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85-452: The word is widely used in South and Southeast Asian languages such as Assamese , Meitei ( Manipuri ), Marathi , Malay (including Indonesian and Malaysian ), Javanese , Balinese , Sundanese , Sinhala , Thai , Tamil , Telugu , Odia , Assamese , Punjabi , Hindi , Bengali , Nepali , Malayalam , Kannada , Sanskrit , Pali , Khmer , and also among Philippine languages . It

170-600: A choice to go to the Devas or the Asuras. She chose the Devas' side and among thirty deities, she chose to be with Vishnu. Thereafter, in all three worlds, the lotus-bearing goddess was celebrated. Many Hindus worship Lakshmi on Deepavali (Diwali), the festival of lights. It is celebrated in autumn, typically October or November every year. The festival spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil and hope over despair. Before

255-518: A dual meaning: wealth manifested through Lakshmi means both materials as well as spiritual wealth. Her face and open hands are in a mudra that signifies compassion, giving or dāna ('charity'). Lakshmi typically wears a red dress embroidered with golden threads, which symbolizes fortune and wealth. She, goddess of wealth and prosperity, is often represented with her husband Vishnu, the god who maintains human life filled with justice and peace. This symbolism implies wealth and prosperity are coupled with

340-578: A goddess born with and personifying a diverse range of talents and powers. According to another legend, she emerges during the creation of universe, floating over the water on the expanded petals of a lotus flower; she is also variously regarded as wife of Dharma , mother of Kāma , sister or mother of Dhātṛ and Vidhātṛ , wife of Dattatreya, one of the nine Shaktis of Viṣṇu , a manifestation of Prakṛti as identified with Dākshāyaṇī in Bharatasrama and as Sita , wife of Rama . In

425-401: A lotus or She of the lotus ), Kamalā or Kamalatmika (She of the lotus), Padmapriyā (Lotus-lover), Padmamālādhāra Devī (Goddess bearing a garland of lotuses), Padmamukhī (Lotus-faced-she whose face is as like as a lotus), Padmākṣī : (Lotus-eyed - she whose eyes are as beautiful as a lotus), Padmahasta : (Lotus-hand - she whose hand is holding [a] lotus[es]), Padmasundarī (She who

510-415: A major shopping period, since Lakshmi connotes auspiciousness, wealth and prosperity. This festival dedicated to Lakshmi is considered by Hindus to be one of the most important and joyous festivals of the year. A very sacred day for the worship of Goddess Lakshmi falls on Chaitra Shukla Panchami, also called, Lakshmi Panchami , Shri Panchami, Kalpadi and Shri Vrata. As this worship is in the first week of

595-643: A vessel containing amrita . In the Skanda Purana and the Venkatachala Mahatmayam , Sri, or Lakshmi, is praised as the mother of Brahma . In Japan, where Lakshmi is known as Kisshōten , she is commonly depicted with the Nyoihōju gem (如意宝珠) in her hand. The meaning and significance of Lakshmi evolved in ancient Sanskrit texts. Lakshmi is mentioned once in Rigveda , in which the name

680-469: Is Puranartha Samgraha , compiled by Vekataraya in South India, where Lakshmi and Vishnu discuss niti ('right, moral conduct') and rajaniti ('statesmanship' or 'right governance')—covering in 30 chapters and ethical and moral questions about personal, social and political life. Inside temples, Lakshmi is often shown together with Vishnu . In certain parts of India, Lakshmi plays a special role as

765-468: Is Simhavahini (mount as lion) on most of the coins during their rule. Coins during the rule of Prakashadiya, a Gupta ruler, contain the Garudadhvaja on the obverse and Lakshmi on the reverse. The Gupta period sculpture only used to associate lions with Lakshmi but was later attributed to Durga or a combined form of both goddesses. Lions are also associated with Veera Lakshmi , who is one of

850-482: Is a harvest festival marking the end of monsoon season. There is a traditional celebration of the moon called the Kaumudi celebration , Kaumudi meaning moonlight. On Sharad Purnima night, goddess Lakshmi is thanked and worshipped for the harvests. Vaibhav Lakshmi Vrata is observed on Friday for prosperity. Numerous hymns, prayers, shlokas , stotra , songs, and legends dedicated to Lakshmi are recited during

935-515: Is a group of eight secondary manifestations of Lakshmi. The Ashta Lakshmi presides over eight sources of wealth and thus represents the eight powers of Shri Lakshmi. Temples dedicated to Ashta Lakshmi are found in Tamil Nadu , such as Ashtalakshmi Kovil near Chennai and many other states of India. Devas (gods) and asuras (demons) were both mortal at one time in Hinduism . Amrita ,

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1020-734: Is a major goddess in Puranas and Itihasa of Hinduism. In ancient scriptures of India, all women are declared to be embodiments of Lakshmi. For example: Every woman is an embodiment of you. You exist as little girls in their childhood, As young women in their youth And as elderly women in their old age. Every woman is an emanation of you. Ancient prayers dedicated to Lakshmi seek both material and spiritual wealth in prayers. Through illusion, A person can become disconnected, From his higher self, Wandering about from place to place, Bereft of clear thought, Lost in destructive behavior. It matters not how much truth, May shine forth in

1105-846: Is a member of the Tridevi , the triad of great goddesses. She represents the Rajas guna , and the Iccha-shakti . The image, icons, and sculptures of Lakshmi are represented with symbolism. Her name is derived from Sanskrit root words for knowing the goal and understanding the objective. Her four arms are symbolic of the four goals of humanity that are considered good in Hinduism: dharma (pursuit of ethical, moral life), artha (pursuit of wealth, means of life), kama (pursuit of love, emotional fulfillment), and moksha (pursuit of self-knowledge, liberation). In Lakshmi's iconography, she

1190-524: Is also an epithet for Hindu goddess - Lakshmi while a yantra or a mystical diagram is popularly used to worship her is called Shri Yantra . Monier-Williams Dictionary gives the meaning of the root verb śrī as "to cook, boil, to burn, diffuse light", but as a feminine abstract noun, it has received a general meaning of "grace, splendour, beauty; wealth, affluence, prosperity". The word śrī may also be used as an adjective in Sanskrit, which

1275-607: Is also called Padmā. Sita , the female protagonist of the Ramayana and her husband, the god-king Rama are considered as avatars of Lakshmi and Vishnu, respectively. In the Mahabharata , Draupadi is described as a partial incarnation of Sri (Lakshmi). However, other chapter of the epic states that Lakshmi took the incarnation of Rukmini , the chief-wife of the Hindu god Krishna . Shakta Upanishads are dedicated to

1360-590: Is also transliterated to English in two different ways as ri and ree , although the latter is non-standard in Hindi. Hence this word श्री may be rendered in English as Shri (the standard spelling), Shree, Sri or Sree; Some other transliterations used are Shri, Shiri, Shrii. Whatever the transliteration may be, its pronunciation remains the same. Sanskrit is written in many other Indian scripts as well, each of which has its own equivalents of these Devanāgari letters;

1445-483: Is also used to refer to these languages, though it may be narrowed to refer only to Indo-Aryan and Dravidian languages. The Iranian Plateau located west to the subcontinent is home to Iranic languages , beginning with Pashto of Pashtunistan , Dari , spoken in Afghanistan and Balochi of Balochistan in the eastern-side of the plateau. Kafiri languages are spoken in pockets at the northern intersection of

1530-404: Is an epithet of Lakshmi . The Vedas speak of Shri as a goddess, who personified ten qualities coveted by other divine beings: food, royalty, holiness, kingdom, fortune, sovereignty, nobility, power, righteousness, and beauty. The Vedic Shri is believed to have identified with later conceptions of Lakshmi, as the embodiment of royalty and dignity. There is a common practice of writing Shri as

1615-565: Is as beautiful as a lotus), Padmavati (She who was born from a lotus), Śrījā (Jatika of Sri), Narayani (belonging to Narayana or the wife of Narayana), Vaishnavi (worshipper of Vishnu or the power of Vishnu), Viṣṇupriyā (who is the beloved of Vishnu), Nandika (the one who gives pleasure). Shaktas also consider Lalita , who is praised with 1,000 names in the Lalita Sahasranama , as Lakshmi. Lakshmi Sahasranama of Skanda Purana praises Lakshmi as Mahadevi (she who

1700-468: Is described as holding rosary, axe, mace, arrow, thunderbolt, lotus, pitcher, rod, sakti, sword, shield, conch, bell, wine-cup, trident, noose and the discus in her eighteen hands, and as sitting on Garuda , a lion , or a tiger . According to the Lakshmi Tantra , the goddess Lakshmi, in her ultimate form of Mahasri, has four arms of a golden complexion, and holds a citron, a club, a shield, and

1785-608: Is either sitting or standing on a lotus and typically carrying a lotus in one or two hands. The lotus carries symbolic meanings in Hinduism and other Indian traditions. It symbolizes knowledge, self-realization, and liberation in the Vedic context, and represents reality, consciousness, and karma ('work, deed') in the Tantra ( Sahasrara ) context. The lotus, a flower that blooms in clean or dirty water, also symbolises purity regardless of

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1870-501: Is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism , revered as the goddess of wealth, fortune, prosperity, beauty, fertility, royal power and abundance. She along with Parvati and Sarasvati , forms the trinity called the Tridevi . Lakshmi has been a central figure in Hindu tradition since pre-Buddhist times (1500 to 500 BCE) and remains one of the most widely worshipped goddesses in the Hindu pantheon . Although she does not appear in

1955-827: Is regarded to be the same as Dari. Pashto is widely spoken by the Pashtun people, who mainly reside towards the south of Afghanistan on the Pakistani-Afghan border. A few Turkic languages , like Uzbek and Turkmen , are spoken near regions closer to Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan . Standard Bengali based on the Rarhi dialect is the national language of Bangladesh. The majority of Bangladeshis speak an eastern variant of Bengali. Other native languages of Bangladesh include Sylheti , Rangpuri and Chittagonian , while some ethnic minority groups also speak Tibeto-Burman , Dravidian and Austro-Asiatic languages. Dzongkha

2040-467: Is seen as the ideal Hindu wife, exemplifying loyalty and devotion to her husband. Whenever Vishnu descended on the earth as an avatar , Lakshmi accompanied him as consort, for example, as Sita and Radha or Rukmini as consorts of Vishnu's avatars Rama and Krishna , respectively. Lakshmi holds a prominent place in the Vishnu-centric sect Vaishnavism , where she is not only regarded as

2125-585: Is the national language of the Kingdom of Bhutan . Other languages spoken include Brokpa , Dzala , Chali Chocangacakha , Dakpa language , Khengkha language , Nepali language , Gongduk , Nyenkha , Lhokpu , Takpa and Tshangla . Almost all the languages of Bhutan are from the Tibetic family (except Nepali , an Indo-Aryan language). Most languages spoken in the Republic of India belong either to

2210-602: Is the Queen or ruler of the Universe), Katyayani (she who is the daughter of sage Katyayana), Kaushiki ( Shakti that came out of the sheath (or Kosha) of Parvati ), Brahmani (She who is the power of Brahma ), Kamakshi (she who fulfils desires by her eyes), Chandi (she who killed Mahishasura ), Chamunda (She who killed Chanda and Munda ), Madhu Kaidabha Bhanjini (she who killed Madhu and Kaidabha ), Durga (she who killed Durgamasura), Maheshvari (she who

2295-615: Is the great goddess), Mahamaya (she who is a great illusion), Karaveera Nivasini (The Goddess Who lives in Karaveera/ Kolhapur ) and Maha Astha Dasa Pithagne (she who has 18 great Shakta pithas ). She is also praised as Mahalakshmi (she who is great Lakshmi), Mahakali (she who is great Kali) and Mahasaraswati (she who is great Saraswati) who are the primary deities in Devi Mahatmya . The other prominent names included in this text are, Bhuvaneshvari (she who

2380-503: Is the mother of the world. Vishnu is the meaning, Sri is the speech. She is the conduct, he the behavior. Vishnu is knowledge, she the insight. He is dharma, she the virtuous action. She is the earth, the earth's upholder. She is contentment, he the satisfaction. She wishes, he is the desire. Sri is the sky, Vishnu the Self of everything. He is the Sun, she the light of the Sun. He is the ocean, she

2465-424: Is the origin of the modern use of shri as a title. From the noun, is derived the Sanskrit adjective "śrīmat" (śrimān in the masculine nominative singular, śrīmatī in the feminine), by adding the suffix indicating possession, literally "radiance-having" (person, god, etc.). This is used in modern vernacular as form of address Shrimati (abbreviated Smt) for married women, while Sushri , (with "su", "good", added to

2550-416: Is the power of Maheshvara), Varahi (she who is the power of Varaha , a form of Vishnu ), Narasimhi (she who is the power of Narasimha , a form of Vishnu ), Srividyaa (she who is Sri Vidya ), Sri Manthra Raja Rajini (the queen of Sri Vidya), Shadadharadhi devata (she who is the goddess of the six chakras ). Dutch author Dirk van der Plas says, "In Lakshmi Tantra, a text of Visnuite signature,

2635-543: Is the shore. Lakshmi, along with Parvati and Saraswati, is a subject of extensive Subhashita , genomic and didactic literature of India. Composed in the 1st millennium BCE through the 16th century CE, they are short poems, proverbs, couplets, or aphorisms in Sanskrit written in a precise meter. They sometimes take the form of a dialogue between Lakshmi and Vishnu or highlight the spiritual message in Vedas and ethical maxims from Hindu Epics through Lakshmi. An example Subhashita

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2720-538: Is the spoken by majority of the population. The Indo-Aryan languages spoken in Nepal include Maithili language , Bhojpuri language and Tharu language which constitutes majority of the speakers in southern Nepal in the Terai region. The Sino-Tibetan languages includes Tamang , Newari , Magar language , Gurung language , Kiranti languages and Sherpa language and are often spoken in central and northern Nepal in

2805-422: Is used to mean 'kindred mark, sign of auspicious fortune' . भद्रैषां लक्ष्मी र्निहिताधि वाचि bhadraiṣāṁ lakṣmī rnihitādhi vāci "an auspicious fortune is attached to their words" In Atharva Veda , transcribed about 1000 BCE, Lakshmi evolves into a complex concept with plural manifestations. Book 7, Chapter 115 of Atharva Veda describes the plurality, asserting that a hundred Lakshmis are born with

2890-483: Is usually transliterated as Sri , Sree , Shri , Shiri , Shree , Si , or Seri based on the local convention for transliteration. In Tamil it evolved to Tiru . The term is used in Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia as a polite form of address equivalent to the English "Mr." in written and spoken language. "Shri" is also used as a title of veneration for deities or as honorific title for individuals. Shri

2975-767: The Indo-Aryan ( c.  74% ), the Dravidian (c. 24%), the Austroasiatic ( Munda ) (c. 1.2%), or the Tibeto-Burman (c. 0.6%) families, with some languages of the Himalayas still unclassified. The SIL Ethnologue lists 461 living languages for the Indian Republic. Hindustani is the most widespread language of India. The Indian census takes the widest possible definition of "Hindi" as

3060-520: The Indo-Muslim period , Persian became a connecting language throughout much of India and the Persianate world in general, influencing local languages . From the colonial era onwards, English became a lingua franca to some extent, aiding those who participated in the Indian independence movement for example. In contemporary times, English is considered the international lingua franca of

3145-605: The Indus River approximately dividing the families). Other language families in Pakistan include Dravidian ( Brahui spoken in Central Balochistan ), Sino-Tibetan languages such as Balti and Purgi spoken in the north-east (In Baltistan region of Pakistan), Nuristani languages such as Kamkata-vari spoken in the north-west (In chitral region of Pakistan), Language Isolate Burushaski spoken in

3230-580: The Sikh religious text, the Shri Guru Granth Sahib . Similarly, when the Ramlila tradition of reenacting the Ramayana is referred to as an institution, the term Shri Ramlila is frequently used. A common Sikh greeting is “ Sat Shri Akaal (Gurmukhi: ਸਤਿ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ)”, meaning “Truth is divine and eternal”. Shri here is used to denote divinity or godliness. The use of the term is common in

3315-698: The South Asian countries . Since the colonial era, the South Asian languages have absorbed significant influences from the English language, with the most-spoken South Asian language Hindustani also acquiring a new English-influenced variant known as Hinglish which is spoken more in urban areas. On a subregional level, Telugu was a language of high culture in South India in precolonial times, while in modern times, Punjabi and Bengali function as major transnational languages connecting

3400-568: The Tridevi of goddesses—Lakshmi, Saraswati and Parvati . Saubhagyalakshmi Upanishad describes the qualities, characteristics, and powers of Lakshmi. In the second part of the Upanishad, the emphasis shifts to the use of yoga and transcendence from material craving to achieve spiritual knowledge and self-realization, the true wealth. Saubhagya-Lakshmi Upanishad synonymously uses Sri to describe Lakshmi. Numerous ancient Stotram and Sutras of Hinduism recite hymns dedicated to Lakshmi. She

3485-527: The " scheduled languages of the Constitution ". Scheduled languages spoken by less than 1% of Indians are Santali (0.64%), Meitei (Manipuri) (0.14%), Bodo (0.13%), Dogri (0.01%, spoken in Jammu and Kashmir ). The largest language that is not "scheduled" is Bhili (0.95%), followed by Gondi (0.27%), Tulu (0.17%) and Kurukh (0.099%) Divehi is national language of Maldives , spoken by 95% of

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3570-462: The Ashtalakshmi. Historian B. C. Bhattacharya says, "An image of Gajalakshmi is found with two lions — one on either side of her. Two elephants are also shown near her head and by this we can say that Lion is also the vahana of Lakshmi along with Garuda ". In some representations, wealth either symbolically pours out from one of her hands or she simply holds a jar of money. This symbolism has

3655-536: The Epics of Hinduism, such as in Mahabharata , Lakshmi personifies wealth, riches, happiness, loveliness, grace, charm, and splendor. In another Hindu legend about the creation of the universe as described in Ramayana , Lakshmi springs with other precious things from the foam of the ocean of milk when it is churned by the gods and demons for the recovery of Amṛta . She appeared with a lotus in her hand and so she

3740-409: The Hindu new year, by Hindu calendar , it is considered very auspicious. Varalakshmi Vratam is celebrated by married Hindu women to pray for the well-being of their husbands. Gaja Lakshmi Puja is another autumn festival celebrated on Sharad Purnima in many parts of India on the full-moon day in the month of Ashvin (October). Sharad Purnima , also called Kojaagari Purnima or Kuanr Purnima,

3825-676: The Javanese rice goddess " Dewi Sri ". "Sri" is also used as names of companies, placements, institutions, etc (e.g — Sriwijaya Air , Sriwijaya University , etc). The oldest recorded word of "Sri" founded in Indonesia was written in the Mulawarman inscription founded in Kutai , East Kalimantan dating back to the 4th century AD which read: sri matah sri -narendrasya, kundungasya mahatmanah (meaning: "the maharaja Kudungga , who

3910-453: The Sanskrit pronunciation remains the same regardless of script. Shri is a polite form of address equivalent to the English "Mr." or "Ms.". Shri is also frequently used as an epithet of some Hindu gods , in which case it is often translated into English as Holy . Also, in language and general usage, Shri , if used by itself and not followed by any name, refers to the supreme consciousness, i.e. god. Shri , also rendered Sridevi ,

3995-743: The beginning), can be used for women in general ( regardless of marital status ). In Devanagari script for Sanskrit, Hindi, Marathi and other languages, the word ⟨ श्री ⟩ is combination of three sounds: श् ( ś ), र् ( r ) and ई ( ī , long i ). There are two conventions in India to transliterate the consonant श् ( ISO : ś ) to English: some use s (which in narrower transcription represents only स् ) as in Sri Lanka and Srinagar , while others use sh as in Shimla and Shimoga . Similarly, री ( rī ; र् + ई )

4080-497: The body of a mortal at birth, some good, Punya ('virtuous') and auspicious, while others bad, paapi ('evil') and unfortunate. The good are welcomed, while the bad are urged to leave. The concept and spirit of Lakshmi and her association with fortune and the good is significant enough that Atharva Veda mentions it in multiple books: for example, in Book 12, Chapter 5 as Punya Lakshmi . In some chapters of Atharva Veda, Lakshmi connotes

4165-780: The broad variety of the Hindi languages . The native speakers of Hindi so defined account for 39% of Indians. Bengali is the second most spoken language of South Asia, found in both Bangladesh and Indian states of West Bengal , Tripura and Assam . The International Mother Language Day was created by UNESCO to commemorate the Bengali language. Other notable languages include Odia , Telugu , Punjabi , Marathi , Tamil , Urdu , Sindhi , Kannada , Pashto , Malayalam , Maithili , Meitei (Manipuri) , Konkani , and Tulu . Thirteen languages account for more than 1% of Indian population each, and between themselves for over 95%; all of them are

4250-598: The consort of Vishnu, the Supreme Being, but also as his divine energy ( shakti ). she is also the Supreme Goddess in the sect and assists Vishnu to create, protect, and transform the universe. She is an especially prominent figure in Sri Vaishnavism tradition, in which devotion to Lakshmi is deemed to be crucial to reach Vishnu. Within the goddess-oriented Shaktism , Lakshmi is venerated as

4335-482: The creation of the universe. In Book 9 of Shatapatha Brahmana, Sri emerges from Prajapati, after his intense meditation on the creation of life and nature of the universe. Sri is described as a resplendent and trembling woman at her birth with immense energy and powers. The gods are bewitched, desire her, and immediately become covetous of her. The gods approach Prajapati and request permission to kill her and then take her powers, talents, and gifts. Prajapati refuses, tells

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4420-442: The creative energy of Vishnu, and primordial Prakriti who creates the universe. According to Garuda Purana , Lakshmi is considered as Prakriti (Mahalakshmi) and is identified with three forms — Sri, Bhu and Durga. The three forms consist of Satva ('goodness'), rajas , and tamas ('darkness') gunas, and assists Vishnu ( Purusha ) in creation, preservation and destruction of the entire universe. Durga 's form represents

4505-547: The daughter of the divine sage Bhrigu and his wife Khyati and was named Bhargavi . According to Vishnu Purana, the universe was created when the devas and asuras churned the cosmic Kshira Sagara. Lakshmi came out of the ocean, bearing a lotus, along with the divine cow Kamadhenu , Varuni , the Parijat tree, the Apsaras , Chandra (the moon), and Dhanvantari with Amrita ('nectar of immortality'). When she appeared, she had

4590-552: The daughters of Durga . They are worshipped during Durga Puja . In South India, Lakshmi is seen in two forms, Sridevi and Bhudevi , both at the sides of Venkateshwara , a form of Vishnu. Bhudevi is the representation and totality of the material world or energy, called the Apara Prakriti , or Mother Earth; Sridevi is the spiritual world or energy called the Prakriti . According to Lakshmi Tantra , Nila Devi , one of

4675-485: The divine nectar that grants immortality, could only be obtained by churning Kshira Sagara ('Ocean of Milk'). The devas and asuras both sought immortality and decided to churn the Kshira Sagara with Mount Mandhara. The Samudra Manthana commenced with the devas on one side and the asuras on the other. Vishnu incarnated as Kurma, the tortoise, and a mountain was placed on the tortoise as a churning pole. Vasuki ,

4760-510: The earliest Vedic literature , the personification of the term shri —auspiciousness, glory, and high rank, often associated with kingship—eventually led to the development of Sri-Lakshmi as a goddess in later Vedic texts, particularly the Shri Suktam . Her importance grew significantly during the late epic period (around 400 CE), when she became particularly associated with the preserver god Vishnu as his consort. In this role, Lakshmi

4845-581: The first word centralised in line at the beginning of a document. Another usage is as an emphatic compound (which can be used several times: shri shri , or shri shri shri , etc.) in princely styles, notably in Darbar Shri, Desai Shri, and Thakur Shri or Shrii Shrii Anandamurti , the founder of the social and spiritual movement Ananda Marga (the Path of Bliss). The honorific can also be applied to objects and concepts that are widely respected, such as

4930-551: The four aspects of human life important to Hindu culture: dharma , kama , artha , and moksha . She is often accompanied by two elephants, as seen in the Gaja-Lakshmi images, symbolising both fertility and royal authority. Archaeological discoveries and ancient coins suggest the recognition and reverence for Lakshmi existing by the 1st millennium BCE. Lakshmi's iconography and statues have also been found in Hindu temples throughout Southeast Asia, estimated to be from

5015-450: The gods that men should not kill women and that they can seek her gifts without violence. The gods then approach Lakshmi. Agni gets food, Soma gets kingly authority, Varuna gets imperial authority, Mitra acquires martial energy, Indra gets force, Brihaspati gets priestly authority, Savitri acquires dominion, Pushan gets splendour, Saraswati takes nourishment and Tvashtri gets forms. The hymns of Shatapatha Brahmana thus describe Sri as

5100-428: The good or bad circumstances in which it grows. It is a reminder that good and prosperity can bloom and not be affected by evil in one's surroundings. Below, behind, or on the sides, Lakshmi is very often shown with one or two elephants, known as Gajalakshmi , and occasionally with an owl. Elephants symbolise work, activity, and strength, as well as water, rain and fertility for abundant prosperity. The owl signifies

5185-473: The good, an auspicious sign, good luck, good fortune, prosperity, success, and happiness. Later, Lakshmi is referred to as the goddess of fortune, identified with Sri and regarded as the wife of Viṣṇu ( Nārāyaṇa ). For example, in Shatapatha Brahmana , variously estimated to be composed between 800 BCE and 300 BCE, Sri (Lakshmi) is part of one of many theories, in ancient India, about

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5270-399: The great venom-spewing serpent-god, was wrapped around the mountain and used to churn the ocean. A host of divine celestial objects came up during the churning. Along with them emerged the goddess Lakshmi. In some versions, she is said to be the daughter of the sea god since she emerged from the sea. In Garuda Purana , Linga Purana and Padma Purana , Lakshmi is said to have been born as

5355-407: The hilly and mountainous regions. Pakistan is a linguistically diverse country; it has many dozens of languages spoken as first languages. The major languages of Pakistan broadly fall under the category Indo-Iranian languages , with western regions of Pakistan (close to Iran and Afghanistan) speaking Iranic languages , and eastern regions (close to India) speaking Indo-Aryan languages (with

5440-509: The influence of the languages extend beyond the subcontinent into other neighbouring Southern Asian as well as East and Southeast Asian regions, and the extended linguistic area is known as Indosphere . More precisely, the sprachbund of Indic languages and other geopolitically-neighboring languages is known as South Asian languages (which additionally includes Eastern-Iranic and Nuristani languages, as well as Central - and Western - Tibeto-Burman linkages ). The term Indic languages

5525-432: The maintenance of life, justice, and peace. When Lakshmi and Vishnu appear together in images and statues, she is significantly smaller, which is often used to portray her devotional status as a wife. A frequently depicted scene of the pair illustrates Lakshmi massaging Vishnu's feet. Alternatively, Lakshmi Sahasranama of Skanda Purana , Lakshmi Tantra and Markandeya Purana describe Lakshmi as having eighteen hands and

5610-724: The manifestations or incarnations of Lakshmi is the third wife of Vishnu . Each goddess of the triad is mentioned in Śrī Sūkta , Bhu Sūkta and Nila Sūkta, respectively. This threefold goddess can be found, for example, in Sri Bhu Neela Sahita Temple near Dwaraka Tirumala , Andhra Pradesh, and in Adinath Swami Temple in Tamil Nadu. In many parts of the region, Andal is considered as an incarnation of Lakshmi. Ashta Lakshmi (Sanskrit: अष्टलक्ष्मी , Aṣṭalakṣmī , 'eight Lakshmis')

5695-415: The mediator between her husband Vishnu and his worldly devotees. When asking Vishnu for grace or forgiveness, the devotees often approach him through the intermediary presence of Lakshmi. She is also the personification of spiritual fulfillment. Lakshmi embodies the spiritual world, also known as Vaikuntha , the abode of Lakshmi and Vishnu (collectively called Lakshmi Narayana ). Lakshmi is the embodiment of

5780-526: The name Durga after killing an asura named Durgama. Indologists and authors Chitralekha Singh and Prem Nath says, " Narada Purana describes the powerful forms of Lakshmi as Durga, Mahakali, Bhadrakali, Chandi, Maheshwari, Mahalakshmi, Vaishnavi and Andreye". Lakshmi, Saraswati , and Parvati are typically conceptualized as distinct in most of India, but in states such as West Bengal and Odisha, they are regionally believed to be forms of Durga. In Hindu Bengali culture, Lakshmi, along with Saraswati, are seen as

5865-963: The name Mahamaya is connected with third or destructive of Goddess' three partial functions, while in supreme form she is identified with Lakshmi" . Her other names include: Aishwarya, Akhila, Anagha, Anapagamini, Anumati, Apara, Aruna, Atibha, Avashya, Bala, Bhargavi , Bhudevi , Chakrika, Chanchala , Chandravadana, Chandrasahodari, Chandraroopa, Devi , Deepta, Dhruti , Haripriya, Harini, Harivallabha, Hemamalini, Hiranyavarna, Indira, Jalaja, Jambhavati , Janaki, Janamodini, Jyoti, Jyotsna, Kalyani, Kamalika, Ketaki, Kriyalakshmi, Kshirsha, Kuhu, Lalima, Madhavi, Madhu, Malti, Manushri, Nandika, Nandini, Nikhila, Nila Devi , Nimeshika, Padmavati, Parama, Prachi, Purnima, Radha , Ramaa, Rukmini , Samruddhi, Samudra Tanaya, Satyabhama , Shraddha, Shreeya, Sita , Smriti, Sridevi, Sudha, Sujata, Swarna Kamala, Taruni, Tilottama, Tulasi, Vasuda, Vasudhara, Vasundhara, Varada, Varalakshmi, Vedavati, Vidya, Vimala, and Viroopa. Lakshmi

5950-738: The names of ragas (musical motifs), either as a prefix or postfix. Some examples are Shree , Bhagyashree, Dhanashree, Jayashree, Subhashree, Itishree, Jiteshree, and Shree ranjani . Usage of "Sri" in Indonesia is used for honorary titles for a king or other great person, for example the King of Yogyakarta Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono and Sri Baginda which means "Your Majesty", and is also used for people's names, mainly Javanese people such as Indonesian finance minister Sri Mulyani , Indonesian marine officer Lt. Col Sri Utomo , Indian-Indonesian businessman Sri Prakash Lohia , etc. It also refers to

6035-547: The night of Deepavali , people clean, renovate and decorate their homes and offices. On the night of Deepavali, Hindus dress up in new clothes or their best outfits, light up diyas (lamps and candles) inside and outside their home, and participate in family puja (prayers) typically to Lakshmi. After the Lakshmi Puja , fireworks follow, then a family feast including mithai (sweets), and an exchange of gifts between family members and close friends. Deepavali also marks

6120-737: The north (In Gilgit Division ), Turkic languages are also spoken in Pakistan, by Kyrgyz migrant families in the North and Uzbeks and Turkmen in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and by Refugees from Afghanistan and China. The national uniting medium of Pakistan is Urdu , a persianised register of the Hindustani language . The major native languages of Pakistan are Punjabi , Saraiki , Sindhi , Baluchi and Pashto , while more than 70 other languages like Shina , Balti , Gujarati , Bengali etc. are also spoken. Sinhala and Tamil are

6205-501: The northwestern and eastern regions of India to Pakistan and Bangladesh respectively (see also Punjabiyat ). The official languages of Afghanistan are Pashto and Dari (Farsi), both of which are Iranic languages . Dari, an Afghan standardised register of the Persian language , is considered the lingua franca of Afghanistan and used to write Afghan literature. Tajik is spoken by people closer to Tajikistan , although officially,

6290-723: The official languages of Sri Lanka, with English as the link language. Tamil is a South-Dravidian language, and Sinhala belongs to the Insular Indic family (along with Dhivehi of Maldives). Vedda is said to be the indigenous language of Sri Lanka before the arrival of the Indo-Aryans and Dravidians. Lakshmi Lakshmi ( / ˈ l ʌ k ʃ m i / ; Sanskrit : लक्ष्मी , IAST : Lakṣmī , sometimes spelled Laxmi , lit.   ' she who leads to one's goal ' ), also known as Shri ( Sanskrit : श्री , IAST : Śrī , lit.   ' Noble ' ),

6375-495: The patient striving to observe, see, and discover knowledge, particularly when surrounded by darkness. As a bird reputedly blinded by daylight, the owl also serves as a symbolic reminder to refrain from blindness and greed after knowledge and wealth have been acquired. According to historian D. D. Kosambi , most of the Imperial Gupta kings were Vaishnavas and held the goddess Lakshmi in the highest esteem. Goddess Lakshmi

6460-662: The plateau and the subcontinent. Tibeto-Burman languages of the Trans-Himalayan family and Khasi–Palaungic languages of the Austroasiatic family are spoken in and beyond the regions of the Himalayan and Indo-Burman Ranges , predominantly on the Tibetan Plateau and Burma . Andamanese languages are spoken on the Andaman Islands . Historically, Sanskrit was the lingua franca of South Asia. In

6545-469: The population. Arabic is considered as the religious language, and English is medium of instruction for education and international purposes such as tourism. Most of the languages of Nepal either fall under Indo-Aryan languages or Sino-Tibetan languages . The official language of the country is Nepali , earlier known as Gorkhali in the Kingdom of Nepal , which is part of the Indo-Aryan group and

6630-591: The power to fight, conquer and punish the demons and anti-gods. In the Lakshmi Tantra and Lakshmi Sahasranama of Skanda Purana , Lakshmi is given the status of the primordial goddess. According to these texts, Durga and the other forms, such as Mahalakshmi, Mahakali and Mahasaraswati and all the Shaktis that came out of all gods such as Matrikas and Mahavidya , are all various forms of Goddess Lakshmi. In Lakshmi Tantra , Lakshmi tells Indra that she got

6715-659: The prosperity aspect of the Supreme goddess . The eight prominent manifestations of Lakshmi, the Ashtalakshmi , symbolise the eight sources of wealth. Lakshmi is depicted in Indian art as an elegantly dressed, prosperity-showering golden-coloured woman standing or sitting in the padmasana position upon a lotus throne , while holding a lotus in her hand, symbolising fortune, self-knowledge, and spiritual liberation. Her iconography shows her with four hands , which represent

6800-436: The region mostly comprise Indo-Iranic and Dravidian languages, and further members of other language families like Austroasiatic , and Tibeto-Burman languages. Geolinguistically , the Indo-Aryan , Dravidian and Munda language groups are predominantly distributed across the Indian subcontinent . The subcontinent is also home to a few language isolates , like Burushaski , Kusunda , Nihali , and Vedda . Areally ,

6885-490: The ritual worship of the goddess. These include: Some temples dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi are: A representation of the goddess as Gaja Lakshmi or Lakshmi flanked by two elephants spraying her with water, is one of the most frequently found in archaeological sites. An ancient sculpture of Gaja Lakshmi (from Sonkh site at Mathura ) dates to the pre- Kushan Empire era. Atranjikhera site in modern Uttar Pradesh has yielded terracotta plaque with images of Lakshmi dating to

6970-474: The second half of the 1st millennium CE. The day of Lakshmi Puja during Navaratri , and the festivals of Deepavali and Sharad Purnima (Kojagiri Purnima) are celebrated in her honour. Traditional Lakshmi in Sanskrit is derived from the root word lakṣ ( लक्ष् ) and lakṣa ( लक्ष ), meaning 'to perceive, observe, know, understand' and 'goal, aim, objective', respectively. These roots give Lakshmi

7055-401: The symbolism: know and understand your goal. A related term is lakṣaṇa , which means 'sign, target, aim, symbol, attribute, quality, lucky mark, auspicious opportunity' . Lakshmi has numerous epithets and numerous ancient Stotram and Sutras of Hinduism recite her various names: such as Sri (Radiance, eminence, splendor, wealth), Padmā (she who is mounted upon or dwelling in

7140-471: The world, Illuminating the entire creation, For one cannot acquire wisdom, Unless it is experienced, Through the opening on the heart.... Lakshmi features prominently in Puranas of Hinduism. Vishnu Purana, in particular, dedicates many sections to her and also refers to her as Sri. J. A. B. van Buitenen translates passages describing Lakshmi in Vishnu Purana: Sri, loyal to Vishnu,

7225-572: Was very noble" ) The honorific is incorporated into many place names. A partial list follows: Languages of South Asia South Asia is home to several hundred languages, spanning the countries of Afghanistan , Bangladesh , Bhutan , India , Maldives , Nepal , Pakistan , and Sri Lanka . It is home to the fourth most spoken language in the world, Hindi–Urdu ; and the sixth most spoken language, Bengali . Languages like Bengali , Tamil and Nepali have official/national status in more than one country of this region. The languages in

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