Namaste stu mahamaye sripithe surapujite

Sankha chakra gadaa haste mahalakshmi namostu te.

‘O Mahamaya! Abode of fortune, I salute thee, 0 Mahalakshmi, wielder of conch, disc and mace, obeisance to Thee’

Sri Lakshmi is the principal deity of our temple which is dedicated to her and bears Her name. Sri Lakshmi is the goddess of all forms of wealth (Ashta lswarya). Sri Lakshmi is the consort of Sri Maha Vishnu, and resides in His chest. Her devotees worship Her to secure wealth as well as to preserve it. Sri Lakshmi sits in the lotus posture, in a lotus seat. She carries lotus blossoms in Her right and left hands. Her right hand has “Abhaya Mudra”, assuring her devotees to fear nothing. Her left hand shows “Varadha Hastha “, indicating Her desire to bestow her blessings in the form of wealth on her devotees.

Regarding the origin of Sri Lakshmi, our Puranas (epics) refer to the following story: In the age of the sixth Manu Chakshusha, Lord Hari incarnated as Ajita. He helped the Devas to get Amrita, the elixir of life so they could have permanent ascendancy over the Asuras – by churning the milk ocean (Ksheera Sagara). As the divine tortoise He bore on Himself the Mandara Mountain as it whirled while the ocean was being churned with it. The violent churning caused the virulent poison Halahala to emerge, which Lord Siva collected in his palms and drank. The churning further yielded Kamadhenu (the heavenly cow), Ucchaisravas (the white horse), Iravata (the white elephant), Kaustuba (the gem), Pariijata (the celestial tree), Apsaras (the heavenly nymphs). Then emerged Lakshmi, brilliant like lightning and illumining the quarters. With the garland in Her hand, given to Her by Varuna, Lakshmi went about looking for one who was worthy of her and she put the garland around Maha Vishnu’s neck, married Him and chose to reside in His chest.