Description
Lakshmi is the divine Hindu goddess of prosperity and abundance with her worship transcending borders around the world. Lakshmi’s origins can be traced back to the earliest Hindu scriptures where she is mentioned as a symbol of beauty, wealth and good fortune. In one mythological narrative, Lakshmi churns the cosmic ocean (Samudra Manthan) with gods and demons. During this celestial event, she emerges from the depths of the ocean, seated on a lotus bloom, radiating beauty and grace–thus she is often referred to as “Padmavati” signifying her connection to the lotus that emerges from mud to produce a beautiful flower. She is depicted here adorned in exquisite jewelry draped in resplendent garments in the small center circle within the large circle where a dancing Balinese dog overlooks her meditating on her lotus in a peaceful trance. She is accompanied by several sacred cows in a sort of mandala filled with hundreds of small colored dots with a yellow hand in the lower left pointing to the goddess. Cows are highly revered in Hinduism–their significance is not just religious but also cultural and spiritual. Since ancient times, cows have been a symbol of non-violence, prosperity, and motherhood and a nurturer of life. Cows provide milk to sustain life and are considered a gift from the gods–something to think about as you meditate on this mandala image.
