Page:Hindu Feasts Fasts and Ceremonies.djvu/120

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with sincere devotion. The priest receives his fees and then the eager childre partake of the puddings and sweetmeats first offered to the goddess during the course of the worship. The several Puranas speak highly of the powers of Lakshmi, who is represented as the essence of wealth and prosperity and the mother of the universe, eternal and imperishable. As Vishnu is supposed to be all-pervading, so also is Lakshmi considered to be omnipresent. Vishnu is understanding, Lakshmi is intellect; Vishnu is desire, and Lakshmi is wish. He is meaning; she is speech. She is the moon, the unfading light, the moving principle of the whole world. She is represented to have sprung from the waves of the milk ocean, when it was churned by the demons and the gods seated on a full-blown lotus and holding a water-lily (nilotpala) in her hand and radiant with beauty. As soon as she was observed to rise up, heavenly musicians sang sweet songs and celestial nymphs danced. The holy Ganges and other sacred river goddesses attended for her ablutions. The elephants of the skies, taking up their pure waters in gold vases, poured them over her—the queen of the world.