Who is this? Lakshmi?

[Cinnamon1991]

I came across this goddess:
http://www.dollsofindia.com/product/HC45/

and I wondered who this is? It says Lakshmi, but wondered why She has that weird coin-like object (it's way to big to be a coin) in her hand and why she has one hand in the Vitarka mudra (I think it is the Vitarka Mudra, she has her index finger against her thumb)

[Toby Stimpson]

That is Lakshmi... more specifically it's one of her 8 forms.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashta_Lakshmi

[Cinnamon1991]

Thanks Galadraal,
Which of the eight forms is She? None of the forms wikipedia mentions looks like this statue. And why does She have the Vitarka mudra, and what´s the coin/like object in Her hand?

[Agaliha]

Thanks Galadraal,
Which of the eight forms is She? None of the forms wikipedia mentions looks like this statue. And why does She have the Vitarka mudra, and what´s the coin/like object in Her hand?

The coins are part of her general iconography:


The Lakshmi deity is depicted as a beautiful woman of golden complexion, with four hands, sitting or standing on a full-bloomed lotus and holding a lotus bud. Her four hands represent four spiritual virtues –
Dharma or Righteousness
Kama or Desire
Artha or Wealth
Moksha or Liberation from the cycle of birth and deathThe hands in the front represent the activity in the physical world and the hands on the back indicate the spiritual activities that lead to spiritual perfection. Since the right side of the body symbolizes activity, a lotus in the back right hand conveys the idea that one must perform all duties in the world in accordance with Dharma. This leads to Moksha (Liberation), which is symbolized by a lotus in the back left hand of Lakshmi.

The golden coins falling on the ground from the front left hand of Lakshmi illustrates that she provides wealth and prosperity to Her devotees. Her front right hand is shown bestowing blessings upon the devotees.

The two elephants standing next to the goddess symbolize the name and fame associated with worldly wealth. The idea conveyed here is that a true devotee should not earn wealth merely to acquire name and fame or only to satisfy his own material desires, but he should share it with others in order to bring happiness to others in addition to himself. This denotes the ceaseless effort in accordance with ones Dharma and is governed by wisdom and purity that leads to both material and spiritual prosperity.
Lakshmi is the active energy of Vishnu and also appears as Lakshmi Narayan – Lakshmi accompanying Vishnu.

The coconut with the shell, kernel and water denotes that She is the origin of three levels of creation. She sits on a lotus in a graceful Lalitha asana. The Lotus bud stands for beauty, purity, and fertility. It is rooted in the mud but blossoms above the water and stays completely uncontaminated by the mud which serves to represent spiritual perfection and authority. To be seated on the lotus means that one has transcended the limitations of the finite world (the mud of existence) and floats freely in a sphere of purity and spirituality.

Ashta Lakshmis are Her eight forms, which are commonly worshipped aspects. In each form, She bestows one form of wealth to Her devotees.

http://www.parashakthitemple.org/pages/ashta_lakshmi.aspx


For for what of the 8 forms she is, I'm not 100% sure.
It's possible the artist didn't have one in mind. Or couldn't get all the symbols in.
Though, because the coin is large it might be emphasizing that aspect.
Dhana Lakshmi, then comes to mind.


Dhana Lakshmi: Dhana is wealth. But as per Rigved’s Purush Shukta Dhana is not only a wealth in coins and currency. Even Sun and moon, fire and stars, rains and nature, oceans and mountains, rivers and streams, all these are our wealth, so are the progeny, our inner will power, our character and our virtues. With the grace of mother Dhana Lakshmi we will get all these in abundance.
http://www.divyajivan.org/ashtalakshmi/ashtalakshmi_adhyatma.htm As for the Mudra. I believe she is doing the Abhaya Mudra and holding the coin in the other. Since it's a statue, it's possible they couldn't get all the details 100% correct-- it's some times hard to tell. Once I saw a statue that had a mish-match that wasn't what it said it was, pretty confusing.

See Buddha doing the same:
http://www.exoticindia.com/product/ZN74/

Here's one of her doing it:
http://www.lotussculpture.com/19b97lakshmi.htm

Here's an image of the Vitarka Mudra:
http://healing.about.com/od/east/ig/Mudra-Gallery/Vitarka.htm

Not sure if that helps.

[Toby Stimpson]

It might also be a regional variation. There is no one way of picturing Lakshmi.

It could be Nepali?

[Thunder]

Thanks Galadraal,
Which of the eight forms is She? None of the forms wikipedia mentions looks like this statue. And why does She have the Vitarka mudra, and what´s the coin/like object in Her hand?It is not a coin... it is a little known fact that the Nepalese Hindus invented ring dings. Ring dings of this size persisted into the 1970's when they were eventually supplanted by ring ding juniors... in the absence of the original ring ding the Jr. moniker was dropped.

[aldwyn]

The symbolism seems to be accurate for Sri Lakshmi, and in Hindu art nothing is for aesthetics only. Each peace, no matter how small, has meaning. I posted a few pics of my home altar of Sri Lakshmi that you can compare with the statue.

The object/s depicted in Sri Lakshmi's left hands are coins. As she is the goddess of wealth and abundance.

http://www.lilithmedia.com/images/IMG_0002.jpg

http://www.lilithmedia.com/images/IMG_0001.jpg

[Baobabtree]

It might also be a regional variation. There is no one way of picturing Lakshmi.

It could be Nepali? I no it's a tad bit off topic, but one of the more interesting regional depictions of Lakshmi I've seen, is in Bengali art where she is usually only depicted with two arms (one of which is usually holding a pot filled with gold), and instead of being flanked by two white elephants, she has a white owl sitting at her feet.

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/2724/210gdf4.th.jpg (http://img291.imageshack.us/my.php?image=210gdf4.jpg)

[Cinnamon1991]

As for the Mudra. I believe she is doing the Abhaya Mudra and holding the coin in the other. Since it's a statue, it's possible they couldn't get all the details 100% correct-- it's some times hard to tell. Once I saw a statue that had a mish-match that wasn't what it said it was, pretty confusing.

See Buddha doing the same:
http://www.exoticindia.com/product/ZN74/

Here's one of her doing it:
http://www.lotussculpture.com/19b97lakshmi.htm

Here's an image of the Vitarka Mudra:
http://healing.about.com/od/east/ig/Mudra-Gallery/Vitarka.htm

Not sure if that helps.





I have the same statue (just couldn't make a clear picture so took this photograph off the internet) and she is not doing the Abhaya mudra. Her index finger and thumb create a circle, and according to a book I have on Hindu iconography, it's a mudra of teaching (I think)?

[Agaliha]

I have the same statue (just couldn't make a clear picture so took this photograph off the internet) and she is not doing the Abhaya mudra. Her index finger and thumb create a circle, and according to a book I have on Hindu iconography, it's a mudra of teaching (I think)?

Hm. Well it's hard for me to see with the photo.
A side view would probably make the circle with her thumb and index finger more visible.

Here's some photos of various Mudras:
http://healing.about.com/od/east/ig/Mudra-Gallery/
Look at the Ahamkara Mudra (http://healing.about.com/od/east/ig/Mudra-Gallery/Ahamkara.htm) & Gyan Mudra (http://healing.about.com/od/east/ig/Mudra-Gallery/Gyan.htm)
:huh:

[Cinnamon1991]

Hm. Well it's hard for me to see with the photo.
A side view would probably make the circle with her thumb and index finger more visible.

Here's some photos of various Mudras:
http://healing.about.com/od/east/ig/Mudra-Gallery/
Look at the Ahamkara Mudra (http://healing.about.com/od/east/ig/Mudra-Gallery/Ahamkara.htm) & Gyan Mudra (http://healing.about.com/od/east/ig/Mudra-Gallery/Gyan.htm)
:huh:

Ooh ooh ooh ooh it's the Gyan mudra!

[Agaliha]

Ooh ooh ooh ooh it's the Gyan mudra!

Yay.

A site says this:

GYAN MUDRA
The thumb and the index finger are brought together in gentle contact, not pressing hard, while all other fingers are kept upright. This is the mudra most people are familiar with.

Great thinkers such as Buddha, Mahavir, Christ and Guru Nanak are generally depicted in this pose. Its practice ensures mental peace, concentration, sharp memory and spiritual feelings.

It cures insomnia and mental disorders, and dissipates tension, depression and drowsiness. This is a must for those who aspire to develop telepathy or wish to acquire extrasensory abilities.
http://www.lifepositive.com/spirit/traditional-paths/rituals/mudra.asp


It's also called the Mudra of Wisdom.

[Thunder]

I no it's a tad bit off topic, but one of the more interesting regional depictions of Lakshmi I've seen, is in Bengali art where she is usually only depicted with two arms (one of which is usually holding a pot filled with gold), and instead of being flanked by two white elephants, she has a white owl sitting at her feet.

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/2724/210gdf4.th.jpg (http://img291.imageshack.us/my.php?image=210gdf4.jpg)
The owl is me... that is how I know about the ring ding.

[Thunder]

I no it's a tad bit off topic, but one of the more interesting regional depictions of Lakshmi I've seen, is in Bengali art where she is usually only depicted with two arms (one of which is usually holding a pot filled with gold), and instead of being flanked by two white elephants, she has a white owl sitting at her feet.

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/2724/210gdf4.th.jpg (http://img291.imageshack.us/my.php?image=210gdf4.jpg)
The owl is me... that is how I know about the ring ding.