Hare Krishna. PAMHO. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Srila Prabhupada in a chapter of the KRSNA book says, "Just as Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva, Rukmiṇī is the supreme goddess of fortune, Mahā-Lakṣmī. According to the authority of the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, the expansion of Kṛṣṇa and that of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī are simultaneous: Kṛṣṇa expands Himself into various viṣṇu-tattva forms, and Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī expands Herself into various śakti-tattva forms, by Her internal potency, as multiforms of the goddess of fortune."
Srila Prabhupada in another chapter says, "Goddess Durgā has four famous children: two daughters—the goddess of fortune, Lakṣmī, and the goddess of learning, Sarasvatī—and two sons, Lord Gaṇeśa and Lord Kārttikeya. They are all considered demigods and goddesses."
But until now I had known that Laksmi was an plenary expansion of Radharani. But which 1 of them is actually true?
Hari Bol!
Replies
Hare Krishna
Diwali is also known as the festival of lights.It is famous celebrated around the world,particularly the people of Hindu religion.In India on the festival of Diwali people visit temples and offer prayers.On the night of Diwali people draw beautiful rangoli designs in front of their homes and chant mahalakshmi Stotram in favour of Goddess Lakshmi to seek her blessings in the form of wealth,happiness and prosperity.
Hare Krishna
Both are true. Lakshmi devi is the goddess of fortune, direct expansion of Srimati Radharani, Eternal consort of various vishnu forms like narayana, narasimha, etc. Lakshmi devi also plays the role of demigod and has the specific role of providing wealth.
Difference is in the way lakshmi devi is approached. Karmis(materialists) worship lakshmi devi(like on deepavali etc) for acquiring wealth and their interests are limited to that.
But vaishnavas worship lakshmi as internal energy of lord vishnu. For devotees she is the topmost devotee of lord who is in conjugal rasa with lord and serves the lord in that mood. For devotees she provides the real wealth of bhakti or devotional service to the lord. In sri vaishnava sampradaya lakshmi devi is the originator of the sampradaya and has the same supreme position as Srimati radharani in lord chaitanya's movement.