The festival of Diwali is one of the most awaited times in Indian households. All members of the family come together and do something unexpected: clean the house spotless. The preparations begin well in advance. Many people get their homes renovated and buy new furniture. Each person contributes in some way or the other. After all, the festival of lights isn’t an ordinary celebration for Indians. Diwali is an auspicious occasion that welcomes the goddess of prosperity into Indian households.

Hindus say that Goddess Lakshmi is fickle-minded and doesn’t stay in a single place for a long time. This is why people try their best to appease the goddess. They know that wealth accumulates and dissipates just as the Goddess pleases.

Interestingly, it’s not just mortals who long to have the goddess’s blessings. Even gods and demons yearned to have Goddess Lakshmi by their side.

The Samudra Manthan, or Churning of the milky ocean, is one of the most well-known events from Hindu mythology. In this long epic where the gods ultimately emerged victorious, an episode tells the tale of the rebirth of Goddess Lakshmi.

The story begins when a sage offered Lord Indra a garland of flowers. Lord Indra, in Hindu mythology, holds a special place- he is the king of gods. He is an exceptional warrior and is responsible for protecting all celestial beings and deities. However, it is said that his arrogance is greater than his might. Thus when Indra haughtily dismissed the sacred garland, Goddess Lakshmi became furious and left heaven for the ocean.

Lakshmi’s exit left all deities scrambling for wealth and success. Not just this, but even the mortal realm changed. People no longer made offerings to gods. Mortals became greedy and careless.

Seeing the two worlds in jeopardy, the demons made their move. Time had never been kinder to them. Thus the demons began exerting their influence and gradually took control of everything.

Unable to find a solution, Indra went to Lord Vishnu and sought his counsel. Vishnu, the all-knowing god, told Indra that all gods must churn the milky ocean to bring Lakshmi back to heaven. This was the only way to regain her blessings and accumulate all that they had lost.

Finally, the churning of the ocean began. It was only after 1,000 years of continuous churning that the treasures emerged from the depths of the sea. Ultimately, Goddess Lakshmi, who came out standing on a lotus, also returned to the heavens. The gods were delighted. They had received the elixir of life, and goddess Lakshmi was on their side again.

Through her blessings, the gods were able to defeat the demons and chase them out of the mortal and celestial realms.

Like all stories about Goddess Lakshmi, this narrative also highlights the value of sincerity and hard work. Arrogance doesn’t bring anything good to this world. Only those who are compassionate, sincere, humble, and diligent attract fortune and success.