Lakshmi (Sanskrit:लक्ष्मी,
, ) is the
Hindu goddess of wealth, fortune, and prosperity (both material and spiritual). She is the wife and active energy of Lord
Vishnu. Her four hands represent the four goals of human life considered important to the Hindu way of life –
dharma,
kāma,
artha, and
moksha. Representations of Lakshmi are also found in
Jain monuments. In Buddhist sects of Tibet, Nepal, and southeast Asia, goddess
Vasudhara mirrors the characteristics and attributes of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi with minor iconographic differences.