Shri Vidyalakshmi

 Shri Vidyalakshmi

Since childhood, I've often heard and read of Lakshmi as the goddess of wealth and Saraswati as the goddess of knowledge ..... It is said that Saraswati and Lakshmi rarely dwell together !.... where Saraswati resides, Lakshmi is seldom present!!

A few days ago, I stayed at the guest house of Dwarka Doss Govardhan Doss Vaishnav College in Chennai. During a morning walk around the campus, I came across a Panchayatana with deities: 'Shri Vidyalakshmi, Shri Vidyavallabh Mahaganapati, Shri Saraswati, Shri Karyasiddhi Bhakta Anjaneya, and Shri Gopalakrishna.'

 The presence of temples, morning prayers, and scheduled worship created a truly unique experience on campus. Among these deities, one name stood out—'Shri Vidyalakshmi.'

Though I was familiar with forms like Dhanalakshmi, Gajalakshmi, Shridevi, and Bhudevi, 'Shri Vidyalakshmi' was new to me. After gathering some information and reflecting, the significance of this Panchayatana gradually began to unfold.

In Indian tradition, a mantra from the Rigveda—

"एकम सद विप्रा बहुधा वदन्ति"

'Ekam sad vipra bahudha vadanti'—

means, 'Truth is one, but the wise call it by different names.'

This suggests that,

depending on one's goals,

the required energy

and Upasana (worship or actions)

can be represented through different forms of deities and one has the freedom to imagine and carve the form of energy.

Today is Lakshmi Puja!

In Indian tradition, the goddess Lakshmi is revered as a symbol of wealth, prosperity, and abundance. She is the consort of Lord Vishnu, one of the Trimurti, responsible for the creation, preservation, and balance of the universe. To represent this, images of Shridevi (goddess of wealth) and Bhudevi (goddess of the earth's bounty) are placed on either side of him. On this day, prayers are offered to seek wealth and prosperity through the grace of Shri Lakshmi.

Shri Lakshmi has eight principal forms known as "Ashtalakshmi":     Aadi Lakshmi (the primal/creative power of the universe), Dhanalakshmi (wealth and abundance), Dhanya Lakshmi (grain and nourishment), Gaja Lakshmi (wealth and power), Santan Lakshmi (offspring), Vijaya Lakshmi (success, fame, and victory), Vidya Lakshmi (knowledge), and Dhairya Lakshmi (courage and inner strength).

In the Panchayatana, the temple of Shri Vidyavallabh Mahaganapati is flanked by those of Shri Vidyalakshmi and Shri Saraswati.

Ganapati is revered in the pursuit of knowledge

as the embodiment of wisdom and intellect.

Through his grace, one’s memory, concentration,

and capacity for contemplation are enhanced.

Shri Vidyalakshmi, the goddess of knowledge,

bestows curiosity, skills, and critical thinking upon students.

With her blessings, knowledge becomes a form of wealth,

inspiring individuals to use that knowledge positively for society.

In Indian tradition,

Shri Saraswati is recognized as the goddess of

knowledge, music, arts, and speech,

symbolizing purity and creativity.

In her hands, she holds a veena, a book, and a mala,

representing music, education, and meditation.

Through Saraswati’s grace,

students gain knowledge, memory, and Vivek (discernment),

enriching their lives with cultural depth and the value of wisdom.

By observing these two deities alongside Ganapati, we grasp the purpose of intellectual development: to acquire the skills necessary for creating wealth and to cultivate a prosperous life with humanitarian morals within a cultural context.

One path leads to knowledge with empowerment skills, while the other guides us toward self-realization.

विद्याञ्चाविद्याञ्च यस्तद्वेदोभयं सह।
अविद्यया मृत्युं तीर्त्वा विद्ययाऽमृतमश्नुते ॥

'Vidyañcāvidyañcā yastadvedobhayam saha.

Avidyayā mṛtyuṃ tīrtvā vidyayā'mṛtam aśnute.'

This verse signifies that to achieve both worldly knowledge and knowledge about self-realization through intellectual development.  

To happen this,

one must worship Shri Karyasiddhi Bhakta Anjaneya ie. Hanuman

a symbol of immense strength, dedication, and devotion

essential for success in all endeavours.

Worshiping him bestows strength, morale, and courage

to overcome obstacles on the path to success.

For this one must peruse

 Path of Knowledge, Karma ie. Action and Devotion

as guided by Lord Krishna.

On this occasion of Lakshmi Puja,

Let us reflect on the Panchayatana:

'Shri Vidyalakshmi, Shri Vidyavallabh Mahaganapati, Shri Saraswati,

Shri Karyasiddhi Bhakta Anjaneya, and Shri Gopalakrishna.