Editing Lakshmi (section)

==Creation and legends==
[[File: Sagar Manthan.jpg|thumb|A painting depicting Samudra Manthana, with Lakshmi emerging with the lotus in her hands.]]
[[Deva (Hinduism)|''Devas'']] (gods) and [[asura|''asuras'']] (demons) were both mortal at one time in [[Hinduism]]. [[Amrita]], the divine nectar that grants immortality, could only be obtained by churning [[Kshira Sagara]] ('Ocean of Milk'). The devas and asuras both sought immortality and decided to churn the Kshira Sagara with Mount Mandhara. The [[samudra manthan|Samudra Manthana]] commenced with the devas on one side and the asuras on the other. [[Vishnu]] incarnated as Kurma, the tortoise, and a mountain was placed on the tortoise as a churning pole. [[Vasuki (snake)|Vasuki]], the great venom-spewing serpent-god, was wrapped around the mountain and used to churn the ocean. A host of divine celestial objects came up during the churning. Along with them emerged the goddess Lakshmi. In some versions, she is said to be the daughter of the [[Varuna|sea god]] since she emerged from the sea.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Why Lakshmi goes to wrong people?|url=https://english.webdunia.com/article/hinduism-gods-goddess/why-lakshmi-goes-to-wrong-people-116102600013_1.html|access-date=2020-08-24|website=english.webdunia.com|archive-date=20 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191220082748/http://english.webdunia.com/article/hinduism-gods-goddess/why-lakshmi-goes-to-wrong-people-116102600013_1.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In [[Garuda Purana]], [[Linga Purana]] and [[Padma Purana]], Lakshmi is said to have been born as the daughter of the divine sage [[Bhrigu]] and his wife Khyati and was named ''Bhargavi''. According to Vishnu Purana, the universe was created when the devas and asuras churned the cosmic Kshira Sagara. Lakshmi came out of the ocean, bearing a lotus, along with the divine cow [[Kamadhenu]], [[Varuni]], the [[Parijat]] tree, the [[Apsaras]], [[Chandra]] (the moon), and [[Dhanvantari]] with [[Amrita]] ('nectar of immortality'). When she appeared, she had a choice to go to the Devas or the Asuras. She chose the Devas' side and among thirty deities, she chose to be with Vishnu. Thereafter, in all three worlds, the lotus-bearing goddess was celebrated.<ref name="buitenen">[[J. A. B. van Buitenen|van Buitenen, J. A. B.]], trans. ''Classical Hinduism: A Reader in the Sanskrit Puranas'', edited by Cornelia Dimmitt. Temple University Press. {{ISBN|978-0-87722-122-7}}. pp. 95–99</ref>