Editing Lakshmi (section)

== Iconography and symbolism ==
[[File: Shri Lakshmi Lustrated by Elephants (Gaja-Lakshmi) LACMA M.85.62 (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|Lakshmi lustrated by elephants, Uttar Pradesh, Kausambi, 1st century BCE]]

[[File:North Torana, Sanchi 04.jpg|thumb|upright=1.15|Bas relief of ''[[GajaLakshmi]]'' at the [[Buddhist]] [[Sanchi]] [[Stupa]], Stupa I, North gateway, [[Satavahana dynasty]] sculpture, 1st century CE <ref>The Toranas are dated to the 1st century CE. See: Ornament in Indian Architecture, Margaret Prosser Allen, University of Delaware Press, 1991, p.18 [https://books.google.com/books?id=vyXxEX5PQH8C&pg=PA18]</ref>]]

Lakshmi is a member of the [[Tridevi]], the [[Triad (religion)|triad]] of great goddesses. She represents the [[Rajas]] ''guna'', and the [[Iccha-shakti]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qm8oAAAAYAAJ&q=does+lakshmi+represent+rajas+gunna&pg=PA35|title=The Calcutta Review|year=1855}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Vanamali|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3FwoDwAAQBAJ&q=lakshmi+adi+shakti&pg=PT204|title=Shakti: Realm of the Divine Mother|date=2008-07-21|publisher=Simon and Schuster|isbn=978-1-59477-785-1|language=en}}</ref> 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.<ref name=carol/> 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).<ref name=ttgov/><ref name="apara">Parasarthy, A. 1983. ''Symbolism in Hinduism''. Chinmaya Mission Publication. {{ISBN|978-81-7597-149-3}}. pp. 57–59.</ref>

In Lakshmi's iconography, she 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.<ref name="Parthasarathy">Parasarthy, A. 1983. ''Symbolism in Hinduism''. Chinmaya Mission Publication. {{ISBN|978-81-7597-149-3}}. pp. 91–92, 160–62.</ref> The lotus, a flower that blooms in clean or dirty water, also symbolises purity regardless of 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.<ref>Nathan, R. S. 1983. ''Symbolism in Hinduism''. Chinmaya Mission Publication. {{ISBN|978-81-7597-149-3}}. p. 16.</ref><ref>Gibson, Lynne. 2002. ''Hinduism''. [[Heinemann (publisher)|Heinemann]]. {{ISBN|978-0-435-33619-6}}. p. 29.</ref>

Below, behind, or on the sides, Lakshmi is very often shown with one or two elephants, known as [[Gajalakshmi]], and occasionally with an owl.<ref name="amazzona104">{{cite book|author=Laura Amazzone|title=Goddess Durga and Sacred Female Power |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PM_TNDu8NHUC&pg=PA103|year=2012|publisher=University Press of America|isbn=978-0-7618-5314-5 |pages=103–104|access-date=15 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181226035523/https://books.google.com/books?id=PM_TNDu8NHUC&pg=PA103|archive-date=26 December 2018|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Elephants symbolise work, activity, and strength, as well as water, rain, and fertility for abundant prosperity.<ref>Werness, Hope. 2007. ''Continuum Encyclopedia of Animal Symbolism in World Art''. Bloomsbury. {{ISBN|978-0-8264-1913-2}}. pp. 159–67.</ref> The owl signifies 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.<ref>Ajnatanama. 1983. ''Symbolism in Hinduism''. Chinmaya Mission Publication. {{ISBN|978-81-7597-149-3}}. pp. 317–18.</ref> 

According to historian [[Damodar Dharmananda Kosambi|D. D. Kosambi]], most of the Imperial Gupta kings were [[Vaishnava]]s and held the goddess Lakshmi in the highest esteem.<ref name="Damodar Dharmanand Kosambi 1977 97">{{cite book|title=D. D. Kosambi Commemoration Volume|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o4MCAAAAMAAJ|publisher=Banaras Hindu University|author=Damodar Dharmanand Kosambi|year=1977|page=97}}</ref> Goddess Lakshmi is Simhavahini (mount as lion) on most of the coins during their rule.<ref>{{cite book|title=D. D. Kosambi Commemoration Volume|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o4MCAAAAMAAJ |publisher=Banaras Hindu University|author=Damodar Dharmanand Kosambi|year=1977|page=79}}</ref> Coins during the rule of Prakashadiya, a Gupta ruler, contain the Garudadhvaja on the obverse and Lakshmi on the reverse.<ref name="Damodar Dharmanand Kosambi 1977 97"/> 

The [[Gupta period]] sculpture only used to associate lions with Lakshmi, but was later attributed to [[Durga]] or a combined form of both goddesses.{{Sfn|Pal|1986|p=79}}<ref name="Journal, Volumes 6-7">{{cite book|title=Journal, Volumes 6-7|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Adk7AQAAIAAJ|publisher=Asiatic Society (Kolkata, India)|year=1964|page=96|quote=From the occurrence of cornucopiae, lotus flower and lion mount the goddess has been described as Lakshmi - Ambikā — a composite icon combining the concepts of Śrī or Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, and Ambikā, the mother aspect of Durga.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Goddess: Divine Energy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pzLqAAAAMAAJ|page=113|author=Jackie Menzies|publisher=Art Gallery of New South Wales|year=2006 |isbn=978-0-7347-6396-9}}</ref> [[Lion]]s were a '[[vahana]]' of Lakshmi,<ref>{{cite book|title=Rituals, Folk Beliefs, and Magical Arts of Sri Lanka |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h94SAQAAIAAJ|author=Mihindukalasūrya Ār. Pī. Susantā Pranāndu|page=228|publisher=Susan International |year=2005|isbn=978-955-96318-3-5|quote=Lion: It was a 'vahana' of Lakshmi, the Goddess of Prosperity, and Parvati, the wife of Siva.}}</ref> Lions are also associated with ''Veera Lakshmi'', who is one of the Ashtalakshmi.<ref>{{cite book|title=Sakti Iconography |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wK-fAAAAMAAJ |page=22|author=D. R. Rajeswari|publisher=Intellectual Publishing House|year=1989 |isbn=978-81-7076-015-3|quote=In some places Gazalakshmi also has been given Lion as her Vahana. In South India Veera Lakshmi, one of the forms of eight Lakshmis is having Lion as her Vahana. In Rameshwaram also for Veera Lakshmi Lion is Vahana. She carries Trisula, Sphere, Sankha, Chakra, and Abhaya and Varada mudras.}}</ref> 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]]".<ref>{{cite book|title=North Indian temple sculpture|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j3bqAAAAMAAJ|page=60 |author=Urmila Agarwal|publisher=Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers|year=1995|isbn=978-81-215-0458-4 }}</ref>

In some representations, wealth either symbolically pours out from one of her hands or she simply holds a jar of money. This symbolism has a dual meaning: wealth manifested through Lakshmi means both materials as well as spiritual wealth.<ref name="Parthasarathy" /> Her face and open hands are in a mudra that signifies compassion, giving or ''[[dāna]]'' ('charity').<ref name="apara" />

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 the maintenance of life, justice, and peace.<ref name="Parthasarathy" /> 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.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lochtefeld |first=James |title=The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Hinduism |publisher=The Rosen Publishing Group Inc |year=2002 |isbn=0-8239-3180-3 |edition=2 |location=New York, USA |pages=386 |language=English}}</ref>

Alternatively, Lakshmi Sahasranama of [[Skanda Purana]], [[Lakshmi Tantra]], and [[Markandeya Purana]] describe Lakshmi as having eighteen hands and 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]].<ref name="D. R. Rajeswari 1989 19">{{cite book|author=D. R. Rajeswari |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wK-fAAAAMAAJ |title=Sakti Iconography|publisher=Intellectual Publishing House|year=1989|isbn=978-81-7076-015-3|page=19 |quote=According to Sapta Sati the iconographical characteristics of Lakshmi are as follows: She is having 18 hands carrying rosary, axe, mace, arrow, thunderbolt, lotus, pitcher, rod, Sakti, Sword, Shield, Conch, bell, wine-cup, trident, noose and the discus}}</ref><ref name="Saligrama Krishna Ramachandra Rao 1991 65">{{cite book|title=Pratima Kosha: Descriptive Glossary of Indian Iconography, Volume 5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BIzrAAAAMAAJ |author=Saligrama Krishna Ramachandra Rao|publisher=IBH Prakashana |year=1991|page=65}}</ref><ref name="H. C. Das 1985 337">{{cite book|title=Cultural Development in Orissa |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w80dAAAAMAAJ |page=337|author=H. C. Das|publisher=Punthi Pustak |year=1985|quote=The Bisvakarmasastra depicts her holding a pot, a club in her right hands, and a shield and a wood apple in the left. The Markandeya Purana describes the developed form of Laksmi having as many as 18 hands.}}</ref> 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 a vessel containing [[amrita]].<ref>{{cite book |author=Sanjukta Gupta |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pENlKmZ4r94C&q=GOLDEN+COMPLEXION |title=Lakshmi Tantra |publisher=MOTILAL BANARIDAS |year=2007 |isbn=978-81-208-1734-0 |pages=23}}</ref> In the Skanda Purana and the ''Venkatachala Mahatmayam'', Sri, or Lakshmi, is praised as the mother of [[Brahma]].<ref>{{cite book |author=Jaitentra Prakash Jain |url=https://holybooks-lichtenbergpress.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/The-Skanda-Purana-Part-4.pdf |title=Skand Puran |publisher=Motilal banarasidas |year=1951 |pages=66 |quote=Obeisance to Sri. the mother of the worlds. Obeisance, obeisance to the mother of Brahma. Hail to you, to the lotuseyed one. Obeisance, obeisance to the lotus-faced one |access-date=19 July 2022 |archive-date=17 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221017061141/https://holybooks-lichtenbergpress.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/The-Skanda-Purana-Part-4.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In Japan, where Lakshmi is known as ''[[Kisshōten]]'', she is commonly depicted with the [[Cintamani#Nomenclature.2C orthography and etymology|Nyoihōju gem (如意宝珠)]] in her hand.<ref>{{cite web|title=Butsuzōzui (Illustrated Compendium of Buddhist Images)|url=http://www.lib.ehime-u.ac.jp/SUZUKA/316/index.html|location=Ehime University Library|page=(059.jpg)|language=ja|format=digital photos|date=1796|access-date=14 May 2016|archive-date=10 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181010061804/http://www.lib.ehime-u.ac.jp/SUZUKA/316/index.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>