Goddess Lakshmi: Who She Is, Her Symbols, Mantras and Puja

Who is Goddess Lakshmi?

Lakshmi (also Laxmi, Shri or Sri) is the Hindu goddess of wealth, prosperity and good fortune. She is the wife of Vishnu, the preserver of the universe. When Vishnu comes to earth as an avatar, Lakshmi comes with him: as Sita beside Rama and as Rukmini beside Krishna.

Her best-known story is her birth. When the gods (devas) and demons churned the cosmic ocean of milk to bring up amrita, the nectar of immortality, Lakshmi rose out of the ocean, and she chose Vishnu.

The name Lakshmi comes from the Sanskrit root laksh, "to understand and know", and also "goal" or "aim". She is the goddess who helps people reach their aims, material and spiritual.

What does Lakshmi look like? Her symbols

• The lotus. Lakshmi is shown sitting or standing on a lotus, with lotuses in her hands. Many of her names, such as Padma, Kamala and Ambuja, mean "lotus".
• Gold coins. As the goddess of prosperity, she is often shown with gold coins spilling from her hands.
• Elephants. Elephants often stand behind her, pouring water. They represent power and hard work.
• Red and gold. She usually wears a red sari with gold thread.

See Hindu symbols and their meanings for what the lotus means across Hinduism.

What are the eight forms of Lakshmi?

Because prosperity comes in many kinds, Lakshmi gives each kind through one of eight forms, the Ashta Lakshmi:

Form	The wealth she gives
Adi Lakshmi	The first, primordial form; spiritual wealth and liberation
Dhana Lakshmi	Money and gold, and the willpower and perseverance to earn them
Dhanya Lakshmi	Grain, food and agricultural wealth
Gaja Lakshmi	Animal wealth, power and royalty
Santana Lakshmi	Children and family
Veera (Dhairya) Lakshmi	Courage and strength
Vijaya Lakshmi	Victory and success
Vidya Lakshmi	Knowledge and learning

The hymn to all eight is the Ashta Lakshmi Stotram.

Lakshmi mantras with meaning

Below are the 14 mantras and verses to Lakshmi in Diya's prayer library, in Sanskrit and in English letters, each with its meaning in plain English.

Mantra (Sanskrit and transliteration)	Meaning in English
Invocation to Mahalakshmi ॐ श्री महालक्ष्म्यै नमः । oṃ śrī mahālakṣmyai namaḥ |	Om. I bow to revered Mahalakshmi, the great Goddess Lakshmi.
Invocation to Lakshmi ॐ श्री लक्ष्म्यै नमः । oṃ śrī lakṣmyai namaḥ |	Om. I bow to revered Lakshmi.
Invocation to Shri ॐ श्रियै नमः । oṃ śriyai namaḥ |	Om. I bow to Shri, Lakshmi, the Goddess of prosperity and auspicious beauty.
Namaste’stu Mahāmāye नमस्तेऽस्तु महामाये श्रीपीठे सुरपूजिते । शङ्खचक्रगदाहस्ते महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ १॥ namaste’stu mahāmāye śrīpīṭhe surapūjite | śaṅkhacakragadāhaste mahālakṣmi namo’stu te || 1||	Mahalakshmi, I bow to you: Mahamaya, the great power that brings the world into appearance, enthroned in splendor and worshipped by the gods. You hold the conch, discus and mace; again I bow to you.
Lakṣmīṃ Kṣīrasamudra-rāja-tanayām (Lakṣmī dhyāna śloka) लक्ष्मीं क्षीरसमुद्रराजतनयां श्रीरङ्गधामेश्वरीम् । दासीभूतसमस्तदेववनितां लोकैकदीपांकुराम् । श्रीमन्मन्दकटाक्षलब्धविभवब्रह्मेन्द्रगङ्गाधराम् । त्वां त्रैलोक्यकुटुम्बिनीं सरसिजां वन्दे मुकुन्दप्रियाम् ॥ lakṣmīṃ kṣīrasamudrarājatanayāṃ śrīraṅgadhāmeśvarīm | dāsībhūtasamastadevavanitāṃ lokaikadīpāṃkurām | śrīmanmandakaṭākṣalabdhavibhavabrahmendragaṅgādharām | tvāṃ trailokyakuṭumbinīṃ sarasijāṃ vande mukundapriyām ||	Lakshmi, daughter of the kingly Ocean of Milk and sovereign of Srirangam, I bow to you. All the gods' wives serve you; you are the world's one shining lamp. Your gentle, glorious glance gives Brahma, Indra and Shiva, bearer of the Ganga, their splendor. Lotus-born, beloved of Vishnu, called Mukunda, you are mother of the three worlds.
Yā Devī Sarvabhūteṣu Lakṣmīrūpeṇa या देवी सर्वभूतेषु लक्ष्मीरूपेण संस्थिता । नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः ॥ yā devī sarvabhūteṣu lakṣmīrūpeṇa saṃsthitā | namastasyai namastasyai namastasyai namo namaḥ ||	To the Goddess who dwells in all beings as Lakshmi, as prosperity and auspicious abundance, I bow. Again and again, I bow to her.
Mahālakṣmī Aṣṭakam 2 नमस्ते गरुडारूढे कोलासुरभयङ्करि । सर्वपापहरे देवि महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ २॥ namaste garuḍārūḍhe kolāsurabhayaṅkari | sarvapāpahare devi mahālakṣmi namo’stu te || 2||	Mahalakshmi, I bow to you, riding Garuda and striking terror into the demon Kolasura. Goddess who removes every sin, I bow to you.
Mahālakṣmī Aṣṭakam 3 सर्वज्ञे सर्ववरदे सर्वदुष्टभयङ्करि । सर्वदुःखहरे देवि महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ ३॥ sarvajñe sarvavarade sarvaduṣṭabhayaṅkari | sarvaduḥkhahare devi mahālakṣmi namo’stu te || 3||	Mahalakshmi, all-knowing Goddess, giver of every blessing and terror of all the wicked, you remove every sorrow. I bow to you.
Mahālakṣmī Aṣṭakam 4 सिद्धिबुद्धिप्रदे देवि भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायिनि । मन्त्रमूर्ते सदा देवि महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ ४॥ siddhibuddhiprade devi bhuktimuktipradāyini | mantramūrte sadā devi mahālakṣmi namo’stu te || 4||	Mahalakshmi, Goddess who grants accomplishment and understanding, worldly enjoyment and liberation, you are ever the living form of mantra. I bow to you.
Mahālakṣmī Aṣṭakam 5 आद्यन्तरहिते देवि आद्यशक्तिमहेश्वरि । योगजे योगसम्भूते महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ ५॥ ādyantarahite devi ādyaśaktimaheśvari | yogaje yogasambhūte mahālakṣmi namo’stu te || 5||	Mahalakshmi, Goddess without beginning or end, primordial power and great sovereign, born of yoga and arising through yoga, I bow to you.
Śrī Sūkta (opening) ॐ ॥ हिरण्यवर्णां हरिणीं सुवर्णरजतस्रजाम् । चन्द्रां हिरण्मयीं लक्ष्मीं जातवेदो म आवह ॥ १॥ तां म आवह जातवेदो लक्ष्मीमनपगामिनीम् । यस्यां हिरण्यं विन्देयं गामश्वं पुरुषानहम् ॥ २॥ oṃ || hiraṇyavarṇāṃ hariṇīṃ suvarṇarajatasrajām | candrāṃ hiraṇmayīṃ lakṣmīṃ jātavedo ma āvaha || 1|| tāṃ ma āvaha jātavedo lakṣmīmanapagāminīm | yasyāṃ hiraṇyaṃ vindeyaṃ gāmaśvaṃ puruṣānaham || 2||	Om. Jatavedas, divine fire, bring me Lakshmi, golden-hued, radiant with gold and bright as the moon, wearing gold and silver garlands. Bring her to remain with me, so that through her I may gain gold, cattle, horses and people for my household.
Kanakadhārā Stotra 1 अङ्गं हरेः पुलकभूषणमाश्रयन्ती भृङ्गाङ्गनेव मुकुलाभरणं तमालम् । अङ्गीकृताखिलविभूतिरपाङ्गलीला माङ्गल्यदाऽस्तु मम मङ्गलदेवतायाः ॥ १॥ aṅgaṃ hareḥ pulakabhūṣaṇamāśrayantī bhṛṅgāṅganeva mukulābharaṇaṃ tamālam | aṅgīkṛtākhilavibhūtirapāṅgalīlā māṅgalyadā’stu mama maṅgaladevatāyāḥ || 1||	May the playful sidelong glance of Lakshmi, Goddess of good fortune, bring me blessing. Holding all splendor within it, her glance rests on Vishnu, called Hari, like a female bee on a tamala tree adorned with buds; the hairs on his body stand on end with joy.
Kanakadhārā Stotra 17 कमले कमलाक्षवल्लभे त्वं करुणापूरतरङ्गितैरपाङ्गैः । अवलोकय मामकिञ्चनानां प्रथमं पात्रमकृत्रिमं दयायाः ॥ १७॥ kamale kamalākṣavallabhe tvaṃ karuṇāpūrataraṅgitairapāṅgaiḥ | avalokaya māmakiñcanānāṃ prathamaṃ pātramakṛtrimaṃ dayāyāḥ || 17||	Kamala, Lakshmi, the lotus Goddess and beloved of lotus-eyed Vishnu, look upon me with glances rippling with overflowing compassion. Among those who have nothing, I am foremost, a true recipient for your mercy.
Kanakadhārā Stotra 15 सरसिजनिलये सरोजहस्ते धवलतमांशुकगन्धमाल्यशोभे । भगवति हरिवल्लभे मनोज्ञे त्रिभुवनभूतिकरि प्रसीद मह्यम् ॥ १५॥ sarasijanilaye sarojahaste dhavalatamāṃśukagandhamālyaśobhe | bhagavati harivallabhe manojñe tribhuvanabhūtikari prasīda mahyam || 15||	Lakshmi, Goddess who dwells in a lotus and holds a lotus, beautiful in the whitest garments, fragrant ointments and garlands, charming beloved of Vishnu, called Hari, you bring prosperity to the three worlds. Be gracious to me.

The most-used is the first, Om Shri Mahalakshmyai Namah. For the full hymns, see Mahalakshmi Ashtakam and Kanakadhara Stotram.

When do Hindus worship Lakshmi?

• Diwali. For many Hindus, Diwali is above all a tribute to Lakshmi. Homes are cleaned and lit with diyas to welcome her, and on Diwali night families perform Lakshmi puja, usually followed by Lakshmi aarti. See Diwali puja at home.
• Navaratri. Lakshmi is remembered on the fourth through sixth nights of the nine nights.
• Fridays. Friday is traditionally Lakshmi's day for a weekly puja.
• Sharad Purnima and Varalakshmi Vratam are also kept for her in many regions.

How to do a simple Lakshmi puja at home

1. Clean the space and light a diya with ghee or oil.
2. Place a picture or murti of Lakshmi (with Ganesha, who is honored first).
3. Offer flowers, a lotus if you can, and something sweet.
4. Chant Om Shri Mahalakshmyai Namah 11 or 108 times.
5. Sing her aarti, Om Jai Lakshmi Mata, waving the lamp.

Diya, the app, has Lakshmi's mantras and aarti to chant along with, and a daily diya to light. Diya is available for iPhone. See the Diya app.

Related reading

• Vishnu
• Ashta Lakshmi Stotram
• Lakshmi aarti: Om Jai Lakshmi Mata
• Diwali puja at home
• Hindu gods and goddesses
• Mahalakshmi Mantra
• Karagre Vasate Lakshmi