Goddess Lakshmi Devi in the Hindu Scriptures is the dynamic aspect of Lord Vishnu--- the Supreme Preserver. Sri Lakshmi Devi is the Goddess of prosperity-- material as well as spiritual.
While material wealth is of importance to sustain the material values of life, the spiritual wealth in the form of integration of personality and attainment of God-realization is of greater, and supreme importance.
The legend about Ganesha having preference over all other gods establishes his sharpness of intellect. There was a keen competition amongst all gods to gain the first place of worship amongst the laity.It was decided that the god who would return first after traversing the whole universe shall be declared the winner. All gods and goddesses ran on their fast vehicles.
Lord Ganesh with his pot-bellied body and mouse's vehicle could never hope to compete. He took a round of his parents, Shiva and Parvati, and just sat there at the starting point. He was declared the winner because one who goes round his parents and touches their feet traverses the whole universe.
Since then Lord Ganesha is always worshiped first and every other god takes a back seat. Another legend says that when Parvati saw an elephant's head being fixed on her son's body, she burst into tears and could not be soothed. To pacify her Brahma announced that amongst the worship of all the gods, that of Lord Ganesha should forever bear the first preference.
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