“Be propitious to me, oh goddess, lotus-eyed, and never forsake me more.”
Lakshmi is possessed of all divine excellencies. Her form is beauty itself. She has the office to grant unto men riches, the eight sorts of happiness, and various other gifts which are asked of her. When people desire any particular thing they worship Lakshmi, and make offerings to her. Some desire children, and make for this purpose offerings to her every morning and evening. Others serve her in order to get rid of poverty and sufferings, and to obtain riches ; and so on.
Regarding the rising of Lakshmi or Sii from the sea of milk, we quote from Wilson’s translation of the Vishnu Purana (pnge 76 etc.) the following passages :
Seated on a full-blown lotus, and holding a water-lily in her hand, the goddess Sri radiant with beauty, rose from the waves.
The great sages, enraptured, hymned her with the song dedicated to her praise, Visvavasa and other heavenly quiristers sang, and Ghrltachi and other heavenly nymphs danced before her. Ganga and other holy streams attended for her ablutions ; and the elephants of the skies, taking up their pure waters in vases of gold, poured them over the goddess, the queen of the universal world.
The sea of milk in person presented her with a wreath of neverfading flowers ; and the artists of the gods decorated her person with heavenly ornaments. Thus bathed, attired, and adorned, the goddess, in the view of the celestials, cast herself upon the breast of Hari (Vishnu); and there reclining, turned her eyes upon the deities, who were inspired with rapture by her gaze…. The minds of all beings were animated by devotion.
The three worlds again were rendered happy by prosperity ; and Indra, the chief of the gods, was restored to power. Seated upon his throne and once more in heaven, exercising sovereignty over the gods, Sakra (Indra) thus eulogized the goddess who bears a lotus in her hand :—
“I bow down to Sri, the mother of all beings, seated on her lotus throne, with eyes like full-blown lotuses, reclining on the breast of Vishnu.
Thou art Siddhi (superhuman power) : thou art Svadha and Svaha : thou art ambrosia, and the purifier of the universe : thou art evening, night, and dawn : thou art power, faith, and intellect : thou art the goddess of letters (Sarasvati).
Thou, beautiful goddess, art knowledge of devotion, great knowledge, mystic knowledge, and spiritual knowledge which confers eternal liberation.
Thou art the science of reasoning, the three Vedas, the arts and sciences : art moral and political science. The world is peopled by thee with pleasing and displeasing forms.
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