“Just as Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vaasudeva, Rukminii is the supreme goddess of fortune, Mahaa-Lakshmii.” Krishna Book, chapter 52.

From this passage one may argue that “the Supreme Goddess of Fortune” be spelled with capital letters.

Why is it not spelled with capital letters?

Is it sexism again?

From this sentence  it is clear that there an equality of status and intimate relationship between the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the Supreme Goddess of Fortune. Therefore one may conclude that, if only by association, the nomenclature “the Supreme Goddess of Fortune” should be written with capital letters.

The Krishna Book text goes on:”According to the authority of the Caitanya-caritaamrta, the expansion of Krishna and that of Sriimatii Raadhaaraanii are simultaneous: Krishna expands Himself into various vishnu-tattva forms, and Sriimatii Raadhaaraanii expands Herself into various shakti-tattva forms, by Her internal potency, as multiforms of the goddess of fortune.”

We note that the personal pronoun “Herself” in reference to Sriimatii Raadhaaraanii is spelled with capital letter in this passage of Krishna Book.

So Sriimatii Raadhaaraanii is shakti-tattva and is consequently not equal to the Supreme Personality of Godhead Who is Vishnu-tattva. Shakti-tattva and Vishnu-tattva are two different categories of transcendental existence. But then again in Adi Lila 1.5 it is stated that “…Raadhaa and Krishna are one in Their identity…” Because of the parallel and the intimate association of shakti-tattva and Vishnu-tattva, it may be argued that the “Supreme Goddess of Fortune” and “Goddess of Fortune” in general be spelled with capital letters.

Such spelling will immediately remind us of the intimate relationship between the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the Supreme Goddess of Fortune and will prevent us from chasing  the association of the  Goddess of Fortune on her own, just as the shameless demon Ravana did.  There is a stern warning by Srila Prahupada, that if we don’t engage Laksmii in the service of Her Husband, the Personality of Godhead, Naaraayana, then Laksmii will ultimately kill us.

Prabhupaada: Provided you engage them for Krishna’s service. Otherwise the lakshmii will kill you. Just like Siitaas, Siitaa is Lakshmii. When Siiaa was taken by Raavana, the result was the whole family was killed because they did not use Siitaa for Raama’s service. [break] …householders can be engaged, not anyone else. 750701MW.Den

In 730726BG.Lon, Srila Prabhupada also says the following in this context:

“So they were actually aatataayinah. Because aatataayinah means one who comes to kidnap your wife, insults your wife, you should immediately kill him. Just like Lord Raamacandra. He was so pious king, but when it so happened that His wife, Siitaa, was insulted… Siitaa was taken away by Raavana. Lord Raamacandra could marry hundreds and thousands of Siitaas. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He could create Siitaa, Raadhaaraanii , Lakshmii.
They are the pleasure potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot have a material wife or a material companion. Krishna’s Raadhaaraarii or Lord Raamacandra’s Siitaadevii, Naaraayana’s Lakshmiidevii, they are pleasure potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Raadhaa krishna-pranaya-vikritir hlaadinii shaktir asmaat [Cc. Ädi 1.5]. Ählaadinii-shakti. Krishna, God, has got many potencies. One of the potencies is called aahlaadinii-shakti, pleasure potency. So Krishna’s consort, Lord Raamacandra’s consort, they are pleasure potency, exhibited.
So to show the example, Lord Rämacandra, because Siitaa was kidnapped, Siitaa was insulted, or Raamacandra was insulted, the retaliation was Lord Raamacandra killed not only Raavana but the whole dynasty, finished. Only for one woman. He could create so many. No. Because aatataayinah, aggressed over. Just to teach people that anyone, if he is aggressor, he must be killed. This is the position.”

In fact RESPECT and DISTANCE are required and therefore capital letters are required as in the “Goddess of Fortune”.  Thank you very much for reading me.