Many of us worship Lakshmi Devi. She is worshipped in 8 (ashta) forms as well. Maha Lakshmi, Dhana Lakshmi, Dhanya Lakshmi, Gaja Lakshmi, Santana Lakshmi, Veera Lakshmi, Vijaya Lakshmi, Vidya Lakshmi. Why does she take 8 forms? Are there more forms to her than these 8?
Do we all agree that something beyond us is driving our time in a certain manner? Sometimes, things work out as we plan and sometimes they don’t. None of us can say that things will go as planned always. Especially, when it comes to the time and the process of birth, death etc! What is that driving force? It is karma, the results of our own actions!
God goes by the backlog of our karma and gives bodies for experiencing all the acquired karma. Thus, we have been taking innumerable births and countless bodies! It is Lakshmi Devi who stands in between us and Him, working both sides to bridge gap and reduce our bonding with karma.
Why does she care and How does she do it? She cares because she is our eternal mother! Can any mother wish for her child to go through helpless situations and painful journeys!? So, she takes multiple forms to be available for us as soon as we seek out to her!
She takes a form that will aid her in increasing God’s patience, when our sins are being counted! She takes another form to increase God’s forgiveness, when our ! She takes a stunningly attractive form to make God forget all our mistakes! Similarly, all the 8 forms and many others. It is because of her that God acts on us in a mode of ‘forgiving and loving’ instead of a ‘strict and rule oriented’ tatvam! That is why she exists in many forms all around Him so that no matter what direction He turns, He sees her and acts on our side!
Agni hotram is only one. But, the same agni is taken and lit in several kundas to do a specific part of the yagna. Similarly, Lakshmi Devi is only one! She takes several forms to play different roles in letting us all experience some lenience from the karmic bondage and for giving us what we ask her. She is after all the owner of the true wealth, Narayana himself!!
– From the discourse of Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swami, Janagam!
Sriman Siddhantham Krishnamacharya Swami has invited Sri Swamiji to Venkateswara Swami sannidhi at Banapuram, Janagam. Sri Yagam, Shobha Yatra, Suvarna Kirita samarpanam to Perumal and His parivar are all conducted. Swamiji also addressed more than 3000 students from colleges across the town about Ramanujacharya and how his Equality message can help one conduct themselves in today’s world for holistic and peaceful living.
Swamiji also addressed several small children who performed dance for beautiful songs in praise of Lord Vishnu! He said, ‘Temples should become centres of inspiration to all arts such as dance, music, sculpting, drawing and painting, drama and more! When one performs or learns these arts at a temple, the child works with a sense of obedience and purity during the process – an essential quality to excel in anything. Arrange for permanent space in your temple and encourage children to learn arts at temples. It is a great offering to God as He has given us the body to perform!’
