Lakshmi And Vishnu

Inseparableness of Vishnu and Lakshmi

In Vishnu Purana 1.8, Sage Parashara describes the inseparableness of Vishnu and Lakshmi -

• Both Vishnu and Lakshmi are omnipresent.
• If Vishnu is speech, then Lakshmi is its meaning.
• If Vishnu is awareness, then Lakshmi is intelligence.
• If Vishnu is righteousness, then Lakshmi is devotion.
• If Vishnu is the creator, then Lakshmi is the creation.
• If Lakshmi is the earth, then Vishnu is its support.
• If Vishnu is yajna, then Lakshmi is dakshina.
• If Vishnu is the ocean, then Vishnu is its shore.
• If Vishnu is the Moon, then Lakshmi is its light.
• If Vishnu is Kubera, then Lakshmi is wealth.
• If Laksmi is a creeper plant, then Vishnu is the tree around which she clings.
• If Vishnu is the day, then Lakshmi is the night.

Origin of Tulasi

Once, an argument broke out between Saraswathy, and Ganga.

Lakshmi Devi took the side of Ganga and tried to protect her.

Saraswathy cursed her: you will become a plant and a river on earth.

Ganga cursed Saraswathy that she would become a river.

Saraswathy cursed Ganga that she would become a river.

At that time, Vishnu appeared and pacified everyone.

He told Lakshmi: a part of you will take birth as a plant at the home of king Dharmadhwaja.

A part of me will take birth as an Asura called Shankhachuda.

You will become Shankhachuda’s wife.

This way, we will remain husband and wife even there.

You will become famous as Tulasi and will have great purificatory power.

Vishnu also told the three Devis not to be together.

He sent Saraswathy to Brahma and Ganga to Shiva.

Devi Bhagavata 9.6

Why their abode is the milky ocean

An Asura called Jalandhara was born when Shiva’s rage came out of his third eye.

He was raised by the ocean; thus he became Lakshmi Devi’s brother.

Once a severe battle took place between Vishnu and Jalandhara.

Vishnu did not kill Jalandhara out of his love for Lakshmi.

But Jalandhara made Vishnu fall with his fierce arrows.

Lakshmi intervened and requested her brother not to push her into widowhood.

Jalandhara loved her sister very much.

He retracted from the fight and fell at Vishnu’s feet.

Vishnu told him to ask for a boon.

Jalandhara said: you should permanently reside with my sister at my father’s residence (ocean).

Bhagawan agreed.

This is how the milky ocean became the abode of Vishnu and Lakshmi.

Padma Purana Uttara Khanda. 8, 232

They have even cursed each other

The divine couple has on many occasions cursed each other.

Of course, they were all their divine play and have resulted in good outcomes.

Birth of Haihaya - Haihayas were a famous vamsha to which Karthaveeryarjuna belonged.

Once, the divine horse Ucchaisravas was coming towards Vaikuntha to take darshan of Bhagawan.

Lakshmi Devi was so absorbed in the beauty of the horse that she didn’t pay attention when Bhagawan spoke to her.

He cursed her to take birth on earth as a horse.

Devi observed tapas to get back to Vaikuntha.

During that time, Bhagawan also assumed the form of a horse and united with her.

The great Haihaya vamsha was born out of their union.

Destruction of Hayagreevasura - There was a terrible Asura called Hayagreeva (meaning the horse-headed one).

He had the head of a horse.

He had a boon that he could be killed only by another Hayagreeva.

Once, when Bhagawan Vishnu was smiling at her, Lakshmi Devi got a feeling that he was ridiculing her.

She cursed that Bhagawan’s head would fall off.

Accordingly, during a fight with Asuras, Bhagawan’s head got cut off by the tip of his own bow.

It was replaced with the head of a horse.

Bhagawan became Hayagreeva and killed Hayagreevasura.

The curse led to the death of an evil Asura.

Dhan Teras puja - Once Vishnu and Lakshmi came down to earth on a tour.

After completing the tour of North India before he set out for South India, Bhagawan asked Devi to stay back.

She didn’t listen and kept on following him.

When he reached a sugar cane field, Bhagawan looked back.

She was still there chewing on a piece of sugar cane (apparently taken without permission).

Bhagawan got annoyed and cursed her to become the maid of the farmer and serve him for 12 years.

In those 12 years, the farmer became very rich.

When Bhagawan came to take back the maid (his wife), the farmer refused.

By then he had become aware that the maid was none other than Goddess Lakshmi.

It was on the Krishna Paksha Trayodashi preceding Deepavali.

Devi told him that whoever worships her on that day will remain rich and prosperous for the entire year.

Because of the curse, we got a great occasion to worship Lakshmi Devi.