12. Ganesha becomes Dear Son of Goddess Lakshmi

According to a legend Lord Ganesha is the adopted son of Goddess Lakshmi. Here goes the legend associated with it-

One day Lord Vishnu was seated with Goddess Lakshmi in his abode Vaikunth. Goddess Lakshmi asked Him, "O my dear God, how would you define prosperity for a woman?"

Lord Vishnu replied, "O my gracious! A woman is prosperous completely and truly when she has a child".

Hearing this Goddess Lakshmi became sad. She gave a sigh of sadness but returned no reply to Lord Vishnu. When Lord Vishnu fell asleep, She quietly went to see Goddess Parvati at Mount Kailash.

Goddess Lakshmi expressed her plight of being childless to Goddess Parvati. She wept expressing her unbending desires for child. Seeing this, Goddess Parvati was touched. She pacified Goddess Lakshmi and said, "Lakshmi, calm down. You are like my sister. So Ganesha becomes your son too - isn't it?".

Hearing this Goddess Lakshmi was elated. She nodded in agreement and said, "So I accept Ganesha as my son". Thus Ganesha became the adopted son of Goddess Lakshmi.

Pleased by the motherhood, Goddess Lakshmi conferred all her siddhis to little Ganesha. She declared Ganesha the symbol of happiness and prosperity. She was overfilled with joy to have Ganesha has her son and pronounced, "Ganesh, you shall always be worshipped with me. If someone offers prayer to me alone, I shall never accept. The way to reach me is through you".

Thus Ganesh is seen seated in the middle with Lakshmi on one side and Saraswati in the other side in many pictorial and sculptural presentations.

In another interpretation based on a folklore, it is said that Goddess Lakshmi by her true nature is never stationary. However, when she is worshipped with Lord Ganesha she acquires stability. In other words, the Lord of wisdom (Ganesha) grants stability to wealth (gained from the blessings of Goddess Lakshmi). Thus, Ganesha seated between Lakshmi and Saraswati are commonly worshiped.