What are some unknown stories about Goddess Lakshmi?

 1. Mata Bhargavi

Mata Bhargavi is Saksad Mahalaksmi herself who became the eldest daughter of sage Bhrigu and his wife devi Khyati.

• Mata Lakshmi in the form of Mata Bhargavi performed rigorous penance for thousands of years to get Lord Vishnu as her husband.

On hearing about the great form, the Cosmic Form (of Nārāyaṇa), Lakṣmī born from the Khyāti of Bhṛgu, O king, became surprised and thought thus:

‘By what means shall this Lord Nārāyaṇa be my husband? Is it through Vrata, penance, Dāna or some restraints? Can it be through attending upon the old people or by propitiating Devatās?’ O Yudhiṣṭhira, Satī (Śiva’s consort) knew that the girl was thinking thus and she said: “It is through austerities that Śaṅkara was obtained by me as my husband. So also Prajāpati (Brahmā) was obtained by Gāyatrī. Desired husbands were obtained like that by other women too. O lady of good Vratas, it is only through penance that the husband should be obtained by you. Hence perform penance, great and fierce, which will give you all that you desire.”

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:

9-15. O conqueror of the cities of enemies, Lakṣmī went to the outer limit of the oceans and performed an elaborate penance extremely difficult (for others) to perform, for a long duration. She stationed herself steadily like a lamp-post for a period of one thousand divine years.

~Skanda Mahapuran, Book 5, Reva-khanda, chapter 194

• After one thousand divine years of penance by Mata Bhargavi, Lord Narayana appeared before Mata Bhargavi and also showed his divine cosmic form and asked Mata Bhargavi to ask for a boon, on which Mata Bhargavi expressed her desire to marry him and asked him to adopt householder stage life.

Śrī said:

O Nārāyaṇa, O supporter of the universe, O Lord of the universe, O great Brahman, O ultimate great resort! Be pleased with me for my devotion. Save me perfectly. Employ me in the perfect creation. You are my lover. Manage everything so that I can be your beloved. The stage of householder is the root cause of Dharma, Artha and Kāma. It has been approved by Devas. Adopt that meritorious Āśrama (stage of life) and employ me in the rites for welfare.

~Skanda Mahapuran, Book 5, Reva-khanda, chapter 194

• Marriage of mata Bhargavi with Lord Narayana

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:

44-52. Neither Brahmā nor Parameśvara is capable of describing the good features of the marriage of Nārāyaṇa, the Yajña and the Tapas of that Lord and his perfect conduct. O Yudhiṣṭhira, yet I shall recount in a general way. Listen with careful attention. Brahmā and the Seven Sages were engaged in holding the Sruk and Sruva there. They performed the Homa in the sacrificial fires, O king. The entire earth along with the oceans was the altar.
The oceans gave jewels to the Brahmarṣis, O excellent king. Dhanada (Kubera) too gave the monetary gift as desired by all the Brāhmaṇas.
Viśvakarmā built houses of wonderful varieties fully embedded with all jewels and showed them to the glorious Lord of Devas. Then, O great king, Śatakratu asked the various Brāhmaṇas assembled there to choose whatever they desired. They were the Brāhmaṇas including Śaunakas etc., Bāṣkalas, Chāgalas and Ātreyas with Kāpiṣṭhala as their leader.

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:

53-61. O tiger among kings, in answer to your question as to who were the priests offering sacrificial oblations in the sacrifice, I shall describe it. Listen to it with concentration. Those with Sanatkumāra as their chief were the Sadasyas (members of the sacrificial assembly). Atri, Aṅgiras and Marīci officiated as Udgātṛs. Dharma and Vasiṣṭha did the job of Hotṛs (reciters of the Vedic Mantras). Sage Sanaka was the Brahmā (Presiding priest in the sacrifice). Śatakratu (Indra) gave them thirty-six thousand villages. The Lord did everything and so Lakṣmī was united with her husband. Even as Brahmā was performing the Homa, his forehead was visible to the Suras seated all round. The region where such view was possible is called Lalāṭadeśa and that spot became the meritorious spot of Śrīpati and was resorted to by Devas and sages. It is full of miracles, divine and efficacious.

~Skanda Mahapuran, Book 5, Reva-khanda, chapter 194

• Children of mata Bhargavi and Lord Narayana

Suta said :

1 . Khyati bore to Bhrgu the holy lords Dhata and Vidhata living throughout the Manvantara. They were masters of happiness and misery and grant auspicious and inauspicious results to living beings.

2. Their eldest sister, the chaste goddess Sri, the purifier of worlds, attained the auspicious lord Narayana as her husband, and gave birth to two sons: Bala (Strength) and Utsaha (Energy).

~Vayu purana, Book 1, chapter 28

2. Mata Lakshmi became the daughter of king punyanidhi.

King punyanidhi who used to rule over the Madurai region had visited Rameshwaram along with his wife vindhyavali. After worshipping lord Rama linganatha Swamy, the king performed a special yajña here to please lord Vishnu for the prosperity of his kingdom. Lord Vishnu, who was pleased with his yajña sent his consort Lakshmi devi in the guise of an eight years girl to test him.

9-11. While King Puṇyanidhi continued his stay thus, once Lakṣmī had a playful quarrel with Hari. In order to test the devotion of the king, she stipulated certain conditions with Hari. Lakṣmī, the goddess with lotus for her abode, was sent by Viṣṇu from Vaikuṇṭha. In the guise of a girl of eight years, she went to the Gandhamādana mountain. Goddess Lakṣmī came to Dhanuṣkoṭi and stood there waiting.

The king upon seeing the girl, enquired and after coming to know that the girl was an orphan adopted her as his daughter and named her as Gunanidhi. mata Lakshmi agreed to live with them but on some condition.

19-20. I shall stay in your house, O father, looking at you, always. If anyone holds me by the hand and violently pulls at me, O king, you shall chastise him. In that case, I shall stay in your place as your daughter for a long time, O father, O storehouse of good qualities.”

21-24. On being told thus, the king, the storehouse of good qualities, said to the girl:

“I shall do everything mentioned by you, O splendid girl. I have no daughter. I have a son, the support of the family. I shall give you whatever appeals to you. Come to my house, O girl. Live in my Antaḥpura as the daughter of my wife. O uncensured (praiseworthy) girl, live here as you please.”

The girl was being looked after nicely by the king and his wife. One day, Lord Vishnu in order to search for mata Lakshmi, came to the king’s place disguised in the form of an old brāhmaṇa wearing a Rudraksha Mala and holding a kamandalu (pot) with the water from the Ganga river and an umbrella in the other hand. He secretly entered the garden where Gunanidhi, the king’s adopted daughter was plucking flowers and held her hands. This matter was reported by the guards to the king who had the Brahmana chained and imprisoned. At night, Lord Vishnu appeared in the dream of the king and revealed that the old brāhmaṇa was lord Vishnu himself and the king's adopted daughter was Lakshmi devi.

47-53. The great king went to his beautiful mansion. During his sleep the king saw that Brāhmaṇa in his dream. He was adorned with a conch, discus, iron club, lotus and garland of sylvan flowers. His chest was embellished with the Kaustubha jewel. He was Hari clad in yellow garments. He was brilliant with the complexion resembling a black cloud. He was seated on Garuḍa. He had beautiful teeth and splendid smiles. His ear-rings resembling Makara, shone well. He was attended upon by Viṣvaksena and other servants. He lay on the couch (of the body) of Śeṣa. He was eulogized by Nārada and other sages; (further) he saw his own daughter standing in a full-blown lotus. In her hand there was a lotus flower. Her hair was black, curly and glossy. She had her abode in the broad chest of Viṣṇu.

The king who was shocked woke up and went to meet the imprisoned brāhmaṇa who appeared as lord Vishnu along with his adopted daughter Gunanidhi, who was adorned as Lakshmi devi. The king who was already shocked felt embarrassed and asked the Lord forgiveness.

Forgive my offence, O slayer of Madhu, I have offended you with these fetters and nooses. O lord, this has been committed by me without knowing your real form and nature. Hence my offence should be forgiven, O slayer of Madhu.

After eulogizing Mahāviṣṇu thus, O Brāhmaṇas, King Puṇyanidhi joyously eulogized Lakṣmī, the mother of all living beings:

Lord Vishnu pardoned him saying that they are pleased with his devotion.

Viṣṇu said:

80-86. O king, you need not entertain any fear as a result of keeping me in bondage. I have revealed unto you the fact that I am completely subject to the control of the devotees. You have performed a Yajña causing great delight unto me. Hence you are my devotee. Being bound down with the noose of devotion, I have become subject to your control. O suppressor of enemies, I always forgive the faults of my devotees.

Lord Vishnu decided that He and Lakshmi devi would reside in the same place and accept worship as Sri Setu Mādhava.

98-106a. “O excellent king, I shall stay here by the name Setumādhava in the manner in which I have been fettered by you. This Setu has been built by me. I shall bè here for its protection from the multitudes of Bhūtas and Rākṣasas and for subduing all sorts of fears. Brahmā too lives here day and night for protecting the Setu. Śaṅkara named Rāmanātha permanently stays here on the Setu. Indra and other guardians of the worlds too stay here with great joy. Hence, I will also stay here under the name Setumādhava for the purpose of protecting the Setu and to suppressing all troubles, for the purpose of fulfilling the desires of everyone and quelling all sins. Those men who serve me here where I have been fettered by you, will attain Sāyujya with me, O king, and realize all their desires.

This story mentioned in Skanda Puran, Brahma khanda, setu-mahatmya, chapter 50

The visit to Rameshwaram is incomplete Without a holy dip in the holy Setumādhava tirtham and the darshan of Lord Setumādhava. This beautiful temple is located in the complex of the famous Ramanathan Swamy temple in Rameshwaram, between the west second corridor of the temple.

Jay Shri LakshmiNarayana 🙏

Is Goddess Mahalakshmi (AmbaBai) of Kolhapur a form of Parvati or Lakshmi?

 There is a controversy about the exact position of Kolhapur Mahalaxmi in the Hindu pantheon. According Vaishnava belief, she is Laxmi while according to Shakta beliefs, she is Parvati.

Idol of Kolhapur Mahalaxmi

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To find out if the deity in a temple being worshipped is the fickle goddess of fortune or the awe-inspiring goddess of power, all one has to do is to check what is the sacred animal associated with the goddess, usually placed in front of the sanctum.

Kolhapur Mahalaxmi

If it is elephant, then the deity is Lakshmi; if it is the lion, the deity is Durga.

At the Kolhapur Mahalakshmi temple, it is the lion (as it is in Mumbai’s Mahalakshmi temple incidentally), firmly establishing her as the goddess of power and war and royalty.

• In two Kannada inscriptions from Shirur (Bijapur District) dated 1049 A.D and 1064 A.D. respectively, Rajavarma and Marasingha are said to have been the devotees of Mahalaxmi & in those inscriptions it is mentioned that Mahalaxmi of Kolhapur is the wife Shiva, whose vehicle is Simha.
• An inscription from the Mahalaksmi temple, which is dated 1218 A.D. informs us that the image of Mahalaksmi had a linga over its head and a porch resembling the mountain Himalaya was erected in front of her temple.

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Caitanya, the greatest Vaisnava saint of Bengal visited this place in 1510. Vadirajatirtha of the Uttaradi Madhva Matha also visited Kolhapur in the latter half of the 16th century.

But these two saints addressed the goddess as Laksmi and Rama respectively, meaning the wife of lord Vishnu.

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Vadirajatirtha and other followers of the Vaisnava sect believe that Mahalaksmi is identical with Laksmi, the wife of lord Visnu.

While three inscriptions mentioned above tend to show that she is the wife of lord Shiva.

The linga on her head and the lion vehicle substantiate their belief.

There are still others who find in her the characteristics of both Laksmi and Parvati.

The Saktas would give her an independant position and would include Kolhapur in the list of saktipithas.

Lakshmi or Durga? Consort of Vishnu or Shiva, or independent? Practical ‘living’ Hinduism defies all theoretical boundaries.

I am inclined to include her in the Saiva fold, but not without difficulties. In the same way a controversy has arisen about the age of the image. Inscriptional descriptions differ from the textual ones which themselves differ from the sculptural description of the image and it has become very difficult to come to any correct conclusion.

Is Goddess Mahalakshmi (AmbaBai) of Kolhapur a form of Parvati or Lakshmi?

 As we know that holy book durga saptashati,markhandeya Puran , shrimad devi bhagavad gita in this book it is written that karvirnivasini ambabai is shaktipeeth .so karvirnivasini ambabai is called as mata parvati

Shaktipeeth means that were the mata sati's body parts are fallen

But all says it is shaktipeeth but then also she is called as vishnupatni goddess lakshmi

But I have proof that she is goddess adishakti parvati by seeing her idol

And there is proof that she is not lakshmi she is parvati by seeing goddess ambabai pratima that vahan is lion not a owl and on her head there shiv ling which indicates mahadev

So then also half of them say that in durga saptashati says that she is lakshmi .

But that is wrong in durga saptashati, it is written that she is mahalaksmhi not a vishnupatni goddess lakshmi .

Mahalaksmhi is a parvati and it is indirectly written in the sloke and she is also called mulchandika and mahisasur mardini

And first of all naryani means that sister of vishnu not vishnupthem

By then also half of them say she is vishnupatni goddess lakshmi because shalu is coming from tirupati balaji at navratri

But this is also wrong she is sister of vishnu so in all navratri shalu is come in navratri

And in navratri jag janani goddess adishakti parvati’s avtar pooja is done

Jai mata di🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

What are some misconceptions about the goddess Lakshmi?

 

• She only holds pot and gives wealth and Students and other should only worship Ma Saraswati for their studies. This is pure misconception. S Ramanujan worshipped Namagiri (Mahalakshmi) and she guided and mentored him .Vidya Lakshmi is one of the forms of Ma Lakshmi. Mahalakshmi is the supreme deity, not limited for material wealth

• Generally so called Kathavachaks and people say that she is greedy, and maya. Her name itself is Lakshmi the one who takes us to the goal. Nevertheless, they are under the maya of Mahamaya Mahalakshmi and truth is not divulged to them. She is the kindest.She is beyond the 3 gunas, so she is beyong the greed anger.

• Ma Lakshmi is not Ambabai.

What more evidence is required when Lord Shiva himself tells Ambabai is beloved wife of Vishnu ? Shivji himself tells that Ambabai is consort of Shri Hari Vishnu and Sri Devi Lakshmi and there are full 2 chapters dedicated to Vishnu wife Ambabai in Skand puran and Padma Puran. Agastya Maharishi worships her as beloved consort of Hari. 

• Many don't know that about Alamelu Manga and Padmavati and have confusion about it, Padmavati devi was the daughter of Akash Raja, who was Vedvati whereas Mahalakshmi appeared before Narayana at Tiruchanur when he did penance for her who is called Alamelu Manga, Alamelu Manga was not incarnation of anyone, she was direct Mahalakshmi and the deity at Padmavati Tiruchanoor is Mahalakshmi for whom Venkateshwar did worship.

• Devi Suktam is not for her, but the truth is that all deities invoke and worship her through Devi Suktam. Also some denies that Sri Suktam is not for Mahalakshmi devi. For more information read these answer

• Hijacking terms like Narayani, Mahalakshmi and say that Narayani and Mahalakshmi is not wife of Narayan. Some fanatics also say Mahalakshmi Ashtakam is not for her. Indra recited Mahalakshmi Ashtakam for the Consort of Achyuta, Ananta, when she appeared from the churning of the ocean and is found in Padma puran.

• Some insecure organization and cults which has no trace beyond few centuries say Gopis are greater than Mahalakshmi and then do rankings and gradings between different forms of same goddess and then say Lakshmi, Rukmini (queens) etc are lesser and inferior to gopis. Their propaganda is nothing but based on fake theories and stories, the truth is quite opposite, the gopis themselves are forms of Sri and different forms of Same goddess should not be compared. You may read this Answer
  She cannot be an expansion of anyone because she is the supreme being glorified in the highest authority scriptures Vedas without any origin, but origin of all other deities.
• Viṣṇu taking up the form of a cowherd, and all those of the form of Lakṣmī.

Padma Puran 5.71

• Some believe that Lakshmi devi is servant and not equal to Narayan just because she has been portrayed as serving Narayan’s feet. Serving beloved is not wrong, as we can also find Narayana serving Lakshmi’s feet, so she is not inferior to him. She has been said to be the soul/aatma of Hari and always resides in his Heart.

The illustrious Shri does not leave him and directly represents Hari’s atman.

• She has been blessed by some others/ not independent , inferior energy. She does not hold weapons or killed Demons. Many such false informations are being spread, the truth is opposite. All that happens is by her grace and happens by mere wink of her eye. She is Sarva Shakti , source of all shakti, Parashakti who is the reason for creation, preservation and destruction of the multiverse.

22. God Brahmā, Śiva, gods, demons aṇd others whose heart is attached to object of senses, perform austere penance for winning my favour.

SB 5.18.22

Jai Ma Mahalakshmi

Is Varahi is an avatar of Goddess Lakshmi or Goddess Parvati?

 जयति जगतां मातः सा ते वराहमुखी तनुः ॥

She is independent and Guardian diety of Śākta-s

This confusion has arised because of as usual hobby of Adīkṣita Vaiṣṇava-s. Even after that, most of the references Vaiśṇavas have incorporated are of 5th Mātṛkā Vārāhī.

this Mātṛkā is also known as Unmatta Bhairavī or Laghu Vārāhī, because she has a small Mantra which is given to a Śrīvidyōpāsaka. I don't know which Vaiśṇava Sampradaya initiates in Vārāhī mantra :D.

I hope they will surely get the Vārāhī Krama in order to worship an Ūgra diety like Vārāhī.

By default, Vārāhī means ‘Māhāvārahī’, She with Bhagwati Śyāmalā are swarūpa of Śrīvidyā.

She lives in her Yantra called Kirichakra, which is north east of Lalitāmbā’s house at Maṇidweepa.

चिन्तामणिगृहेन्द्रस्य रुद्रभागेम्बुजाटवौ ॥

वल्लभो दण्डनाथायाः किरिचक्रे महारथः ।

She is mostly called by name Daṇḍanāthā in Lalitopākhyana.

श्रीकिरिरथमध्यस्थां पोत्रिमुखीं चिद्घनैकसद्रूपाम् ।
हलमुसलायुधहस्तां नौमि श्रीदण्डनायिकामम्बाम् ॥

She guards Lalitā Mahā Tripurasundarī and her Devotee(Śākta-s)

Those who are against Tripurasundari and her devotees, she destroys them and this is clearly mentioned in Lalitopākhyanam:-

ललिताद्रोहिणां श्यामाद्रोहिणां स्वामिनीद्रुहाम् ॥

रक्तस्रोतोभिरुत्कूलैः पूरयन्त्यः कपालकम् ।
निजभक्तद्रोहकृता मन्त्रमालाविभूषणाः ॥

She filled skulls by means of overflowing currents of blood of those who plotted against Lalitā and Śyāmā They wore the intestines of those who hurt and assailed their devotees.

She originated from Pañcāstrabāṇā-s of Bhagwatī Lalitāmbā.

Pañcāstra Bāṇa respectively represents:-

क्षोभणं द्रावणं देवी तथाकर्षणसंज्ञकम् ।

वश्योन्मादौ क्रमेणैव नामानि परमेश्वरि ॥

Confusion(Kṣobhaṇa), Tormentating(Drāvaṇa), Attracting(Ākarṣaṇa), Controlling(Vaśikaraṇa), Maddening(Unmādana), these are the names of 5 arrows respectively.

So, Mahāvārahi represents culmination of all these Kriyā-s.

She holds the position of a Father. Bhavanopaniṣad:-

वारही पितृदेवता कुरुकुल्ला बलिदेवता माता

She is Lalitambā’s Pariwāra Devatā, She sits on the right side of Lalitāmbā

ललिता श्रीमहादेवी नवाऽऽवरणशक्तिभिः |

तस्याः पार्श्वद्वये मन्त्रनाथा दण्डधरास्थिता ।

She is Senāpati of all Śaktī-s while Lalitāmbā is Queen, without Vārāhī’s permission no one can meet Devī.

अविज्ञाप्य प्रविष्टोऽसि चाऽस्मत्प्रमुखवीक्षिताम् ।

आज्ञां विना दण्डराज्ञ्याः प्रविष्टो वाहिनीमिमाम् ॥

This ia the reason why in her Names revealed by Hayagreeva, she is called Ājñā Cakreśwarī because Lalitā resides at Sahasrahāra Cakra and without getting checked at Ājñā Cakra we can't go to Sahasrahāraṃ.

Some other references, In Mooka Pañcaśati:-

ताडित रिपुपरिपीडन भयहरणनिपुण हलमुसला ।
क्रोडपति भीषणमुखी क्रीडसि जगति त्वमेव कामाक्षि ||

In Vārāhī Nigrahāṣṭaka we find many references of her being Sadāśiva Vallabhā

विश्वाधीश्वरवल्लभे विजयसे या त्वं नियन्त्र्यात्मिका

ये त्वां रक्तकपालिनीं हरवरारोहे वराहाननां

तेषां मा कुरु शङ्करप्रियतमे देहान्तरावस्थितिम् ॥

She is also Unamatta Bhairavī, as Śakti of Vārāha.

उद्धत्रीक्ष्मां जलनिदिमग्नां दंष्ट्राग्रलग्नभूगोलाम् ।
भक्तनतिमोदमानां उन्मत्ताकार भैरवीं वन्दे ॥

Śrī Durvāsā Bhaṭṭāraka also says:-

जितरम्भोरुयुगलां रिपुसंहारताण्डवीम् ।
रुद्रशक्तिं परां व्यक्तामीश्वरीं परदेवताम् ॥

Anyways, I believe more in knowledge and not in information, and knowledge only comes practically when you worship Vārāhī.

Śrī Mātre Namaḥ 🌺