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lakshmi

 
Monier Williams
English
LAKSHMĪ,
s.
 (The goddess of fortune or prosperity, wife of
the god Vishnu. She is said also to preside over beauty
and in this respect, as well as in the story of her birth,
agrees in character with Venus. She was born, according
to the usual account, from the ocean, when churned by
the gods and Asuras
and emerged from the foam of
the sea, seated on a full-blown lotus, and holding a lotus
in her hand. Her countenance is represented as in-
comparably beautiful. As presiding over abundance she
resembles Ceres. She is by some considered to be the
daughter of Daksha, and by others of Bhrigu. Some-
times she is regarded as the wife of Dharma. As god-
dess of prosperity she is called) लक्ष्मीः
f.
 , श्रीः
f.
— (As wife
of Vishnu) विष्णुवल्लभा, हरिप्रिया, वैष्णवी.
— (The ocean-born)
जलधिजा, क्षीराब्धिजा, क्षीराब्धितनया.
— (As seated on and
holding the lotus, or as identified with this flower,
which is the symbol of prosperity) पद्मा, कमला, पद्मालया,
पद्मवासा, पद्मस्नुषा.
— (As wife of Vishnu in the avatār of
Krishna) रुक्मिणी.
— (As mother of Kāmadeva) माया.
—
(As wife of Nārāyana) नारायणी.
— (As wife of Vishnu in
the avatār of Rāmachandra) सीता.
— (As mother of the
world) लोकमाता
f.
 (तृ), माता.
— (As wife of Vishnu in the
Varāha avatār) वाराही.
— (The fickle one, a name applied
to Lakṣmī as goddess of fortune) चपला, चञ्चला, चला,
लोला.
— (As identified with a celebrated Apsaras) रम्भा.
Other names of this goddess are, रमा, इन्दिरा, मा, नेत्री,
हीरा, लञ्जा.