SRI LAKSHMI (PERUNDEVI)

padmAsanasthite devI parabrahmasvarUpiNi |
parameshi jaganmAtarmahAlakShmI namo&stu te ||

Oh Goddess Mahalakshmi, Mother of the universe, our salutations to you who are the personification of the Ultimate Truth and are seated on a Lotus.

Goddess Mahalakshmi is the consort of Lord Vishnu (one of the Divine Trinity) and is worshipped as Goddess of wealth, prosperity, and generosity. She is embodiment of beauty, grace and charm. Lakshmi in Sanskrit is derived from its elemental form "lakS," meaning to perceive or observe. This is synonymous with lakṣya, meaning aim or objective. Lakshmi is thus Goddess of the means to achieving the objectives of devotees, blessing them with prosperity and protecting them from misery.

Goddess Lakshmi is described as a deity, with four arms, seated on a lotus, dressed in fine garments and precious jewels, bestowing prosperity and flanked by elephants signifying her royal power. Her expression is always calm and loving. The most striking feature of Lakshmi is her persistent association with the lotus. The association of lotus in relation to Sri Lakshmi signifies  purity and spiritual power. Rooted in the mud but blossoming above the water, completely uncontaminated by mud, the lotus represents spiritual perfection and authority which rises above worldly contamination. The lotus also symbolizes the fertile growth of organic life, as the world is continually reborn on a lotus growing out of Vishnu's navel.

When the Devas and Asuras churned the ocean of milk for “amritam” (the nectar of immortality), a host of divine celestial objects came up during the churning. Among these, importantly, was Goddess Lakshmi, the daughter of the king of the milky ocean. She resides on the chest of Lord Vishnu as Sri Vatsa. She is also known as Sri Devi and never leaves the side of her consort

Even though Lord Vishnu has all the auspicious attributes (Kalyana Gunas) including great compassion towards us, He does not forgive the sins of individuals who fail to repent. Sri Lakshmi has all the motherly attributes and is aptly known as Mother. With infinite compassion for us, She intervenes and pleads with the Lord on our behalf.

The form of Mahalakshmi in our temple is known as Perundevi (Perumaikuriya Devi in Tamil meaning “the one who is worthy of praise”) and as seen in Lord Varadaraja Temple, located in the holy city of Kanchi, Tamilnadu, India.