There is an interesting story behind this posture of Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Vishnu. Vishnu is the keeper or lord of the house and Lakshmi is the one who ensures that the keeper is guarded from misfortune.
Alakshmi is the older sister of Lakshmi. Lakshmi is the goddess of prosperity while Alakshmi is the goddess of misfortune. Alakshmi follows Lakshmi wherever she goes.
Alakshmi does not have a husband. She is extremely jealous of Lakshmi. Her sole intention in life is to capture Vishnu. She sometimes takes the form of an owl that is depicted accompanying Lakshmi.
One day Lakshmi went enraged and asked Alakhsmi – “Why do you want my husband? Please leave me alone and let me enjoy his company”.
To this Alakhsmi said – “I do not have a husband and I am not worshipped. I will follow you wherever you go”.
Lakshmi then said – “Mrityu, god of death, decay, and degeneration will be your husband and she will dwell wherever there is dirt, ugliness, sloth, gluttony, envy, rage, hypocrisy, greed and lust.”
So it is Lakshmi who is cleaning Vishnu’s dirty feet, because if it is dirty, Alakshmi will come and drive her out and claim her husband.
Symbolically, Fortune and misfortune go hand in hand, just like Lakshmi and Alakhsmi. When good fortune showers on you, misfortune sits quietly next to the entrance, waiting for an opportunity to come inside. That is Alaksmi, waiting for an opportunity to enter your house and drive out the Lakshmi.
Whenever your house is dirty, there is fight among parents, there is lust, hypocrisy among brothers, gluttony among women, greed between son and father. It is a sign of Alakhsmi entering the house and driving Lakshmi away.
Hence, the Lakshmi in the house must wake up and prevent Alakhsmi from entering. This is why you see the house is cleaned every morning, agarbatties (Incense sticks) are lighted, people wear fresh new clothes in festivals. This is done to prevent misfortune (Alakshmi) from entering the house.
-Yakshini
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