7'' Ashtalakshmi Set | Madhuchista Vidhana (Lost-Wax) | Panchaloha Bronze from Swamimalai

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While her traditional iconography presents her with the elegant image of a golden-coloured woman serenading upon her devotees with two lotuses, and dispelling fears and granting boons, the ‘Ashta Lakshmi’ group of avatars further elaborate on several benevolent and fearsome attributes – these include the ‘khanda’ or sword, the bow and arrow, the ‘trishula’ or trident, the ‘chakra’ or discus, the ‘gada’ or mace, and the ‘ankusha’ or goad, among others. We also witness the presence of several mounts, from the ever-constant lotus to animals like the owl, eagle, lion, and elephant. The combined figurative, mythological, and perhaps literal power of these attributes is to ultimately provide the eight forms of wealth, which range from prosperity and fertility to strength, progeny, and power.

Our understanding of the iconographic conventions of these eight avatars of Lakshmi comes from the Ashta Lakshmi Stotram. In the images presented here, from the far left, we have Dhana Lakshmi as the goddess of material wealth, Santana Lakshmi as the goddess of off-springs and progeny, Adi Lakshmi as the primeval great goddess and the goddess of spiritual wealth, Gaja Lakshmi as the goddess of power and strength, Vijaya Lakshmi as the goddess of victory, Vidya Lakshmi as the goddess of wisdom, Dhanya Lakshmi as the goddess of good harvest and grains, and Veera/or Dhairya Lakshmi as the goddess of courage and/or the goddess of patience and self-restraint.