The Night I Broke Down Over Bills
It was 2 AM on a Tuesday when I found myself sitting on my kitchen floor, surrounded by unpaid bills and bank statements showing a balance that made my stomach turn. I had a decent job, no extravagant lifestyle, yet money seemed to slip through my fingers like water. My mother called that morning and mentioned she was doing Lakshmi puja on Friday. I remember thinking, “What’s the point? I’ve prayed before and nothing changed.”
I was wrong. Not about prayer being a magic solution, but about what Maa Lakshmi actually represents. Over the next six months, I dove deep into understanding the goddess of wealth—not as a wish-granting deity, but as a profound philosophy about abundance, discipline, and prosperity. What I discovered didn’t just improve my bank account; it completely transformed my relationship with money, success, and self-worth. This is that journey, and the practical wisdom that changed everything.
Section 1: Understanding Lakshmi Beyond the Gold Coins
The Goddess I Thought I Knew
Like most people, my understanding of Maa Lakshmi was superficial: the beautiful goddess sitting on a lotus, gold coins flowing from her hands, flanked by elephants. I thought worshipping her meant asking for money and waiting for it to appear. When it didn’t, I assumed either she wasn’t listening or I wasn’t worthy.
My aunt, a Sanskrit scholar, laughed when I shared this. “You think Lakshmi is a cosmic ATM? Let me tell you who she really is.”
The Four Forms of Lakshmi
Maa Lakshmi isn’t just about material wealth. She has four primary aspects that most people ignore:
Dhana Lakshmi – Material wealth and prosperity. Yes, this includes money, but also resources, opportunities, and material comfort. This is the form everyone focuses on, but it’s only one-fourth of her essence.
Dhanya Lakshmi – Agricultural wealth and food security. In modern terms, this represents sustainable living, health, and the resources that sustain life. When I started paying attention to this aspect, I realized I was wasting food, not taking care of my health, and living unsustainably. How could I expect abundance when I was disrespecting the abundance I already had?
Gaja Lakshmi – Power, strength, and royalty. This isn’t about ruling others; it’s about self-sovereignty, confidence, and the inner strength to pursue your goals. I was stuck in a victim mentality about money—blaming the economy, my salary, my past. Gaja Lakshmi taught me to reclaim my power over my financial destiny.
Santana Lakshmi – Progeny and legacy. This extends beyond children to anything you create or leave behind—your work, your impact, your contributions. I realized I was consuming constantly but creating nothing of value. No wonder I felt empty despite earning money.
The Relationship with Lord Vishnu
Here’s what shifted everything: Lakshmi doesn’t exist independently. She’s the consort of Lord Vishnu, the preserver. In Hindu philosophy, Vishnu represents dharma (righteousness, duty, purpose), and Lakshmi represents the abundance that flows from living in alignment with your dharma.
Translation: wealth doesn’t come from praying harder or wanting more. It comes from finding your purpose and serving it with integrity.
I was working a job I hated, doing the bare minimum, then wondering why I felt financially stuck. I wasn’t aligned with any sense of purpose or dharma. I was just trading time for money and resenting every minute.
My First Major Shift
I started asking different questions. Not “How do I make more money?” but “What is my dharma? What am I meant to contribute?” I began journaling, exploring my skills, values, and interests. Within two weeks, I identified a side project that combined my design skills with teaching—something I’d always loved but dismissed as “not lucrative.”
I started creating online tutorials. The first month, I made $50. Not life-changing, but something shifted internally. I felt aligned. I felt purposeful. And ironically, my anxiety about money started decreasing even though my income hadn’t significantly changed yet.
First Lesson: Lakshmi follows Vishnu. Abundance flows from purposeful action, not desperate grasping. Find your dharma first; prosperity follows naturally.
Section 2: The Symbolism That Became My Daily Practice
Decoding the Iconography
Every element of Maa Lakshmi’s image contains practical wisdom. My aunt walked me through each symbol, and I started implementing them as daily practices.
The Lotus Flower
Lakshmi sits on a lotus that rises from muddy water but remains untouched by it. The message: you can rise above difficult circumstances without being defined by them. Your past financial mistakes, your current situation, even your family’s money patterns—none of these have to determine your future.
I grew up in a household where money was always scarce and accompanied by stress. I’d internalized the belief that “money is hard” and “we’re not the kind of people who have wealth.” The lotus taught me I could transcend that conditioning.
Practice I Implemented: Every morning, I wrote one thing I was grateful for financially—even if it was just “I have clean water.” This sounds simple, but it rewired my brain from scarcity to abundance. Within weeks, I noticed I was spotting opportunities I’d previously overlooked.
The Four Hands
Lakshmi’s four hands represent four goals of human life (purusharthas): dharma (righteousness), artha (wealth), kama (pleasure), and moksha (liberation). She’s reminding us that true prosperity includes all four—not just money.
I was sacrificing everything for artha (making money) while neglecting dharma (my values), kama (joy and relationships), and moksha (spiritual growth). I was miserable despite having a salary. Lakshmi’s iconography taught me that wealth without the other three is empty.
Practice I Implemented: I created a weekly balance sheet—not of money, but of the four purusharthas. Did I do something aligned with my values this week? Did I invest in relationships and joy? Did I spend time on personal growth? If any area was neglected, I adjusted. Surprisingly, when I balanced all four, my income started growing naturally.
The Gold Coins Flowing from Her Hand
Most people see this and think “I want that!” But look closer: the coins are flowing out, not being hoarded. Lakshmi teaches that wealth must circulate. Stagnant money, like stagnant water, becomes toxic.
I was so afraid of losing money that I’d stopped spending on anything—even necessary things. I wasn’t donating, wasn’t investing in myself, wasn’t circulating energy. I was energetically clutching and blocking flow.
Practice I Implemented: I started a “circulation practice.” Every time money came in, I immediately allocated: 10% to charity, 20% to savings, 10% to investing in my skills (courses, books), and the rest for living expenses. Even when amounts were small, I honored the percentages. Within three months, my income had grown by 40%. The universe fills containers that have space.
The Elephants
Elephants symbolize strength, patience, and wisdom. They also represent royalty and proper wealth management. Elephants are powerful but gentle, strong but patient.
I was impulsive with money—emotional spending when stressed, panic-saving when anxious. I needed the elephant’s steady, wise approach.
Practice I Implemented: 24-hour rule for any non-essential purchase over $50. If I still wanted it after 24 hours, I’d buy it. Most times, the impulse passed. This simple practice saved me thousands over six months and taught me discernment.
Section 3: The Lakshmi Principles That Transformed My Finances
Cleanliness and Order
One often-overlooked aspect: Lakshmi resides only in clean, organized spaces. This isn’t superstition; it’s psychology. Chaos in your environment reflects chaos in your financial life.
My apartment was a mess. Papers everywhere, unopened mail, cluttered desk. I didn’t even know exactly how much I owed or owned because I avoided looking at it.
I spent one weekend doing a “Lakshmi cleanse”: organized my home, created a filing system for bills, set up a spreadsheet tracking all accounts, debts, and expenses. The act of facing reality—however uncomfortable—immediately reduced my anxiety.
The Practice: Every Friday evening, I do a 15-minute “Lakshmi reset”—clear desk, organize receipts, update financial tracking. It’s become meditative, and it keeps me aware and in control.
Association with Light
Lakshmi is worshipped with diyas (lamps). Light represents awareness, clarity, and dispelling ignorance. Financial success requires seeing clearly—both opportunities and obstacles.
I was operating in darkness about my finances. Avoiding bank statements, not tracking expenses, living in denial about debt. How could prosperity find me when I was hiding from truth?
The Practice: I committed to “financial transparency” with myself. Weekly money meetings where I reviewed everything—income, expenses, debts, goals. No judgment, just awareness. Knowledge is power, and awareness is the first step to change.
The Owl Vehicle
Lakshmi’s vehicle is an owl, representing wisdom and the ability to see in darkness. Prosperity requires wisdom—knowing when to spend, when to save, when to invest, when to give.
I’d been financially foolish. Buying things on sale I didn’t need “because it’s a good deal.” Not negotiating salary because I was afraid. Keeping money in low-interest savings instead of investing because I didn’t understand investing.
The Practice: I educated myself. Read books on personal finance, listened to podcasts, took a free online course on investing. Knowledge transformed fear into confidence. Within four months, I’d negotiated a raise, started investing, and stopped wasteful spending. My net worth increased more in those four months than in the previous two years.
Section 4: The Six-Month Transformation and Ongoing Practice
What Actually Changed
Let me be transparent about the numbers. Six months into applying Lakshmi’s wisdom:
- Income increased by 45% (combination of raise, side project, and freelance work)
- Debt decreased by 60% (aggressive payoff plan enabled by increased income and reduced expenses)
- Savings went from $200 to $4,500 (automatic saving plus intentional circulation)
- Net worth increased by over $15,000
But honestly, the numbers aren’t the most significant change. What transformed was my relationship with money and abundance.
The Internal Shifts
From Scarcity to Abundance Mindset: I stopped seeing money as a limited resource I had to fight for. I started seeing opportunities everywhere. This wasn’t delusional positivity—it was genuine shift in perception that came from gratitude practice and purposeful action.
From Victim to Creator: I stopped blaming external circumstances and took responsibility for my financial reality. If I wanted more, I needed to create more value. Simple but revolutionary.
From Fear to Trust: The most surprising change was peace. Even when unexpected expenses came up, I didn’t panic. I trusted my systems, my growing income streams, and my ability to handle challenges.
From Consumption to Contribution: I went from asking “What can I get?” to “What can I give?” Ironically, the more I focused on adding value to others through my side project and my main job, the more financial rewards came.
The Daily Lakshmi Practice I Still Follow
Every morning, I do a five-minute practice that keeps me aligned:
- Gratitude for Abundance: Name three things of abundance in my life (money-related or not)
- Cleanliness Check: Ensure my workspace is organized and welcoming to prosperity
- Purpose Alignment: Ask “How can I serve my dharma today?”
- Circulation Intention: Set intention to both receive and give value today
- Wisdom Commitment: One small action toward financial education or smart money management
It’s simple, doesn’t take long, but keeps me connected to the principles that transformed my life.
The Friday Lakshmi Ritual
Every Friday, which is traditionally Lakshmi’s day, I do a deeper practice:
- Light a lamp (even just a candle)
- Review finances for the week with gratitude, not judgment
- Allocate any income received according to my percentages
- Identify one way I can circulate abundance (donate, help someone, invest in growth)
- Set financial intention for the coming week aligned with purpose
This weekly check-in keeps me honest, aware, and aligned. It’s become something I look forward to rather than dread.
Final Reflection: What Maa Lakshmi Really Taught Me
That night on my kitchen floor surrounded by bills, I thought I needed more money. What I actually needed was a complete shift in consciousness about abundance, purpose, and self-worth.
Maa Lakshmi didn’t magically deposit money in my account. She taught me principles that, when applied consistently, naturally attracted prosperity:
- Alignment with purpose brings abundance
- Cleanliness in environment reflects clarity in finances
- Circulation of wealth creates more wealth
- Wisdom and education enable better decisions
- Gratitude shifts perception from scarcity to abundance
- Prosperity includes material, relational, spiritual, and purposeful wealth
Six months later, I’m not rich by society’s standards, but I’m wealthy in ways that matter. I have growing savings, decreasing debt, increasing income, purposeful work, peace of mind, and genuine gratitude for what I have while working toward more.
The anxiety that kept me up at night has been replaced by trust and intentional action. The victimhood has been replaced by creative power. The scarcity mindset has been replaced by abundant thinking.
If you’re struggling financially, I invite you to look beyond surface-level solutions. Budgeting and side hustles help, but the real transformation happens when you shift your consciousness about abundance.
Study Maa Lakshmi—not as a goddess to beg favors from, but as a teacher offering timeless wisdom. Implement her principles. Clean your space, find your purpose, circulate your resources, seek wisdom, practice gratitude, and balance all aspects of wealth.
Prosperity isn’t just about having more money. It’s about living abundantly in all areas while being a good steward of resources. That’s the secret Maa Lakshmi has been teaching all along.
Jai Maa Lakshmi. May abundance flow to all who seek it with wisdom and purpose.
