MAHA LAKSHMI DEVI
Durvasa the short-tempered sage once presented garland of flowers which would never wilt to the Indra, the kings of the Gods. Indra gave this garland to his elephant Airavata. Sage Durvasa Saw the elephant trampling the divine garland and cursed Indra, for he had shown disrespect to the sage. The sage cursed Indra that he and all the gods would lose their power because it had made them so proud and vain. Due to the curse, the demons vanquished the Gods out of the heavens. The defeated Gods went to seek refuge to the creator Lord Brahma who asked them to churn the ocean of milk, Ksheersagar to obtain the nector of immortality.
When the Lords and Demons were churning the ocean, they derived the sweet nectar of immortality, the Amirtha. Along with the nectar came a beautiful maiden. She was Lakshmi seated on a dew drenched Lotus, dressed in red silk, bedecked in gold. She is the wife of Lord Vishnu. Her four hands represent the four goals of human life considered important to the hindu way of life dharma, karma, artha, and moksha.
Lakshmi is also called Sri or Thirumagal because she is endowed with six auspicious and divine qualities or Gunas, and also because she is the source of strength even to Vishnu. When Vishnu incarnated on the earth as the avatars of Rama and Krishna, Lakshmi incarnated as his respective consorts Sita and Radha and Rukmini. Goddess Lakshmi is know as the Goddess of wealth and prosperity.
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