MAY 6 TH 2011

WHAT IS
THE DATE
WHAT DO THESE PICTURES
CONJURE UP IN YOUR MIND?

READ THE FOLLOWING SLIDES

AND FOLLOW AT LEAST SOME
OF THEM
share what you have with others religiously
The word "Akshaya" means the never diminishing in Sanskrit
 and the day is believed to bring good luck and success. It is
believed that if you do a charity on this day you will be blessed
and will receive blessings many fold. Nowadays jewellers have
turned the purity into a marketing gimmick. The day is
particularly considered auspicious for starting new ventures,
especially ventures to share something with others be it your
products or services or knowledge. It signifies a ancient
wisdom the more you share the more you have . The legend
states that any venture initiated on the auspicious day of
Akshaya Tritiya shall continue to grow and bring prosperity.
Hence, it is normal to see many of the new ventures, like
starting a business, ground breaking for construction on the
Akshaya Tritiya.
Although there are 3 and half 'Muhurats' mentioned in Hindu
astrology and almanac where every second of the day is
auspicious and one do not need to look for 'Muhurat'. These
Muhurats are Gudi Padva [ new year day when you start new
ventures to share something with the society around]
Akshay Tritiya [ doing charity by sharing what you have to
help others], Dashahara [sharing knowledge /imparting
knowledge to other hence the practice of starting new
educational courses etc] and Bali Pratipda. Akshay Tritiya is
one of them thus the day is ideal to begin new ventures. Only
Bali Pratipda's half day is auspicious. It is said that if this date
falls on Monday under Rohini Nachtra the fast is considered
very fruitful. This date starts from Madhyam to Pradosh Kal.
“Snanam daanam thapo homa:Swadhyaya: pithru tharppanam Yadasyam kriyathe
Kinchit
sarvam syaththadihaksyam Aadow krithayugasyeyam yugadisthena kathyate Asyam
thithow kshaya
mupaithi hritham na daththam thenakshya cha muhibhi: Kaithaksha athritheeya”

(The grace of performing homas, chanting of mantras, observance of penance,

bathing in holy river, charity, rice for pleasing ancestors yield results that never get
lost, especially on Akshaya Tritiya, which is the beginning of Kritha Yuga.)
The day of Akshaya Tritiya is connected with Lord Parasurama’s story also. It is said
to be his birthday. Hence, Parasurama puja is performed on this day. The day is the
favourite of the Devas as well. A devotee is supposed to perform homa with barley
and submit it to Lord Vishnu. Brahmanandapuranam recommends worshipping
Lord Shiva, his abode Kailasa, Goddess Ganga, Bhageeratha and taking a holy bath
in the river Ganga on this day.
Akshaya Tritiya is considered to be the day when Goddess Madhura Meenakshi and
Lord Sundaresa got married. Hence, couples who get married on this day are blessed
with gracefulness and bright prospects. The effects of holy acts committed on this day
are believed to last throughout the year.
Draupadi got the Akshayapathra (the ever full vessel) on this day. Sage
Sankaracharya brought down a shower of gold gooseberries on this day. Thus, the
day of Akshaya Tritiya is observed all over India on several grounds, but at the core
of it is the belief that truth is never destroyed.” By — Dr Venganoor Balakrishnan is
According to Hindu
mythology, Akshay Tritiiya
was the day when Veda Vyasa
 started dictating the epic 
Mahabharata to Ganesha, the
elephant-headed god of
wisdom and obstacle removal.
It is also traditionally
observed as the birthday of 
Parashurama, the sixth
incarnation of god Vishnu.
The Puranic scriptures
speak about how he
reclaimed the land from the
Goa and Konkan regions, even
oday, are referred to as
Parusurama Kshetra. Akshaya
Tritiya, the third day of the
bright-half of the lunar month
of Vaisakha is considered as
one of the most sacred days of
start ploughing their land and
construction of chariots for Rath
Yatra begins at Puri.
The day is generally observed by
fasting and worship Lord Vasudeva
with rice grains. A dip in the river 
Ganges on this day is considered to
be very auspicious.
The Vedic scriptures [where?] say that knowledge gained or
charity done on this day is very fruitful. It is considered to be
very lucky day to start new business or venture.
Fasts are kept on this day and pujas are performed. In
charity, fan, rice, salt, ghee, sugar, vegetables, tamarind,
fruit, clothes, are given. Vishnu is worshipped on this day. 
Tulsi water is sprinkled in the nearby are of the idol while
performing aarti.
In Bengal, on the day of the Akshay Tritiiya, "HalKhata" - a
ceremony to start the new audit book is performed - with the
worship of Ganeshaand goddess Lakshmi. Bengalis perform
many rites and rituals on this day.
This day is also most auspicious day for the Jat farming
community. Early morning, a male member of Jat family goes
to field with shovel. All the animals and birds encountered on
the way to the field indicates omen and predictions for rains
and crops. Akshay Tritiiya is also an occasion for weddings,
It is believed that god Kubera, the
treasurer of the gods, is the richest
deity. Lakshmi Tantram says that
even Kubera will pray to goddess
Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and
consort of Vishnu, on this day. On
this day, a day-long Kubera Lakshmi
Puja is performed in which an image
of Lakshmi is worshipped along
In Mahabharath Lord Krishna told Yudhishtir that
dear king all kinds of charity and worships done on
Akshay Tritiya never diminish. Therefore our saints
and monks named it Akshay Tritiya.
 
Today, the positive waves of lord Brahmaji and
SriVishannu entered into the Earth from Paradise. So
the purity of the Earth is enhanced by 10 percent on
Akshay Tritiya. So who-so-ever worship their God
or Goddess on Akshay Tritiya receives kind
blessings with peace and prosperity. The charity of
the day never diminishes. Due to the impact of fast
of Akshay Tritiya virtues of a man increases in
According to the Puranas, this
day marks the beginning of the
Treta Yug and Sat Yug. Akshay
Tritiya also marked the great
significance of bath in Ganga.
One should donate hand-fan,
rise, sugar, Ghee, salt, tamarind,
clothes etc. The charity of the
The day also marks the
opening of doors of
Badrinath or one can
also offer 'Bhog' of wet
pulses and mishri to
lord Badrinath.
Devotee could also take a rare view of
feet of lord Shrivigrah at Shri Bakebihari
Mandir in Vrindavan. Haygreeve also
took avatar on Akshay Tritiya. The
birthday of Parashurama, the sixth
incarnation of Vishnu falls on this day.
So the day is also marked as a
'Parashuram Avataran Diwas'or
'Parashuram Jayanti'. The tradition of
donating sugar and sattu to Brahmins is
The legend behind Akshaya Tritiya
 
One day King Yudhisthira asked Sri Krishna- Oh dear God! I am very eager to know
about Akshaya Tritiya. So please explain me the significance of Akshaya Tritiya. Lord
Sri Krishna replied- Dear King! Akhaya Tritiya is a very sacred date. One who
observes the bathe before afternoon, jap, tap, havan, swadhyaya, pritra-tarpan and
charity on this day got imperishable virtues.
 
Oh Yudhisthira! There was a Vaishya named Mahahdev who was very poor, theist,
virtuous and worshiper of cow, dev and brahmins. He was so worried due to his big
family.  He came to know the importance of Akshaya Tritiya from a pundit.
 
Mahadev followed the procedure of the fast. He took holy dip in the Ganga followed
by offering to forefathers and deities. He also donated laddus of coconut, wheat,
barley, watch, kalash, hand-fan, umbrella, rice, lentils, salt, Ghee, sugar, clothes,
vegetables, tamarind, fruits, sattu, cucumber, watermelon and alms.
 
Mahadev was denied by his wife and relatives. He was also suffering from diseases
due to his old age. But he was not deterred from his dharma and charity. And due to
the impact of his fast he became the king of Kushavati Nagari.
Mythologically speaking, Kubera, the
treasurer in Heaven received his wealth
on this day from Siva. It is on this day
Lord Siva blessed Goddess Lakshmi with
wealth. In fact Lord Siva made Kubera as
Lord of wealth and Lakshmi as Goddess of
wealth. Kubera worshiped Lord Siva in the
temple at Sivapuram. Buried underneath
the land surrounding the temple are
thousands of Sivalingams. Just by
stepping on the ground here, or by
According to  another legend, the "Akshaya bowl"
which creates unlimited food was given to the great
king Yudhishtira on this day. This event happened at
the Thirumanthurai temple. Also on this day Avatars
(Gods incarnation on the earth plane) were blessed
to rule their countries. They received wealth on this
day. Two people were born on this 3rd moon. One is
Parasurama, the warrior Brahmin who destroyed all
his enemies and then became a sage. The second one
was Annapurani, a special form of Parvati who feeds
the hungry. Annapurani fed Siva on this day. Siva
disguised himself as a beggar (for Bikshaatana) and
approached Annapurani for food. Siva’s begging is a
symbolic act. He is the lord of the Universe. Why
should he beg? The answer is he begs for all his
Also as per another legend connected with Arasar Koil,  Lord Ganesha
seems to have gifted the Akshaya bowl (divine vessel of inexhaustible
food) to Garuda (the Vehicle of lord Vishnu). Garuda worshiped
Lakshmi who happens to reside in this temple and Goddess Lakshmi
offered this Akshaya bowl in gold to Garuda. Garuda while
worshiping Lord Surya Narayana (the Sun God) offered food to the
deity in this golden Akshaya bowl. All the above incidences happened
in Arasar Koil temple only in the previous Yugas, mind you.

 
In this temple, Lord Ganesha is in front of Goddess Mahalakshmi' s
Sanctum and is known as Akshaya Vinayakar. He is also known as Sri
Lakshmi Ganapathy. Since it was Lord Siva who on this day bestowed
Kubera as the Lord and Lakshmi as the Goddess of wealth, worshiping
Lord Siva on this day and chanting the mantra, “Om Namah Sivaaya”
will bring in abundance and prosperity in one’s life. Let the
Srivaishnavite's differ on this, and chant "SrimathE nArAyaNa
namah: ".
Feeding the poor is the most
important charitable act. Also
donation of umbrellas and chapels
(sandals) for poor children are
recommended by some. Poojas and
charity acts will yield good results
on this special 3rd moon day, i.e.3th
day from new-moon day known as
Tritiya, a day for charity.
Buying of Gold and Jewellery items is certainly
not listed in the Vedic scripts. These are all the
ploy and gimmicks made by the vested interests
to hard-sell their product to the gullible in the
name of religious faith.  Sadly purity, piety &
all good have been commercialized. Sure, the
industry related advertisements are making the
general public crazy for buying. The only
auspicious day to buy gold ornaments stated to
be of Guru-Pushya day i.e. when Pushya
nakshatra falls on any Thursday in any month.
And certainly not on Akshaya Thrutheeyai day.
The homa, japa (chanting), prayer,
theerthasnaana (taking bath in the holy
river), donations and rites observed on
this day yield never-ending grace. In
Bhavishyothara Purana, it has been
pointed out that fasting on this day and
offering rice to Lord Vishnu will cure one
of all the sins one has committed till that
day. Puranas say that pujas performed on
the day of Akshaya tritiya purged