Recently, at Bharat Rang Mahotsav in Delhi, I attended a talk by Mita Vashisht that left a quiet but powerful imprint on my mind. Among many inspiring thoughts, one line stood out — simple, poetic, and profound:
“Saraswati ko Lakshmi ke hisaab se mat tolo.”
Don’t measure Saraswati using the scale of Lakshmi.
At one level, it sounds philosophical. At another, it feels intensely practical — especially for professionals navigating modern careers.
Saraswati vs Lakshmi — The Eternal Professional Dilemma
In our cultural imagination:
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Saraswati represents knowledge, craft, learning, refinement, sincerity.
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Lakshmi represents money, reward, valuation, status, recognition.
Today’s professional world quietly conditions us to prioritize Lakshmi first.
Before putting in effort, we subconsciously ask:
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How much am I being paid?
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Is this worth my time?
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Does this match my compensation?
And slowly, without noticing, our effort starts getting calibrated to salary.
“Utna hi dena hai jitna mil raha hai.”
This is where the shift happens.
We stop working according to our capability, and start working according to our package.
The Invisible Shrinking of Standards
This is not about laziness. It’s more subtle.
Over time, ecosystem pressures begin influencing intent:
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Office politics
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Mediocre performers getting promoted
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Delayed recognition
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Unfair comparisons
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Financial responsibilities
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Social validation
None of these are imaginary. They are real.
And gradually, something inside begins to shrink.
You stop asking:
“How well can I do this?”
And begin asking:
“How little can I do and still survive?”
That is the moment Saraswati gets measured by Lakshmi.
The Real Test of a Professional
Being honest to your Saraswati does not mean tolerating exploitation.
You can:
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Negotiate your salary
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Switch jobs
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Reject toxic systems
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Walk away when required
But while you are doing any work — however small — the standard you choose is a reflection of you, not of the compensation.
Compensation often lags capability — sometimes by months, sometimes by years.
If you reduce your standards to match current pay, you freeze your own evolution.
The Ecosystem Will Test You
The hardest phase in any career is not the beginning. It is the long middle.
When:
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Nobody is applauding.
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Growth feels slow.
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Recognition feels uneven.
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Effort seems invisible.
That phase is the real test.
It is easy to maintain integrity when rewards are flowing.
It is difficult to maintain sincerity when sincerity is not immediately rewarded.
But that is where depth is built.
Why Lakshmi Eventually Follows Saraswati
There is something quietly powerful about long-term sincerity.
When you continue refining your craft — learning, improving, delivering beyond minimum expectations — you build something intangible:
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Reputation
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Depth
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Confidence
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Mastery
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Self-respect
Recognition often travels slower than effort — but it travels.
A Personal Reflection
As professionals — whether in art, photography, technology, leadership, education or business — we constantly stand at this intersection.
The ecosystem will influence us. That is inevitable.
But the real character of a professional is revealed in how much they allow external valuation to dictate internal standards.
Being honest to your Saraswati is ultimately about self-respect.
And perhaps that is the deeper wisdom in Mita Vashisht’s words:
If you remain sincere to your Saraswati, Lakshmi will learn to respect that — in her own time.
And that makes all the difference.
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