Goddess Mahalakshmi is one of the most divine forms of Goddess Lakshmi. She is the consort of Lord Vishnu. She is considered to be the Goddess of wealth, prosperity and beauty. Such is the aura of Goddess Lakshmi that when she came out of the Samudra Manthan (Churning of the ocean) as one of the 14 gems, all the Devas and Asuras were awestruck by her beauty and lined up immediately to win her hand for marriage.

The word Lakshmi is derived from the word ‘Lakshya’ which means ‘goal’ in Sanskrit. The four common goals in the way of life – dharma, kama, artha and moksha are represented by the four hands of Goddess Mahalakshmi. It is believed that those who devotedly pray to the Goddess Mahalakshmi will not suffer from poverty. Goddess Lakshmi is known to empower wealth and a long fulfilled life through her blessings.

The Goddess is said to have a very close association with the lotus. She is said to reside on a lotus and has been associated with various names related to the lotus in ancient texts, such as Padma (Lotus Dweller), Padmapriya (One who likes lotuses), Padmamukhi (One who has a face as beautiful as a lotus), Padmakshi (One who has eyes as beautiful as a lotus) and Padmahasta (One who holds a lotus in her hand)

Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped the most in the months of October and November, during the festivals of Navaratri and Diwali. It is believed that worshipping Goddess Mahalakshmi during this period is fruitful for devotees. During Diwali, people place small oil lamps outside their houses to welcome the Goddess, in the hope that Goddess Lakshmi enters their home and showers them with wealth and prosperity.

Offer a puja to Goddess Mahalakshmi this Navaratri and at the Kohlapur Mahalaxmi Temple by clicking here.