Shukra (Venus) & The Eight Forms of Wealth (Ashtalakshmi)
“If a man walks in the woods for love of them half of each day, he is in danger of being regarded as a loafer; but if he spends his whole day as a speculator, shearing off those woods and making earth bald before her time, he is esteemed an industrious and enterprising citizen.” - Henry David Thoreau
The philosopher Alan Watts once wrote: “Money is a way of measuring wealth but is not wealth in itself. A chest of gold coins or a fat wallet of bills is of no use whatsoever to a wrecked sailor alone on a raft. He needs real wealth, in the form of a fishing rod, a compass, an outboard motor with gas, and a companion.” To elaborate on the meaning of real wealth, Alan adds: “It is an oversimplification to say that this [concept of confusing money for wealth] is the result of business valuing profit rather than product, for no one should be expected to do business without the incentive of profit. The actual trouble is that profit is identified entirely with money, as distinct from the real profit of living with dignity and elegance in beautiful surroundings.”
He goes on to add: “Generally speaking, the civilized man does not know what he wants. He works for success, fame, a happy marriage, fun, to help other people, or to be a “real person,” but these are not real wants because they are not actual things. They are the byproducts, the flavors and atmospheres of real things — shadows which have no existence apart from some substance. Money is the perfect symbol of all such desires, being a mere symbol of real wealth, and to make it one’s goal is the most blatant example of confusing measurements with reality.”
If I may attempt to explain Alan’s philosophy, which is not something I am qualified to do, he is implying that in our pursuit to grow our bank balance we tend to often overlook the various forms of wealth that surround us — the wealth which exists all around us and within us — in the relationships we build and cherish, in the nourishment we receive from our environment and in the company we surround ourselves with, from the earth and ecology that protects us, sustains us and supports our very existence, in the good health that we may be blessed with, and in the kind of learning and wisdom we gain from various sources (refer: 24 Gurus of Lord Dattatreya). In our times, we tend to reduce wealth down to mere currency which is a way of devaluing and losing sight of the broader meaning of wealth. This is unfortunately the curse of our lives in the present dark age of Kali Yuga where human consciousness is said to be at its lowest evolutionary state.
The late BV Raman, a familiar name in Jyotish circles, once wrote: “The conceit of modern progress has no more respect for ancient ideas and for the forgotten civilizations of old, even though in many essentials they have anticipated or outstripped all that we boast of [today].”
Seen from the vantage point of Jyotish, we can understand the deeper meaning of wealth by exploring the various significations of the Second House — Dhana Bhava — which is the original house of Shukra (Venus) in the Kalapurusha chart (the natural zodiac). The Second House represents our family, if you want to understand why they represent a form of wealth or “something that supports us” through life then you would have to spend a day or two talking to a child in an orphanage.
The Second House also points to our early education which gives us the foundation, grounding and knowledge that is needed so we can stand on our own two feet and interact with the world. The Second House also includes the learning we receive in the form of verbal instructions from any source in life. All forms of orally-transmitted knowledge fall under the domain of the 2nd House — hence it is defined as one of the houses of Vidya.
The classical text Prasna Marga describes the 2nd House as “Vidyascha Vividha” implying “all forms of knowledge”. Knowledge is a form of wealth, an invaluable resource, and is treasured by those who understand its true worth. Sage Ramakrishna Paramahansa used to say any knowledge that helps in the purification of the mind is real knowledge, all else is trivial.
The Second House also represents “anything that we value or treasure in life” — so that can mean tangible things like precious stones or even abstract things like memories or friendship. To a young child, the time spent playing in the beach sands may mean the world to him and it may be something that he treasures at that age. To a grownup, the things they may value or treasure can change as they age. To a new parent, their young child may be what they truly treasure in life. To an older person on his deathbed, his memories of his youth may be what he treasures the most. To a young adult, his memories with his friends or his lover may be what he values the most in that phase of his life. To a kid, a box containing his toys or his book of rare stamps or a trip to a carnival may be what he treasures the most at that age. So the things we tend to value differ in degree, mood and with time. But on a tangible level, the 2nd House also represents things we collect or hoard or accumulate — this can be money, books, liquid assets, jewels, clothing, ancestral knowledge or Parampara learning (knowledge passed down in the family), etc.
The Second House signifies the food we consume as it offers us the nourishment we need to sustain the body. If one were forced to starve for three whole days in a desert then one will know the real value of food and why it is a precious commodity (one that we shouldn’t take for granted) and why it is also a form of wealth. It is best illustrated by an old Native American saying: “When the last tree is cut down, the last fish eaten and the last stream poisoned, [then] you will realize that you cannot eat money.”
To quote Achala Sylwia Mihajlovic ji, the Second House represents how we take and receive things in life, these include not just food but the type of vibrations or energies we take in everyday from our surroundings.
The classical Jyotish text Uttara Kalamrita says the 2nd House also represents our capacity for faith or belief in sacred traditions. To an individual engaged in deep study and contemplation of ancient wisdom, in one form or another, any knowledge gained via these sources would resemble a ‘treasure trove.’ Only they can know why knowledge of this kind is an invaluable resource.
The Second House also represents “Jalam” or “bondage” — meaning if we get excessively attached to material acquisitions or worldly possessions or relationships in life then we suffer the moment we experience any loss or changes in relation to the things we are deeply attached to. This is why Lord Krishna teaches in the Gita to not be elated when good things come our way, nor get depressed when things don’t go our way, but instead live without generating attachment or aversion to transient forms and relationships, and live without holding expectations for the fruits of one’s actions. This idea is best illustrated by an old Sufi tale which goes something like this: One day, a tourist enters the home of an old man and notices that apart from a small lamp there is almost nothing else there in his home. The tourist asks him: ‘Where is your furniture, sir?’ The old man replies: ‘And where is yours?’ The tourist baffled by the response, tells him: ‘I am only a visitor here. How can I own anything?’ The old man replies: ‘I am also only a visitor here in this world and can claim nothing as my own.’
The Second House shows one’s capacity to impart knowledge through the medium of speech and so it is related to knowledge gained through oral traditions or from ancient sources and then imparted on to others. So in this sense, even story-telling with a view towards imparting wisdom is a 2nd House matter. The Dhana Bhava is also the House of face, speech, sight and our capacity to speak the truth. We experience the world through the senses of touch, sight, sound, voice, etc, and this interaction with the world is made possible in part through the 2nd House. For a person who is blind or mute, the gift of sight or speech may be the greatest treasure on Earth. So the 2nd House shows our real wealth in life and teaches us to respect all the various forms of wealth we are provided with by life, which is why it is a grave sin to limit the notion of wealth to just one’s bank balance or liquid assets.
In the Vedic culture, the Goddess Lakshmi symbolises prosperity, wealth and good fortune. The word Lakshmi is derived from the Sanskrit word Laksya, meaning ‘aim’ or ‘goal,’ and she represents wealth and prosperity in all their varied forms, both in material and spiritual terms.
Lakshmi is described as the Daughter of Goddess Durga and is also one of the consorts of Lord Vishnu, whom she accompanies during all his different incarnations on Earth. As a female counterpart of Lord Vishnu, Goddess Lakshmi represents the feminine form and energy of the Supreme Being. Generosity, purity, charm and beauty are associated with the Goddess. Vishnu is said to have other consorts, namely Goddess Saraswati and Goddess Ganga, but Lakshmi is considered his dearest. Lakshmi is also described as the daughter of Sage Bhrigu and Khyati. So her other name is Bhargavi. She is also the daughter of Kshiroda Sagara, the ocean of milk.
Lakshmi is often depicted as a beautiful woman having golden complexion, having four hands, sitting or standing on a fully-bloomed lotus and holding a lotus bud or conch and Amrita Kalasha (ambrosia) in her four hands. The lotus in her hands stands for purity, grace, elegance and fertility. Her four hands represent the four aspects of human life: namely Dharma or righteousness, Kama or desires, Artha or wealth, and Moksha or liberation. She is sometimes depicted with gold coins flowing from her hands, suggesting that she showers wealth and prosperity upon her true devotees. Two elephants are often depicted standing next to her emptying pitchers of water symbolising that when Dharma and Wisdom are expressed in life then wealth naturally flows into one’s life.
The 16 forms of Goddess Lakshmi are known as Shodasa Lakshmi. Each of her 16 forms represent a form of prosperity and they are listed here in no particular order or sequence: (1) knowledge, (2) wisdom, (3) courage and strength, (4) victory or success in endeavours, (5) gift of intelligent offspring, (6) gold and other tangible forms of wealth, (7) grains in abundance, (8) happiness and bliss, (9) intelligence, (10) beauty, charm and grace, (11) higher aims in life, (12) high-thinking and broad-mindedness, (13) meditative mind (14) understanding of morality and ethics, (15) good health and longevity, (16) fame.
In Jyotish, Shukra (Venus) is represented by the Goddess Lakshmi. The concept of Ashta-Lakshmi represents the eight manifestations of the Goddess in which she presides over eight different forms of wealth: ranging from knowledge to grains. In the context of Jyotish, each of her forms can be tied to the different Graha conjunctions (yuti) that are possible in relation to Shukra.
Shukra Yuti Surya (Venus in conjunction with Sun) and its connection to Vijaya-Lakshmi:
Vijaya means success or being victorious, and this manifestation of Goddess Lakshmi symbolizes victory in all aspects of life, not just in the battlefield, but in overcoming the struggles in life. It represents conquering hurdles and overcoming obstacles in order to attain all-round success.
Also known as ‘Jaya Lakshmi,’ the Goddess in this form is shown sitting on a lotus wearing a red outfit and having eight arms, one carrying a chakra, a conch, a sword, a shield, a noose, and a lotus. The remaining two hands maintain the posture of Abhaya Mudra and Varada Mudra.
Vijaya Lakshmi or Jaya Lakshmi is the giver of victory. She represents the qualities of perseverance, courage, confidence, fearlessness, and strength of character that helps one achieve their goals. Vijaya also represents conquering the lower or base nature of the mind (desires) in order to discover the True Self (soul) of man and that is one of the higher goals of this conjunction.
Another form of the Goddess is called Rajya Lakshmi which represents royalty and power and this form can also be tied to this conjunction since Surya represents authorities, rulers and leaders.
Shukra Yuti Chandra (Venus in conjunction with Moon) and its connection to Dhanya-Lakshmi:
Dhanya means food grains and the nutrition provided by nature in its organic and unadulterated state. The Dhanya-Lakshmi manifestation represents the Goddess who provides us with good health, nourishment and sustenance. She gives us an abundance of agricultural wealth, good harvests all-year long, and the essential food (in all its varieties) needed to sustain our body & mind.
Dhanyalakshmi is depicted wearing a green outfit and having eight hands, carrying two lotuses, one carrying a gada (mace), a sheaf of paddy, sugarcane, and bananas. The remaining two hands maintain the posture of Abhaya Mudra and Varada Mudra.
Food is one of the most basic and precious forms of wealth since it sustains all forms of life (ranging from the tiniest to the largest). To have an abundance of food that keeps away the troubles of starvation in the entirety of life means we are wealthy.
It is often said that we are what we eat. To become deeply conscious of what we put into our mouth; to become aware of how much we eat, how much we waste; to know the nature and quality of the food we take in, and how food impacts the quality of our mind, is part of the process of becoming aware of our body, mind and health. To treat food with reverence, to take the right amount, the right type, and at the right time is a form of respecting the wealth of grains that is provided to us by nature. Although this applies to everyone, this process of becoming deeply conscious of what we eat and respecting what we eat is especially more relevant for anyone experiencing the Mahadasha period of Moon and for those with this particular conjunction of Venus and Moon.
Dhanya-Lakshmi is the Goddess of harvest and grains. Harvest also refers to the harvesting of good inner qualities that elevate us towards the highest reality (the Supreme State). So with this conjunction there is a need to purify the mind and cultivate higher qualities so that one can aspire to attain the Supreme Wealth.
Shukra Yuti Mangal (Venus in conjunction with Mars) and its connection to Veera Lakshmi:
Veera Lakshmi means ‘Valourous Lakshmi’ and Dhairya Lakshmi means ‘Courageous Lakshmi’ — these are two forms of the Goddess that can be related to the Yuti of Shukra with Mangal.
This form of the Goddess represents the valour and courage needed to face our enemies and demons — both inner and outer. She represents the strength, power and capacity to overcome our enemies, challenges and hurdles in life, no matter how daunting or skilled the adversary. After overcoming the hurdles, we are then able to experience a state of stability and peace.
Veera Lakshmi is often depicted wearing a red garment. She has eight arms, carrying a chakra (discus), a conch, a bow, an arrow, a trident or sword, a gold bar or sometimes a book or sometimes a bundle of palm leaves; the other two hands maintain the posture of Abhaya Mudra and Varada Mudra.
Dhairya also means patience — the wealth of patience, the ability to strategise, plan and the capacity to think objectively and logically in the face of troubles is a gift of the Goddess. She gives us the strength to face good and bad times with courage, equanimity and resolve. She teaches us that with the expansion of the inner power of Grace comes the outer strength to handle the various challenges of life, and so this form of the Goddess represents the importance of developing self-restraint, having the virtues of patience, engaging in sadhana, taming the senses and developing level-headed thinking, inner power, inner wealth and wisdom.
Shukra Yuti Budha (Venus in conjunction with Mercury) and its connection to Vidya Lakshmi:
Vidya means knowledge, learning and education. It doesn’t just represent formal or academic learning that one experiences in some scholastic environment, but it represents all-round learning and education that we receive from every corner of life. It includes self-learning, learning from the world that surrounds us, learning from teachers and books, learning from experiences, learning from the people we encounter and so on.
Vidya-Lakshmi is the Goddess of wisdom and knowledge. She is the giver of the knowledge of arts and sciences. Having a resemblance to Saraswati Devi, Goddess Vidya-Lakshmi is depicted as sitting on a lotus, wearing a white outfit. She has four arms, carrying two lotuses on both hands while the other two maintain the posture of Abhaya Mudra and Varada Mudra. She is also depicted holding a book (the Vedas), a peacock feather, and a writing scroll.
In some forms of Ashtalakshmi, Vidhya Lakshmi is replaced by Aishwarya Lakshmi (Goddess of wealth and prosperity) and Aishwarya is the only form of Lakshmi portrayed as being mounted on a horse.
Vidya represents skills and learning. To be knowledgeable in the true sense means that one has the wealth of understanding and the depth of perception. To learn about the deeper nature of existence and the core truth of the Self is the highest form of learning we can aspire towards in this lifetime. To have skills and knowledge, even in a worldly sense, allows us to navigate through the various labyrinths of life.
Goddess Vidya Lakshmi represents the qualities of purity, serenity, absence of vanity, absence of pride, equanimity, charity, integrity and sincerity. These are the qualities that one having this conjunction of Shukra with Budha must aspire to gain in order to make use of the wealth of learning and knowledge in the right sense. Intellectual understanding with hubris is a very destructive force, which is why humility is an essential trait necessary for anyone aspiring towards learning any subject-matter. Proper education means educating oneself in the right values of life, educating oneself in the understanding of what Dharma really means in the deepest sense of that word. True education leads to open-mindedness, compassion towards all life forms, purity of mind and heart and a deeper awareness of the world around us.
Shukra Yuti Guru (Venus in conjunction with Jupiter) and its connection to Santana Lakshmi:
Santana means children or offspring and this manifestation of Lakshmi represents the Goddess who bestows the wealth of progeny. Healthy, good-natured, well-raised and intelligent children go on to support the family they are born into and perform good deeds in the world and thus they represent a form of wealth not just for the family but for the society at large.
Those who worship Goddess Santana Lakshmi are bestowed with the wealth of having good children enter their lives.
Goddess Santana Lakshmi is depicted as having six arms, holding two kalashas (water pitchers with mango leaves and coconut inside them), a sword and a shield; in one hand she is holding the posture of Abhaya Mudra, while in the other she carries a child who is holding a lotus flower.
The sword and shield represent the ability to protect the child, kill the attacker if necessary. Children represent the future of mankind, and to invest in their well-being promotes a healthy future for the family, society and community as a whole, and Guru (Jupiter) represents the broader vision and perspective of life. Life advances through our children and children carry forward the legacy and wealth of the family in which they are raised.
Bhagya Lakshmi is another form of Lakshmi that can be associated with this Yuti (Shukra and Guru). Bhagya means good fortunes and prosperity in life.
Santana Lakshmi promotes the growth of children and their overall well-being. The capacity to educate, to impart right virtues and wisdom, to provide the right sort of environment for children that nourishes their soul brings forth the real wealth of prosperity for the family. The child is an extension of those who raise him/her — hence the common phrase: ‘The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.’ So the child represents the legacy we leave behind in the world and his/her character is a direct reflection on the way we have conducted ourselves in life. So here the challenge lies in reforming oneself so that we may set about the right example for the child who is vulnerable to our influence. Santana Lakshmi gives us the power to tap into the wisdom of Guru and Shukra and use the knowledge of the two gurus to meet the challenges of life.
Shukra Yuti Shani (Venus in conjunction with Saturn) and its connection to Adya Lakshmi:
Aadi Lakshmi represents the Eldest and most primeval form of the Goddess, also known as Maha Lakshmi. She is described as the daughter of Sage Bhrigu and the consort of Lord Narayana. She is often depicted as living with Narayana at his home in Vaikunta and is sometimes depicted as sitting in his lap. This image of her serving Narayana is symbolic of the Goddess serving the entire universe.
She is portrayed as having four arms, one holding a lotus, a white flag, while the other two maintain the posture of Abhaya Mudra and Varada mudra.
She is also known as Ramaa — one who bestows happiness. She represents purity of heart. Of all the eight forms of the Goddess Lakshmi, she is the first and thus represents the eldest or most ancient form.
‘Adi’ means source. Adi Lakshmi represents the divine principle that supports a sadhak in uniting with the source — universal consciousness or Atman. She supports all those who are engaged in the Sadhana to realise the Supreme Consciousness. She helps the seeker quieten the restless, chattering mind which is a necessary stage to realise the Divine. She connects one to the highest wealth possible — which is in achieving union with the Supreme.
Since everything that exists is supported by the Supreme Consciousness, to achieve union with that Truth represents the highest form of wealth. Since the highest Truth transcends space and time — this wealth is beyond measure and beyond the boundaries of finite existence. Yet, on a material plane, this promotes wealth through hard-work, dedication, patience, sincerity and effort as Shani epitomises these virtues.
Adi Lakshmi represents the state beyond time — beyond the concept of a beginning and an end. Hence her wealth flows perennially for one who knows and has achieved union with the Highest Truth.
Adi Lakshmi is the force that rekindles the knowledge of our true identity — which is that we are one with the highest source (not separate). So it helps us transcend the forces of duality. When we take ourselves to be a small part of creation, we feel small, insecure and worthless, but when we realise that the part is integral and connected to the whole and that the part is an expression of the whole, we then outgrow the false ideas of self (limited self-identity) that we have clung to. It is metaphorically explained by the idea of the river uniting with the ocean and losing its false sense of separateness. The power of Adi Lakshmi helps us realise our true roots and true identity where we are no longer plagued by the idea of separation.
Shukra Yuti Rahu (Venus in conjunction with Rahu) and its connection to Dhana Lakshmi:
Dhana Lakshmi is the Goddess of Wealth. This form of wealth relates to the conventional idea of wealth which is material gains, gold and currency. Dhana Lakshmi is also known as Vaibhav Lakshmi in some parts of India.
At a tangible level, this represents very conventional notions of wealth, like money and gold, but on an intangible level, it also points to the wealth of inner strength, will-power, talent and fame. Dhana Lakshmi shows the abundance of wealth one can gain in life when the inner strength is channeled in the right direction.
Dhana Lakshmi is depicted as having six arms, wearing a red outfit, holding a chakra (discus), a conch (shankha), a holy pitcher (water pitcher with mango leaves and a coconut inside it) or Amrita Kumbha (a pitcher containing Amrita), a bow and arrow, and a lotus, while the sixth arm holds the posture of Abhaya Mudra with gold coins rolling from her palm.
Dhana or Vaibhav Lakshmi represents riches, fortune, earnings in abundance. It points to the standard way in which most people perceive wealth in our times. The wealth gained is then used as a means to improve one’s standard of living.
But as per Rigveda’s Purush Shukta, Dhana is not only wealth in terms of coins and currency, but it also represents the wealth of the environment — i.e. the wealth shared by the rains (supports the growth of grains), by the Sun (energy that sustains all life), by the oceans, rivers and mountains (provides clean air and water), etc. Dhana also represents the wealth of our inner will power to overcome obstacles.
Shukra Yuti Ketu (Venus in conjunction with Ketu) and its connection to Gaja Lakshmi:
Vasudha Narayanan interprets the name Gaja Lakshmi as ‘one who is worshipped by elephants.’
Gaja-Lakshmi represents the form of Lakshmi connected to Elephants. She was born out of the churning of the ocean (the story of Samudra Manthan) and is thus described as the daughter of the ocean.
Some versions of the story tell us that Gaja Lakshmi helped Lord Indra regain his lost wealth from the depth of the ocean. Hence she is declared as one who helps us recover and protect wealth. She is a source of power and strength — as akin to an elephant.
Gaja Lakshmi is depicted as a Goddess flanked by two elephants sprinkling water from a pot as she sits on a lotus. She is depicted as wearing a red garment, having four arms. She is holding two lotuses in separate hands, while the other arms maintain the posture of Abhaya Mudra and Varada Mudra.
Gaja Lakshmi is also described as one who gives us the wealth of animals, such as wealth and resources gained from cattle, etc.
Swami Chidananda interprets Gaja Lakshmi as the provider of the power of
royalty. The Goddess also symbolises the wealth of vehicles and mobility as the word Gaja means elephant.
In the story of Samudra Manthan, she came out of the ocean sitting on a fully-bloomed lotus with two elephants on each sides.
References and Sources of Learning: Arjun Pai ji very briefly touched upon the concept of how Shukra and its conjunction with other Grahas are linked to the eight forms of the Goddess. That sparked an interest in researching the meanings of these various conjunctions. By examining the articles of Subhamoy Das ji, I was able to extract some information on the eight forms of the Goddess. If I come across any new relevant info in the future I will add it to the existing content.
