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According to the puranas, she was the incarnated daughter of the sage Bhrigu and his wife Khyati. She was later born out of Ksheer Sagar (ocean of milk) while being churned. Hence, her appellation, Ksheera Samudra Raja Tanaya. As consort of Vishnu, she is born as his spouse whenever he incarnates. When Vishnu appeared as Vamana, Parasurama, Rama, Krishna, she appeared as Padma or Kamala, Dharani, Sita and Rukmini. She is as inseparable from Vishnu as speech from meaning, or knowledge from intellect, or good deeds from righteousness. Vishnu represents all that is male and Lakshmi, all that is female. Lakshmi is enchantingly beautiful, and is standing on a lotus holding lotuses one in each of her hands and is called Padma, or Kamala. She is also adorned with a lotus garland. Often, elephants are shown on each side, emptying pitchers of water over her, the pitchers being presented by celestial maidens. She is variously described as dark, pink, golden, yellow or white. We attempt an explanation that is behind this highly symbolical picture. If Lakshmi is pictured as dark in complexion, it is to show that she is the consort of Vishnu, the dark god. If golden yellow, that shows her as the source fo all wealth. If white, she represents the purest form of prakriti (nature) from which the universe developed. As she is the mother of all, the pinkish complexion reflects her compassion for creatures. Temples just for Lakshmi are rare. In the company of Vishnu, Lakshmi is shown only with two hands. When worshipped in a temple, she is shown seated on a lotus throne, with four hands holding padma, shankha, amritha kalasha (pot of ambrosia) and bilva fruit. Amritha kalasha also signifies immortality. Sometimes, another kind of fruit, the mahalunga (citron) is shown instead of bilva. Her four hands signify her power to grant the (chatur vidha) four type of purusharthas (ends of human life), dharma (righteousness), artha (wealth), kama (bodily pleasures), moksha (beatitude). The lotuses in various stages of blooming, represent the worlds and beings in various stages of evolution. Mahalakshmi, an aspect of Durga, is shown with eight hands. The bow and arrow, mace and discus are added. The fruit denotes the fruits of our labour. Without the grace of Lakshmi, out toil is of no avail. The coconut with the shell, kernel and water connotes that she is the origin of the three levels of creation, the gross, the subtle and the extremely subtle. When the fruit is a pomegranate or a citron, it signifies that the various created worlds are under her control and she transcends them all. A bilva fruit, incidentally, not tasty or attractive, but good for health, represents moksha - the pinnacle of spiritual life.
Lakshmi pooja is performed differently in different parts of India. In the North of India, Lakshmi is worshipped on the occasion of Diwali, while in the South of India, she is worshipped on Vara Maha Lakshmi vratham day, the first Friday of the month of Shravan. Mahalakshmi Ashtakam Namastestu Mahaamaaye Shreepeete Surapoojite Meaning: O Mahaamaaya, abode of fortune, worshipped by the Gods, I salute Thee. O Mahaalakshmi, one who has conch, disc and mace in Her hands, obeisance to Thee. Namaste Garudaroode Koalaasura Bhayankari Meaning: My salutations to Thee, who rides Garuda and are a terror to demon Kola; O Devi Mahaalakshmi, remover of all miseries, my obeisance to Thee. Sarvajne Sarva Varade Sarva Dushta Bhayankari Meaning: O Devi Mahaalaksmi, who is the embodiment of knowledge, giver of all boons, a terror to all the wicked, remover of all sorrows, obeisance to Thee. Siddhi Buddhi Prade Devi Bhukti Mukti Pradaayini Meaning: O Devi, You give success and intelligence and worldly enjoyment and liberation (as well). Thou hast always the mystic symbols (Mantra) as Thy form, O Mahaalakshmi, obeisance to Thee. Aadyantarahite Devi Aadya Shakte Maheshvari Meaning: O Devi, Maheshwari, You are without a beginning or an end , You are the Primeval energy, You are the greatest ruler, You are born of Yoga. O Mahaalakshmi, obeisance to Thee. Sthoola Sookshmah Mahaa Raudre Mahaa Sakthe Mahodaye Meaning: O Mahaalakshmi, You are both gross and subtle, most terrible (for the wicked), You are the embodiment of great power and prosperity and You are remover of all sins, obeisance to Thee. Padmaasanasthite Devi Parabrahma Svaroopini Meaning: O Devi, You are seated on the lotus, You are the Supreme Brahman, You are the great Lord and Mother of the universe, O Mahaalakshmi, obeisance to Thee. Svetaambaradhare Devi Naanaalankaara Bhooshite Meaning: O Devi, You are dressed in white garments and decked with various kinds of ornaments, Thou art the mother of the universe and its support, O Mahaalakshmi, obeisance to Thee. Mahaalakshmyaastaka Stottram Yad Pated Bhaktiman Naraha. Meaning: Whoever with devotion reads this hymn to Mahaalakshmi composed in eight stanzas, attains all success through the Grace of Mahaalaksmi. Ekakaale Patennityam Mahaapaapa Vinaashanam Meaning: Whoever reads this hymn at least once a day will have all their sins destroyed; those who recite it twice will be blessed with wealth and prosperity. Trikaalam Yah Patennityam Mahaa Shatru Vinaashanam Meaning:Those who recite this three times in a day will have all their enemies destroyed. They will be always be blessed by the Goddess Mahalakshmi.
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For obvious reasons, Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, is more sought after than Saraswati, the goddess of learning. As the power and consort of Vishnu, the preserver, she is the power of multiciplicity and the goddess of fortune, both of which are necessary for preservation. Sri or Lakshmi, depicted in the vedas, is the goddess of wealth and fortune, power and beauty. One may suppose that Sri and Lakshmi are two separate deities. Since their descriptions are so similar, one may conclude that the two represent the same deity. Some scholars believe that Sri was a pre-vedic deity connected with fertility, water and agriculture. She was later fused with Lakshmi, the vedic goddess of beauty. 
Some sculptures depict Lakshmi with an owl as her vaahana (carrier). This oddity can be appreciated when the symbology is unravelled. In Sanskrit, Uluka stands for an owl. Uluka is also one of the names of lndra, the king of gods, personifying the wealth, power and glory. Thus, Lakshmi, the goddess of fortune, could not have found a better person to ride on, than the king of gods. This comparison of Indra's glory to a partially blind and uncouth bird warns the seekers of secular instead of spiritual wealth. When the owl is compared to the sthitha prajna, the enlightened person described in Bhagavadgita (Ch.2.69), the symbol means that Lakshmi is the mistress of spiritual wisdom. Another interpretation is "Shut not thy eyes to the light of wisdom from the Sun of knowledge". Out of consideration for mankind, the all compassionate mother has kept this personification of ignorance under her control. 
