MAHALAKSHMI, GODDESS OF WEALTH AND PROSPERITY
Mahalakshmi, is popularly depicted as a beautiful woman of golden complexion. She is shown with 4 hands, seated on full bloomed lotus and holding a lotus bud, which stands for beauty, purity and fertility.The lotus is also a flower blooms in dirty mud symbolising the unlimited potential in each one of us to bloom in any environments.She is surrounded by water.It shows life.It must flow constantly and not stagnate.Just like that money also must flow and circulate.It is called currency,the root word comes from current.
Her forehands represent the four ends of human life.They are Dharma or Righteousness,Kaama or desires,Artha or Wealth and Moksha or Liberation from the cycle of birth and death.These are the pillars of our life and are the basis of vedas and upanishads.She showers gold coins from her right hand blessing her devotees to attract wealth.She is dressed in a green saree depicting fertility,growth and manifested energy.At times she is wearing red saree as red symbolises activity and potential energy.
The word Lakshmi is derived from sanskrit word LAKSHYA which means aim or goal.Who have clear aim and goal get plenty of wealth.Friday is most associated with lakshmi.Friday is for the planet venus,which rules material comfort and luxury.Dusk is the time of lakshmi pooja.We also worship money,ornaments and other material possessions to express our gratitude to her for showering her grace.In south india she is worshipped in a seperate day as varalakshmi pooja in the month of august with grans decorations in the house and give thanboolams to ladies.
In north india during deepavali they worship lakshmi and start new account for their buisness.So,for material benefits all must pray to goddess lakshmi with pure heart in a cleaned house.