Dhana Lakshmi is one of the eight forms of Mahalakshmi, the goddess who is the mother of all the worlds and consort of the supreme god Vishnu. Lakshmi is the goddess and bestower of different kinds of wealth such as <em>Vijaya</em> (victory), <em>Moksha</em> (release), <em>Dhanya</em> (opulence), <em>Vidya</em> (skill), <em>Gaja</em> (majesty represented by two elephants), <em>Veera</em> (valour), <em>Santana</em> (progeny) and <em>Dhana</em> (prosperity). <br> <br>Devi Lakshmi expands into as many forms as the types of wealth she bestows. So we have the forms of Devi such as Vijaya Lakshmi, Moksha Lakshmi, Dhanya Lakshmi, Vidya Lakshmi, Gaja Lakshmi, Veera Lakshmi, Santana Lakshmi, and Adi Lakshmi who is the primeval manifestation of the great Goddess. <br> <br>This is an old bronze statue of Dhana Lakshmi. Devi is seen four-armed and seated on a pedestal of lotus, cross-legged in <em>padmasana</em> (lotus pose). She holds lotus flowers in her two upper upraised hands. Her lower hands are in <em>abhaya</em> (fearlessness-granting) and <em>varada</em> (boon-granting) poses. <br> <br>A tilted pot full of gold coins rests on her left thigh highlighting her form as Dhana Lakshmi. The pot of gold coins is shown overflowing which is indicative of how liberally the goddess bestows wealth on the deserving. This bronze statue of Dhana Lakshmi is quite an old piece and created in fully traditional iconography. This is a design rarely seen today.
