Akshaya Tritiya

 

The Sanskrit work Akshya means “never ending”. People celebrate Akshaya Tritiya to bring good luck to their lives. As per common belief, buying gold and properties on this day brings prosperity and wealth in the future. According to the Hindu calendar, Akshaya Tritiya falls on the third tithi (lunar day) of Shukla Paksha of the Vaishakha month. Going by the Gregorian calendar, it falls somewhere around April and May.Going by mythology, it is believed that a number of events took place on Akshaya Tritiya, making it an auspicious day. As per one legend, on Akshaya Tritiya, Treta Yuga, the second of the four yugas, started and the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, 

One of the most significant practices on this day is worshipping Lord Vishnu. The Sanskrit meaning of Akshaya Tritiya, the two words, is extremely important to Hindus. "Akshaya" means "never fading," while "Tritiya" refers to the third day of Vaishakha month's illuminated half.

The inner meaning is that meditative inner blissful experience is never ending and always fulfilling all the yogic desires to reach Vishnu. The crescent moon will look like and half illuminated bowl. A yogi will be blessed by this and also Amritha kalasam in meditation. Gold associated with the festival represents the Golden yellowish beautiful conscience. Be blessed by Akshya Aandam. Yogi is praying to be blessed by eternal divine riches and knowledge.

Legends and Significance

Lord Parshuram, the sixth incarnation of Lord Ram (Vishnu) was born on this day. Parshuram means Ram holding an Axe. He is one of the ten avatars of Lord Vishnu. Those who observe it in the honor of Parasurama sometimes refer to the festival as Parasurama Jayanti

On the Akshaya Tritiya day, Sudama went to meet his childhood friend Lord Krishna with the hope of solving his poverty as Krishna was a very rich king. However, he could only afford to carry along rice flakes to greet Krishna. Though he was ashamed initially to share the rice flakes with Lord Krishna, Krishna forced him to give those flakes. The moment Krishna tasted those flakes, Kusela’s poverty vanished and he became rich overnight.

River Ganga, the most sacred river of India, descended to Earth from heaven at King Bhagiratha’s request to assist his ancestors in attaining Moksha (salvation).

Very important, and as related to the name of the festival itself is the best of Akshaya Patra, to Draupadi, by God Krishna, during the visit of sage Durvasa. During their exile in the forests, the princely Pandavas were famished by the lack of food and their wife Draupadi pained by the lack of food for customary hospitality to their numerous saintly guests. Yudhishthira, who was the eldest, did penance to Lord Surya who gave him this bowl that would remain full till Draupadi had her meals. During sage Durvasa’s visit, God Krishna made this bowl invincible, for Draupadi, the wife of the five Pandavas, so that the magical bowl called Akshaya Patram, would always remain full with food of their choice, even as to satiate the whole universe if required.

Goddess Annapurna who is considered the giver of food and nourishment was born. When Lord Shiva, disguised as a beggar  went to the Goddess, asking for food, it’s said that Goddess Annapurna fed Lord Shiva herself. She is a special form of Parvati who feeds the hungry, and many people worship her on this day.

Kubera received his wealth and position as the ‘Lord of Wealth’ on this auspicious day. Kubera, the Banker in Heaven, received his wealth on this day by worshipping Lord Shiva in the temple at Sivapuram. It is only on this day Lord Shiva blessed Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth, with all the riches. Thus, Lord Siva appointed both of them to their coveted positions as custodians of wealth and prosperity.