suitable for welcoming the goddess. On
the evening of Diwali, people open all
their doors and windows (to facilitate
her entry) and place lights on their win-
dowsills and balcony ledges to invite her
in. Gamblingis a common practice dur-
ing Diwali. Gambling is usually con-
demned as a pernicious habit, but
during Diwali it reaffirms the connec-
tion between money and Lakshmi—
here in her guise as Lady Luck.
Despite her capricious relationships
with human beings, Lakshmi is consid-
ered to be the model wife, particularly in
her devotion and subordination to her
husband. When Lakshmi and Vishnu
appear together, she is significantly
smaller, signifying her subordinate sta-
tus. Another common image of the cou-
ple shows Lakshmi massaging Vishnu’s
feet, and thus her wifely subordination.
Lakshmi is not only the model for
human wives but is also believed to be
incarnate in each of them. Married
womenare believed to embody the
good fortune of the household. It is gen-
erally accepted that households in
which they are not honored will never
be prosperous. For more information on
Lakshmi and all the goddesses of
Hinduism, see David R. Kinsley, Hindu
Goddesses, 1986. See also Tortoise
avatar and ocean, churning of the.
Lakshmibai
(d. 1858) Queen of the small kingdom of
Jhansi in the southern part of the state of
Uttar Pradeshand a leader in the 1857
struggle against the British, known as
the “Mutiny” or the “First War of Indian
Independence.” Lakshmibai’s kingdom
was the victim of expanding British
power. The British colonial government
had pronounced the “doctrine of lapse”
edict, annexing any kingdom in which
the ruler had died heirless. Lakshmibai’s
husband died in 1853. Although he had
adopted a son just before his death, the
British refused to recognize the adop-
tionand sought to annex the kingdom.
Lakshmibai was one of the leaders during
the 1857 rebellion; she died in battle.
She was eulogized as a patriot and pro-
ponent of Indian independence, and
because of her power and martial ability,
she is considered a manifestation of the
powerful goddess Durga.Lakshmidhara
(ca. mid-12th c.) Scholar, commentator,
and author of the Kalpataru, one of the
earliest examples of commentary litera-
ture known as nibandhas (“collec-
tions”). The nibandhas were compendia
of Hindu lore, compiling themes from
the Vedas, dharma literature, puranas,
and other authoritative religious texts,
into a single volume. Each of the
Kalpataru’s fourteen volumes is devoted
to a particular aspect of Hindu life, such
as daily practice, worship, gift-giving,
vows, pilgrimage, penances (prayash-
chitta), purification, and liberation
(moksha). As one of the earliest niband-
has, the Kalpataruserved as a model for
later writers. Lakshmidhara’s work is
unusual in that he uses very few sources
for his work—primarily the epic
Mahabharata, and a few of the sectari-
an compendia known as puranas.
Unlike later commentators, he does not
cite the Vedas, the earliest Hindu reli-
gious texts, or the prescriptions found in
the dharma literature. His text consists
almost solely of excerpted passages,
with very little commentary of his own,
whereas later nibandha writers often
give voluminous explanations.Lakshmi-Narayan Temple
A modern temple in Delhi just west of
Connaught Place. It was built in 1938 by
Ghanshyamdas Birla, the patriarch of a
prominent industrialist family. Although
the temple is dedicated to the god
Vishnuand his consort Lakshmi, it is
more commonly called the “Birla tem-
ple” after its patron. Since Lakshmi is
considered the bestower of wealth, and
the temple was built by a businessman,
this dedication is hardly surprising.
Aside from his religious endowments,
Ghanshyamdas Birla was also the majorLakshmibai