LordVishnufollowsherdowntoEarth,becomingapoorfolklivinginthe
forests.Oneday,theymeetagainbutarestillunabletoreconcilebecauseLordVishnuwasnot
abundant.
Unfortunately,hehadtakenaloanfromKubera,whoinsistedthatLordVishnuhadtorepaythe
debtbeforedeparting.Formanyyears,hetriedbutcouldnotpayoffhisdebtandeventually
cametounderstandtheimportanceofmoney.Hiswife,DhanaLakshmi,thenblessedhimwith
wealthandmadehimindebtedforallhisgoodfortune.
Hence,Dhanalakshmi,theHindugoddessofwealthandanavatarofLakshmi,bestowsher
blessingsuponthosewhoareindustriousandvaluemoney.Itleadsthemtoabundance.Sheis
theembodimentofallrichesintheuniverse,andshegivessustenancetoherfollowersby
overcomingfinancialhurdles.
3.DhanyaLakshmi

7. Goddessofabundance,DhanyaLakshmi,blessesdevoteeswithplentifulharvests.Devotees
repayhergenerositybyshowingappreciationforalltheyreceive-honoringherbeforeeatingor
sharingfoodwiththehungryinneed.
HindumythologytellsusthatduringtheMahabharataera,whenthePandavaswerelivingin
exile,itwasdifficultforthemtofindfood.ThismaybebecauseoftheGoddessDhanya
Lakshmi,whoblessedthemandmadesuretheyhadenoughfoodtosurvivethisperiod.
Shecametotheiraidbyprovidingawoodenbowlthatproducedfoodperenniallysothatthey
wouldnevergohungryagain.
Feedingeverypersonindiscriminately,DhanyaLakshmiremindsushowgratefulweshouldbe
forthefoodprovidedbyMotherNature.Whenwearehungry,nomatterifwearerichorpoor,
thisavatarofLaxmiprovidesusthefood.
Sheholdsnoprejudiceagainstthewealthyorthelessfortunatebecausesheknowsthat
everyoneneedsherblessingstosurvive.
SuggestedReading:WhatisHathaYoga?Benefits,SpiritualImportance,Principles
4.GajaLakshmi

8. LegendssaythatGajendra,theelephant,andGoddessLakshmiwouldalwaysengagein
prayertogethertoworshipLordVishnu.Duetohissize,Gajendrawasalittleslowerthan
Lakshmi.Thismeanthecouldn'tperformasmanyceremoniesatonceasshedid.

9. ButwhenLordVishnusawthis,heaskedforherhelpsothatGajendrawouldn'tfeel
discouragedfrombeingslowerthanherallthetime.Then,GoddessLakshmitookonanentirely
differentform,knownasGajaLakshmi.ThemeaningofthisAshtaLaxminameis
elephant-Lakshmi.TheGoddessacceptedallofhisofferingstoo.
Andhence,herdivineformasGajaLakshmisatisfiestheneedsofherfollowers,whodepend
onbreedinglivestockforfood.
Satisfyingtheneedsofthosewhoworkwithanimalsasawaytoearntheirliving,GajaLakshmi
remindsthemallofjusthowvaluablethesecreaturesare.Shealsoremindsthemnottoharm
orexploitthembutinsteadtogivethemlove,care,andrespect.
5.SantanaLakshmi

10. NextonthelistofnamesofAshtaLakshmiisSantana-Lakshmi.Sheblessesherfollowerswith
progenyandfamilyfortune.WorshippersofSantana-Lakshmiareblessedwithhealthychildren
andlongerlifespans.
Thisformofthegoddesssymbolizesfertilityandblesseschildlesscoupleswithchildren.She
fulfillstheiryearningforafamilywhoseesparentingasasacredresponsibilityorfeelsthat

11. havingchildrenisatrueblessinginlife.Santanalistenstothepleasfrominfantswhowant
siblings,grantingthemtheirwishesinreturnforworship.
AlsoRead:WhatisManifestation?EverythingYouNeedtoKnow
6.VeeraLakshmi(DhairyaLakshmi)

12. VeeraLakshmi,alsoknownasDhairyaLakshmi,isbraveryincarnate.Veerameansvaloror
courage.ItisthenamegiventoaformofAshtaLakshmithatgrantsusthesequalities:
confidence,willpower,andperseverance.Thesequalitiesareneededtofightthrougheventhe
mostchallengingobstaclethatcomesyourwayinlife.
Intheoldendays,therelivedakingnamedBhojaRajanwhoruledhisdominionwithout
opposition.Hissubjectswerecheerfulandcontented,withsupremehappinessacrosstheland.
TheKingwasreverentlydevotedtoGoddessLakshmi.Becauseofthis,heensuredthatshe
neverabandonedhim.Inhisdream,GoddessLakshmiappearedtohimandtoldhimthatseven
ofhereightavatars(8Lakshmiforms)wouldhavetogoawayfromhiskingdom.
Hecouldpickanyonehefeltmostneededit.Aftercarefulconsideration,thekingmadeuphis
mind.HeelectedGoddessDhairyaLakshmiinordertoretainthestrengthandcouragewhich
arenecessaryforgoverningthepeople.Awisedecisionindeed!
Shegrantsthefearlessnessneededtoovercomewhatlifethrowsatus.Importantly,shefavors
thosewhotrytostaypositiveanddeterminedineventheworsttimes.
MustRead:NavaDurga:TheNineManifestationsofMotherGoddess
7.VidyaLakshmi

13. NextintheAshtaLakshminameslistisVidyaLakshmi.Wealthemanatesfromherlikean
eternalfountain,butshedoesnotprovideitintheformofsuperficiality.

14. Wealthcomesfromherthroughknowledge.Thisknowledgeaidsinachievingenlightenment
andunderstandingoneself,forthisiswhatshebelievestobetruewealth.Thisavatarof
Lakshmiknowshowtounlockthehumanmindsoitcanexploreitsownself-worth.Itisbecause
whenthishappens,wearetrulywealthy.
VidyaLakshmiisshowntobeseatedatopawhitelotuswithhertwohandshavinglotusesand
theothertwohandsraisedinAbhayaandVaradamudra.
8.VijayaLakshmi

15. Vijayameansvictory.ThisformofLakshmisymbolizesvictoryinallaspectsoflife,notjustin
war,butalsoinlife'smajorstrugglesandlittlebattles.Vijaya-Lakshmiisworshipedtoensure
all-aroundtriumphineveryaspectoflife.
AmannamedVidyaRannarworshipedtheGoddesssincerely.Butwhenheheardthatno
matterhowmuchheprayedforsuccessinhislife,itwouldn'thappen.Itwasbecausewhenhe
wasborn,thisdidn'tstophimatall.

16. Hecontinuedprayingferventlyandeventuallybrokefreefromthechainsofmaterialism.With
detachmentfromworldlythingscomesrenunciation.Thisway,theGoddessblessedhimwithan
abundantamountofriches.
Althoughtheserichesheldnomeaningforhimanymore,hededicatedhimselftobuildinganew
empire.ItwascalledtheVijayaNagaraEmpire.
VijayaLakshmimanifestsherselftoassistindividualsduringdifficulttimes.Sheappreciates
thosethatmaintainapositiveoutlookinthefaceofhardshipandoffersguidancetothose
seekingspiritualenlightenment.
WrappingUp:
Lakshmiembodiesbothprotectionandnurture.Sheprovidesdevoteeswhattheyneed,whileat
thesametimeencouragingthemtoworkhardandpersevere.Topleaseher,followersare
encouragedtomaintaincleanliness,offerflowers,lightupalampandreciteprayers.Thiscan
bedonetowhicheverformshetakesontheday.However,devotionthroughprayeristhemost
effectivewayofreachingouttoLakshmiinanyAshtaLakshmiform.
HaveanyquestionsrelatedtoAshtaLaxminamesortheirsignificance?Feelfreetosharewith
usinthecommentsbelow.
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