Lakshmi and the Churning of the Milky Ocean: A Hindu Legend

In addition to Buddhism, many people of Sri Lanka, particularly the Tamils, practice Hinduism. Hinduism is full of epics and mythologies of many deities, but I will focus on Lakshmi in this post.

Lakshmi brings wealth and prosperity to her devotees. Earrings from Parampara. Photography by Derek Matthew Auxier Black

Lakshmi is one of the principal goddesses of Hinduism. She is the wife and divine energy of Vishnu, the deva (supreme being) who is also known as the "The Pervader" or "The Immanent." Lakshmi is also a supreme being in her own right who assists Vishnu to create, protect, and transform the universe. 

Stories of Lakshmi first appeared in the epics of Ramayan, which was composed between 700 BC and 300 AD. It is a collection of 24,000 verses that tells the tale of Rama, the seventh avatar of Vishnu. His stories of heroism are canonical and very much part of the Hindu psyche. 

The story of Samudra Manthana (The Churning of the Milky Ocean) may be considered the origin story of Lakshmi. The story starts with Indra, the warrior god, who was responsible for protecting the universe against the asuras (demons). One day, Durvasa, a sage, offered Indra a garland of sacred flowers. Indra, in his carelessness, dropped the flowers to the ground, which offended Durvasa. As a result, the sage cursed Indra and the devas to lose their power and strength, which gave the asuras momentum to take over the universe.

 To defeat the asuras, the devas sought advice from Vishnu, who suggested that they churn the Samudra Manthana (the Milky Ocean, the fifth from the center of the seven oceans) to obtain the amrita, the nectar of immortal life. The devas approached the asuras for help and offered to share the amrita uncovered from the Milky Ocean. They used Mount Mandara as a churning pole placed on the back of a great tortoise, another one of Vishnu's avatars. Furthermore, the serpent king, Vasuki, agreed to be used as the churning rope.  

The churning of the Ocean of Milk; the devas are on the right, the asuras on the left. From Wikipedia.  

As the devas and asuras were churning the Milky Ocean, Vasuki vomited poison that threatened to fall into the ocean and contaminate the amrita. The devas sought help from Lord Shiva, who took the poison and held it in his throat, which turned his throat blue. 

Finally, after years of churning, the amrita emerged from the depth of the Milky Ocean, along with many other treasures. One of the treasures was Lakshmi, the goddess of fortune and prosperity who Vishnu took as a consort. Other gems include Chandra, the moon god; Airavata, the elephant that carries Indra; Apsaras, the water nymph and a celestial dancer, and many others.

Worried that the asuras would gain more power, the devas decided not to share the amrita with the asuras. Instead, they appealed to Vishnu, who took the form of Mohini, a beautiful and enchanting woman, to distract the asuras. Then, Mohini took the amṛta and distributed it among the devas, who drank it. Thus, the devas restored their strength and continued their quest to protect the universe. 

Diwali Lakshmi and Ganesh Poojan. From Wikipedia/Tamilmama

Lakshmi resides in places of hard work, virtue, and bravery. She is often represented in sculpture seated on a lotus, full-breasted, broad-hipped, beneficently smiling, and lustrated by a pair of elephants pouring water over her. Modern Hindus continue to worship her, housing her at home altars and honouring her every Friday. She also appears in festivals, specifically during Diwali, the celebration of light. On Diwali night, Lakshmi visits each house to bless her devotees with great wealth and luxuries.