female counterpart of god Vishnu, Lakshmî is the goddess of wealth, and also of beauty. On her numerous images (She is represented many times on folk chromos, post cards, etc.), one can see Her holding a lotus and a fruit. She looks like rising out the ocean. Indeed, She was born when gods and asuras churned the Primordial Ocean of Milk, at the very beginning of the Manifestation. She has as many names as different forms; She attends Vishnu when He comes as an avatâra. She is worshipped under eight principal forms ( Ashta Lakshmi) in some temples of Tamil Nadu. A well known Lakshmî form displays the goddess attended on both sides by an elephant who pours sacred water on Her with his raised trunk : then, She is Gaja-Lakshmî, Lakshmî with elephants