Everything you wanted to know about Akshay Trithiya
It's Not Just About Buying Gold
The auspicious Hindu date of Akshaya Trithiya is misundersood to be simply a day for purchasing gold - coins or ornaments. Yes, that is a part of it, but the day is so much more than that.
Akshaya Trithiya Date
Akshaya Trithiya date in May 2013 falls on Monday, the 13th. The third day of the waxing phase of the moon in the month of Vaishakha or Vaishakha Shukla Paksha Tritiya is celebrated as Akshaya Tritiya. Akshaya Tritiya is also known as Akha Teej.
Auspicious Day
Akshay Trithiya is an extremely auspicious day. It is also known as abhuj mahurat or sarvasidhi mahurat, implying that it is a day when you do not have to consult an almanac or panchang to see if it is a good day. No wonder, many impromptu weddings take place today.
What Makes The Day Special?
In Sanskrit, the word akshaya means never-diminishing. Thus, the significance is that whatever is started on this day, will only grow further. This belief has propelled people in recent times to buy gold, believing it to be a sign that wealth created on this day will multiply and never diminish.
Religious Significance
Many important dates in the HIndu calendar happened on Akshaya Tritiya. They are: 1. Lord Vishnu’s sixth incarnation Lord Parasurama was born on this day. 2. Lord Ganesha began writing the epic Mahabharata on this day. 3. Lord Kuber prayed to Shiva to return his wealth on this auspicious day. Indeed, Kuber got his wealth back and has since been associated with unsurpassed wealth. 4. The Pandavas received akshay patra from Krishna on this mahurat, a vessel in which the food never diminishes. 5. Sudama and Kuchela visited Krishna in Dwarka with beaten rice or poha on this date. 6. Akshaya Trithiya marked the beginning of Treta Yuga, therefore it is also known as Yug Thithi. 7. It is also the day when the holy river Ganga descended on earth.
Temples That Open Today
Among the many temples that open today after periodic closures are the Badrinarayan temple and Banke Bihari temple in Vrindavan.
Pray To Forms Of Vishnu
Since the day has so much significance for Vishnu, people spend the day praying to various forms of Vishnu. People who know Vishnu Sahasranamam may recite it also. People offer til tarpan, meaning sesame and water to the deities and ancestors. Sesame is a symbol of sattvikata whereas jal is the symbol of pure bhav or spiritual emotion
