Sri Ahobilaswamy, in his discourse on Nara Narayana Jayanthi and SravanaSukravaram on 28th July 2017, narrated  LakshmiAmma’sthathvamfrom Sri sthavam written by Sri Kurutthalvan.

Quoting SriStavam, Swami Says’

“YasyaKatakshaVeeskshaKshanaLakshyam, LakshithaamMaheshaakyu:

Meaning, Even a passing look(MandhaKataksham) of Amma, brought about great power and wealth to lord Indra.

In our lives, we generally do not know what to ask God for ourselves, we follow a bad practice of closing our eyesbefore the deity, while the Vedas and scriptures ask you to open your eyes and hearts to the deity.

Lakshmano Lakshmi Sampanna:

Quoting an example of Sri Lakshmana from Ramayana, Swamy says, Lakshmana was bestowed to be wealthiest known to the mankind. Not because he had the material riches, But He devoted his life in service The Lord and his Cohort.

What is being rich? Asks Swamy

This boils down to the question What it is to be Rich. Does possessing valuable jewels or Properties or Money can make you the richest? Mind you, possessing any one of the above mentioned material benefits will only make you insecure and live-in fear, for life and the possessions.

The Vedas say, AghathoBhayamgathoBhavathi, meaning, wherever, there is faith in Lord Paramthma, there exists no fear. And whenever you feel the oneness with him, you should feel the richest of all. You cannot term yourself rich of something, if you have the “FEAR “of losing it.

From the Mahabharatha

Quoting Mahabharatha, When Dhuryodhana, visits Lord SriKrishna for his aid in the upcoming war, Dhuryodahana choses Sri Krishna’s army over him. As it was bound to happen, the Pandavas triumph over the Kauravas, because Arjunachose Srikrishna over his army.

YathraYogeswara: Krishno,

ThathraPartho: Dhanurdhara:

Once you invite the Lord Srihari, in to your lives, comes along, Goddess Lakshmi in your lives.

Goddess Lakshmi, the PurushakaraSwaroopini

Swamy quotes a number of instances where Amma showers her maternal compassion and affection even to thosewho wrong in their doings thus attracting the ire of the Lord SriHari.

Tale of Jayantha

One such incident was in Ramayana. When Lord Rama and AmmaSita were serving their last years of the 14 year VanaVasam, Lord Indra sends across his Son Jayanthudu(the crow) to test the perseverance of Swami and Amma. It was during the time when Lord Rama was enjoying a siesta with AmmaSita, when the crow comes and repeatedly prods Amma in her bosom. Amma doesn’t raise an alarm lest Lord Rama should get furious , but tries to shoo away the bird. In this process, the droplet from blood oozing out of her bosom, falls on Lord Rama and awakens him, only to see  Sitaamma drenched in a pool of blood.

Lord Rama, gets furious and launches a Bramhastra on to the bird. The bird, no-where to go and no one to save, takes shelter of Sitamma alone and after all. Sitamma beseeches Rama from halting the Bramhastra.

Paying head to Sitamma, Lord Rama, leaves the bird from annihilating the bird , but partly punishing the bird by hurting its eye.  Since then, the crows are known to have a single eyeball, although they possess two eyes.

Tale of Ravana

It is a widely accepted belief that Ravana abducted Sitamma. But it is also widely known how mighty a power that Sitamma possessed. How she handled the Siva Danush on her finger tips, while the greatest and mightiest, including Ravana couldn’t even budge it from its place. So if you come back to question, wouldn’t it have been easier for Sitamma to save herself. Of course Yes, Ravana would have burnt to ash in no time, had Sitamma wished for it. But Amma wouldn’t do it, as it was the duty of Lord Rama, to save her.

When Ravana showered her world’s richest of the pleasures, she chides him and equates the Bhogas he showered on to her, to a blade of grass. And reminds him, that for the Lord, who appeared from a pillar to destroy Hiranyakasapa, is not impossible to appear from this blade of grass and destroy him. She guides him to make friends with Rama and save himself.

From the above said tales, if one comes to a thought as to who harmed Sitamma more and who suffered more. Was it not Jayantha, who pierced her, to the point that she bled profusely or was it Ravana, who vowed not to lay his hands on her until she approves his proposal?  It was Ravana who suffered more.

Why was it Ravana?

It was not Jayantha, because Sitamma was with Lord Rama when he was hurting Sitamma, and she would not let anything happen to her child. She saved her wronging child from the Ire of his father. Thus Jayantha suffered less.

In Ravana’s case, Sitamma was not with Rama; hence she could not save him from getting killed in the arms of the Lord Rama. Although she warned him a thousand times, he paid no heed to her thus bringing about destruction upon him.

Goddess Lakshmi brings about this trait in Lord Narayana. The trait is called PoornaPurushenaSarvam. Meaning, she makes him the bestower of boons, makes him look at his subjects, his children, his devotees with Compassion.

–From discourse of Sri AhobilaSwamy