Tomara Kinkora Ami

Ashta laxmi

In today's world most of us are running after earning more and more wealth to become rich and are ready to make great sacrifices for accumulating lot of wealth. But hardly, we pause for a second and contemplate about the real value of the wealth we seek to earn. 

There are some commonly experienced facts that a rich man child gets easily spoiled because rich man don't get time to give proper time and attention in parenting their children. Rich men health goes so bad that they can hardly eat sumptuous food rather they have to stay alive on soups and boiled foods. Some top-shot people have to work so hard to meet the tough competition that they skip their meals. Someone may be having lot of money but their character may not be good as it can be seen with the corrupt politicians and traitors who amass lot of wealth but loose their integrity and self image. The rich person has to constantly be tormented by the fears for loosing his wealth as well as position by theft, cheating from inside as well as outside factors, fears of being surpassed by other competitors. Some one may earn lot of money by utilizing his skills but he may never gain the competence of being a team leader and rising to the top positions of the ladder whereas he would see someone with equal or even lesser talents would rise above the ladder much faster than he could. Just richness, doesn't endows one with leadership skills. Someone may have earned a great degree at big schools like IIMs/IITs but that doesn't necessitates a high package where as someone from other 2nd tier college may get a better package than some IITians or IIMians, because it is not just the knowledge which matters but the end product like practical expertise which matters most and is sought after by recruiters. Someone may be born with a silver spoon but may not get good grades in school as well as college and when he starts his work he may not achieve great heights as was attained by his forefathers. 

The vedic culture stands for wholesomeness in all its aspects. The idea of wealth is also very wholesome in vedic culture. Wealth is represented by  the Goddess Laxmi. The Goddess Laxmi expands herself in 8 forms which is collectively called Ashta. Each of the form represents a particular aspect of the wealth. 

The first form of Laxmi is AdiLaxmi. Adi Laxmi stands for the knowledge of the spiritual self. She represents sadhana to dissipate material ignorance and keeping integrity in worldly activities. 

The second form of Laxmi is Dhanya Laxmi. Dhanya Laxmi represents food grains, drinking water, digestive system.

The third form of Laxmi is Dhan Laxmi. Dhan Laxmi represents the cash or money. 

The fourth form of Laxmi is Dhairaya Laxmi. Dhairaya Laxmi represents the courage in a person.

The fifth form of Laxmi is Raj Laxmi. Raj Laxmi represents the ability to command respect and persuade people. 

The sixth form of Laxmi is Vidya Laxmi. Vidya Laxmi represents the expertise to apply the knowledge. 

The seventh form of Laxmi is Santan Laxmi. Santan Laxmi represents the happiness obtained from children.

The eighth form of Laxmi is Vijaya Laxmi. Vijaya Laxmi represents the luck of becoming successful in goals. 

Thus, someone who is blessed with association of all 8 forms of Laxmi is considered as rich in the true vedic sense. The idea of richness is not narrowed down to possession of lot of money alone. Laxmi is female counterpart of God Narayan and has a divine connotation attached to her. Also, she likes to stay at the place only where Narayan and his teachings and ideals are being worshipped. The followers of vedic culture remain conscious of presence of divinity in different aspects of wealth which enable them to deal with them in a respectful way. This behavior pleases Laxmiji and she profusely blesses her devotees.   

References:

1. Dushyant Savadia (2012). Ashtalaxmi, San Fransisco, Bay
    Area, CA.
2. Ashtalaxmi stotram. 
    www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnYNUhTXxfo