Looking for Lakshmi

With everyone wondering about the future course of economic reforms, it’s fascinating to see what scripture makes of it. Take Lakshmi, the Benign One most sought after since roofs were first raised and crops first sown. Lakshmi comes from the Sanskrit for goal or aim: ‘lakshya’. The goal is twofold: earthly love and luck plus spiritual growth. Beautiful Lakshmi, born of the Ocean of Milk, is depicted for evermore as described in the texts by Raja Ravi Varma. In the painting he made for the Gaekwad in Lakshmi Vilas Palace, Baroda, she’s pleasantly plump, fair-skinned (hmm), four-armed and standing on a full-blown open lotus, holding lotus buds or a shankh-chakra, the conch and discus of her consort Lord Vishnu.

Lakshmi’s four hands signify the purushaartha or four goals of life — dharma (right conduct), kama (love), artha (wealth/livelihood), moksha (union with God). Her hands shower cascades of gold coins and unlike the ‘shwetavastra’ or pure white clothes of the musically meditative Saraswati, it’s always a rose pink or red sari edged with gold for Lakshmi, since red is the colour of auspicious activity (the miserable Left should ponder that one) while gold is the colour of prosperity. In effect, Lakshmi is the Shakti or active energy of Vishnu the Preserver of Life. The two elephants always shown ‘lustrating’ or spraying water near Lakshmi signify ‘noble, ceaseless effort’. Further, Hindu myth has at least six cautionary tales of how Lakshmi leaves those who forsake virtue and right conduct.

But what civilsational use could the notion of Lakshmi now be for the wretched habitation that Bharatvarsh has become? For one, the four goals of life are impeccable, making allowance for human nature and setting up short-term and long-term targets to make the lifespan an interesting endeavour. This seems a truly practical view to take, because nothing will save us from the consequences of our actions, except a firm grasp of dharma (doing the decent thing in the first place). How annoying, then, if Lakshmi eludes us despite being ideated so beautifully, despite being a household goddess who is the heroine of our biggest festival, Deepavali.

Let’s listen in on her Puranic pow-wow with Indra and Narada: “Everyone in the world seeks my favour. But I stay only with those who live righteously, who value education, take care of God’s devotees, who have conquered anger and envy, who pity those in distress and help them. I detest lazy, dirty, jealous, short-tempered and falsely ambitious people. But how I love the clean, virtuous and hardworking, who don’t quit!” So scripture is clear that reforms must aim at a clean, educated, work-ethic-driven India. Or else? Look around, Lakshmi has other places to hang out in which meet her specs.