Food For Thought

Sunday, May 08, 2016

Akshaya Tritiya



Akshaya Tritiya
  • P.Natarajan.

Akshaya Tritiya falls on Monday, the May 9 this year. Akshaya Tritiya falling on a Rohini Star  Monday is considered more auspicious.,Chitra Purnima, Vijayadasami and  Akshaya Tritiya
are the three lunar days which are revered as most sacred and auspicious in a calendar year


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       Poorna Kumbham                     Mahalakshmi


Akshaya - the Sanskrit word means ‘ never diminishing ‘.
Mahalakshmi showers wealth and good luck. New ventures are started on this day.

Gold prices have shot up by 20% as compared to January 2016 prices. People like to buy gold on Akshaya Tritiya day, as a sound investment proposal. !

Adishankara Bhagwat Pada recited the virtuous ‘Kanakadhara Stotra’ on this day for the sake of a poor lady at whose house he stopped for Bhiksha.  He was offered the only available amla.  Goddess Lakshmi showered golden amla fruit in her house and hence the hymn gets the name ‘Kanakadhara’.

Sudhama, the best friend of Krishna, visited the Lord on this day. He had nothing to offer to Krishna except poha (  puffed rice). Sudhama forgot to ask anything though he was very much in wants. Lakshmi understood Sudama’s mission and showered riches upon him. When he returned home, he saw his hut had changed into a palace and his family members were wearing jewels and rich garments.

Parasurama, the 6th incarnation of Vishnu was born on Akshaya Tritiya day. Kerala is considered as Parasurama Kshetra - Kerala is also known as “God’s own country”. According to Hindu mythology, Mahavishnu’s sixth incarnation Parasurama fought back the advancing seas. He threw his axe (parasu) from Konkan to Kanyakumari and the sea gave way, giving rise to present day Kerala. Akshaya Tritiya is celebrated in Kerala with rituals and prayers to usher prosperity.

In West Bengal,  ‘Halkhata’ - is celebrated to start new audit book on Akshaya Tritiya day after worshipping Lord Ganesha and Mahalakshmi.
Treta Yuga began on Akshaya Tritiya. Bhagirathi River (the sacred Ganga) descended from Heavens to Earth on this day.

Kubera became the custodian of wealth along with Goddess Lakshmi this day.

Dushasana, brother of Duryodhana unveiled Draupadi at the Royal Court. Draupadi prayed to Krishna “ Sanka chakra gadha pani, Dwaraka Nilaya Chuta, Govinda Pundarikaksha, rakshamam saranagatham.” Lord Krishna protected her by providing ‘unending’ (akshaya) veil on this day.

Yudhisthira received Akshayapatra on this day from the Sun God, which he used to serve food to all the needy people in his kingdom.

When Ksheerabdi was churned, precious jewels, Iravatham, Kalpataru, Kamdhenu, Chandra, Mahalakshmi - all appeared on Akshaya Tritiya day. Mahalakshmi took her place on the chest  of Mahavishnu on this day. Lakshmi is believed to reside in butter and rock salt. It is good to buy them on Akshaya Tritiya Day.

Veda Vyasa is an incarnation of Vishnu. ‘Vyasaya Vishnu roopaya Vyasa roopaya Vishnave! Namo Vai Brahma nidhaye vasishtaya namo namah!!. Veda Vyasa and Lord Ganesha started writing Mahabharat on this day.

Lord Siva was inflicted with Brahmahathi dosha’ when he cut off the head of  Lord Brahma. He suffered due to great hunger as the brahmakapalam stuck to his hands. Until the bowl got filled, his hunger would not decrease. Howevermuch, it was fed, the brahma-kapalam never got filled. It was atlast , Annapurna Devi  who filled the brahma-kapala . Siva’s hunger got appeased. Hence people feed poor people on this day and they get blessed.

Contented life can be considered as ‘akshayam’ or in other words ‘ never-diminishing’.On Akshaya Tritiya day, it would be a good resolve to live happily with what we have instead of searching for what we don’t.

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Vittala - Rukmini                               Happy Akshaya Tritiya


ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात्पुर्णमुदच्यते
पूर्णश्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

Meaning:
1: Om, That (Outer World) is Purna (Full with Divine Consciousness); This (Inner World) is also Purna (Full with Divine Consciousness); From Purna comes Purna (From the Fullness of Divine Consciousness the World is manifested) ,
2: Taking Purna from Purna, Purna Indeed Remains (Because Divine Consciousness is Non-Dual and Infinite).
3: Om Peace, Peace, Peace.

Wishing all a Happy Akshaya Tritiya !

pn