Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped as the deity of wealth, prosperity and good fortune. But have you ever heard the story of how she left Vaikuntha and was forced to take the form of a mare on Earth? According to a tale in the Devi Bhagavata Purana, everything began when the divine horse Uchchaihshravas arrived in Vaikuntha. Lakshmi became so absorbed in looking at the beautiful horse that she did not hear Lord Vishnu calling her. What followed was a curse that separated the divine couple and led to the birth of a remarkable son.
