Tracing Shree

Yastika sahrawat
Aug 19
5 min read

‘Himyyavarana harini suvarnaarajatashra Chandra hirannyamayi Lakshmi jatvedo mam vah’

-Sri sukta

Goddess Shri also readily known as Lakshmi is one of the most vital deity in the Hindu pantheon. She is chiefly associated with Lord Vishnu, one of the prime deity amongst the trinity of Brahama, Vishnu, and Mahesh. But before she became Lakshmi as accepted today, she was “Shri” in Vedic hymns. Yajurveda

looked upon Shree and Lakshmi as two distinct goddesses, both wives of Purusha. It was only later that they were fused into one deity and both their physiognomies syncretized. Authorities of Shri were to bestow riches, prosperity, majesty, and grace upon her devotes. She was also concomitant with fertility

and looked upon as the apex of womanhood. Noteworthy features of Shri are listed in Vedic literature like Shri-sukta. In the following paper, I would discuss the development of her iconography, her principal symbols like elephants, lotus, and so on. Along with this, I would also focus on her prominence in Indian Art and her subsequent integration into the Indian pantheon as a chief deity.

Shri has been pervasive throughout the subcontinent in years even before the beginnings of Buddhism. Her occurrence on tribal coins as Gaja-Lakshmi and on coins of Kausmbi, Ujjayini, and Ayodhya are a few instances of her widespread status. She could be effortlessly recognized by elephants pouring water on

her or by lotus underneath her or by lotus in her hand. Here we will try to look up the meanings of her symbols more closely. Goddess is seen mostly accompanied by elephants or seated or standing on lotuses such as on Sanchi relief carving or Bharhut stupa. Shri is considered to be the one who is awakened by

the elephants or “hastinadaprabodhini” (Sri-Lakshmi in oral tradition; AP Jamkhedkar). Also, in Hindu mythology, elephants were always allied with clouds, rain, and royal authority. Since Shri was considered Earth, elephants who bathed her, in a beautiful metaphor became her source of nourishment. The sprinkling of water was also associated with Abhisheka Lakshmi, as she bestowed sovereignty upon newly crowned kings. This sovereignty is articulated in Sanchi stupa where relief has a parasol, a sign of royalty over elephants who are pouring water on Lakshmi. Lotus is also considered to be the seat of Brahama and is naval to all creation is associated with fertility, spiritual power, and purity and thus is

commonly found in both Hindu and Buddhist art traditions. By assigning her lotus, Shri is seen as the creator of every creature. She is also associated with the scent of the flower as it graces her overall persona.

Other important motifs associated with Shri a gesture of her hand on her breast.

This is symptomatic of fertility among creatures. ‘Stana-payana’ is associated with motherhood and has been appreciated in art many times. For example, in an early ‘maitraka visvapura’ image from Shamlaji, a figure is shown in the gesture of ‘suckling child’. (AP Jamkhedkar). Puranaghata, another very crucial symbol to understand iconography is found in Amravati along with svastika which depicts the rotation of the sun and is also associated with Shri. ‘The Earthen drum’ signifies Earth and water that enriches her. This particular symbol made adjustments to the ever-changing boundaries and it suggests continuity. As

many agricultural societies still worship it. It also implied her reformative powers beyond the cycle of birth and death. Other associated symbol with Shri is the Bilva fruit, peculiar to Vishnu.

On this note, I would like to discuss a little over the aniconic debate. Since the beginning of time, many such symbols have come to represent different pictures. Like in the case of Shri, Coomaraswamy pointed out matrka which is her life-giving powers expressed through lotus and purana ghata all of which further

gave birth to more anthropomorphic figures. For instance, Shree is shown with a lotus head instead of a human head and her vulva is visible. Srivatsa associated with Lakshmi is another aniconic symbol. So we can without an ounce of doubt say, how to direct depiction was not always opted for in the subcontinent. And as Vidya Dehejia has argued in the context of Buddhism, one can see similarities in both. Like Buddha was represented by parasol, footprints, Bodhi tree. Shree is also depicted by lotus, earthen pots, Elephants, and so on. Even today, at the festival of Diwali many people worship lotus and not the image directly. So can the actuality of aniconic images in the subcontinent be doubted?

Sri Lakshmi till 400 AD was associated with many deities in the Hindu pantheon through various pieces of literature. She was linked with Soma, Dharma, and with and with god Kubera. She has been also depicted in a way very similar to that of yaksha and yakshini. For instance, in Sanchi, she is seen standing amidst vegetation wearing attire similar to that of yakshis in central India. It was only around 400 AD that she finally got exclusively associated with Vishnu. Though she was already worshipped in the subcontinent she was infused with other pre-existing deities. Her attributes already existed in various goddesses in the Northwest and somewhat are a combination of all of them. Goddess Nana, who

conferred authority on kingship on Kanishka 1 is one such example. Lakshmi gained popularity when her attributes were like that of nana who was already a popular deity of Kushanas. Interchange of attributes also led to the presentation of Lakshmi onto the lion on Gupta gold coinage and temple walls or sculpted

Gupta Bilsadh pillar relief, which was unlikely. The lion was also considered to be a royal symbol in India which only added to the sovereign characteristic of Shree.

Another example of Lakshmi on Lion comes from Kanawara, Rajasthan where she is sitting next to Ganesha, and it is one of the earliest depictions of Lakshmi on Lion. Just like Nana, Ardoxsho was an Iranian deity already present on coins of Parthian kings ruling in Iran whose attributes were fortune and lavishness. Kushana kings adopted her name on their coinage along with her image. Cult of Lakshmi was amalgamated into the Gandhara region through the process of

adaptation, transformation, and visual exchange. Artist accommodated already existing symbols onto Shree as mostly their attributes were alike. Polos was another foreign female deity whose attributes were adopted. In a recent study, she is holding cornucopia, lotus, and Purana ghata (Srinivsan).

Apart from her depiction in railings of stupas and gateway of temples she was depicted in a grand manner on Gupta golden coin datable around 4-5 century AD. Her association with Vishnu and his various avatars became powerful during and after the post-Gupta period along with her iconography shaping up unanimously. All of this speaks about her growing popularity and fame. She looked upon as the one who bestows sovereignty upon rulers also pushes her worship over the top along with her constantly transforming and adopting attributes of various existing goddesses. We can see this continuity of her status even now. She is still worshipped as the main deity along with Vishnu. People still

observe religious vows in her name.

Agricultural communities and urban communities celebrate her at

the Kaumudi Purnima festival and Kartik Purnima. And of course, the major festival celebrated around her worship is Deepavali amongst Hindus. While many of the gods have transformed and many are forgotten, iconographies shifted, myths around them altered, stories lost, there is a rich number of qualities that they have adopted and transmuted over time and ages, making their way into this

generation.