Veera Lakshmi is the sixth of the Ashta Lakshmi in most lists. Veera means heroic or brave, and she is the Lakshmi of courage. In some lists the form is called Dhairya Lakshmi, from dhairya, which means steadiness, patience and the strength to carry on. The two names are close in meaning, and it is common to see both in the same hymn.
This page describes her image, the tradition that surrounds her, where and when she is worshipped, and how the names differ. It is tradition set out as tradition.
The two names
Which name a list uses depends on the hymn and the temple. The Ashtalakshmi stotram that is sung in the south is the best known source for the eight, and its text has been printed with small variations, so the name of this form changes between printings. Veera suggests the courage of the warrior and the person who faces a challenge. Dhairya suggests the quiet courage of one who stays steady through grief, illness or a long wait.
Many readers find the second name closer to everyday life, and the first closer to the pictures. Both belong to the same form, and the hub page gives the other places where lists differ.
Her place in the list
She is sixth in most hymns, after Santana Lakshmi and before Vijaya Lakshmi. Some lists place Dhairya Lakshmi earlier, and a few leave her out in favour of another form.
Form and iconography
She is usually shown with eight arms, and her images are the most martial of the eight. The objects commonly listed are the discus and the conch of Vishnu, a bow and arrow, a trident, a sword, a book or palm-leaf manuscript, and the gestures of fearlessness and of boon-giving. In some images she holds a lotus in place of one of the weapons. She is seated or standing, with a crown, and her sari is commonly red.
Courage in the old stories is not only physical. The presence of a book among the weapons is noted by many commentators, who read it to mean that steadiness of mind is a kind of strength, and that a person armed only with force is less well equipped than one who has also learnt. As with the other forms, temples and painters give different sets of objects, and none is the only correct one.
The tradition around her
There is no Purana that tells of Veera Lakshmi by name, and we do not invent a story. The form draws on the older place of Lakshmi in times of struggle. In the Devi Mahatmya the Goddess fights as Durga, Chandika and Kali, and in the Vishnu tradition Lakshmi is at the side of Vishnu as he takes each avatar and faces each task. The Dashavatara section tells of Rama and Krishna, in each of whom Lakshmi is said to have taken birth as Sita and Rukmini, and who each faced long trials. The Ramayana in particular is, in many readings, the story of steadiness: Sita’s patience in captivity is spoken of in the tradition as a model of dhairya.
The idea that fortune needs courage is also an old one. A line from the older wisdom literature, often quoted, says that fortune comes to the one who acts and not to the one who waits. We do not quote it exactly because the wording varies between collections, but the idea is common in Sanskrit proverbs.
What the form means
For readers who want a meaning, the usual one is that good fortune depends on the strength to meet difficulty. This form is the reminder that there are times when what is needed is not more resources but the nerve to carry on. The tradition says plainly that Lakshmi is not only the goddess of easy times.
Courage in this sense does not mean ignoring danger. If you are in a real crisis, such as illness, debt or a safety threat, the tradition has never asked you to rely on prayer alone, and professional help is a part of acting well.
Where she is worshipped
Veera Lakshmi, or Dhairya Lakshmi, has a shrine in each Ashtalakshmi temple, including the Ashtalakshmi Kovil at Besant Nagar in Chennai and the temple of that name in Hyderabad. Because she is a form of the one goddess, she shares in the worship of the great Lakshmi temples and in home worship. We give no visiting hours; check each temple’s own site.
Festivals and customs
Her days are those on which the Goddess is worshipped in her strength. During Navratri the whole goddess is honoured, and the Navadurga guide describes the nine forms; many families add Lakshmi puja on the eighth or ninth day. Dussehra or Vijayadashami, the tenth day, is the day of victory and the day on which tools and weapons are worshipped; see the Dussehra page and the Vijayadashami puja guide. For the Goddess in her fighting form, read the Durga Saptashati, the old text of her battles.
Diwali, whose lamps mark the return of Rama, is also a day of Lakshmi; see the Diwali Lakshmi puja page. A Friday lamp and a short recitation of the Mahalakshmi Ashtakam are the quiet ways to mark her.
Frequently asked questions
↳ Who is Veera Lakshmi?
Veera Lakshmi is the form of Lakshmi who stands for courage and steadiness in hard times. She is the sixth of the eight forms in most lists.
↳ Is Veera Lakshmi the same as Dhairya Lakshmi?
Many lists use the two names for the same form. Veera means heroic and Dhairya means steady courage, so the meaning is close, and the choice of name depends on the hymn or the temple.
↳ What does Veera Lakshmi hold?
She is usually shown with eight arms holding weapons such as a discus, bow and trident, with a book and a lotus, and hands that give fearlessness and a boon. The set varies by temple.
↳ Which day is Veera Lakshmi worshipped?
There is no single day. Navratri, Dussehra and Diwali are the main times of the Goddess, and Fridays are the weekday of Lakshmi.
↳ Is there a story of Veera Lakshmi in the Puranas?
No Purana tells a story under that name. The form draws on the older tradition of Lakshmi standing beside Vishnu in each of his avatars and on the Goddess in the Devi Mahatmya.