Akshaya Tritiya:” Highly Auspicious and Sacred Day for The Hindus”
If one reckoned an auspicious day in the Hindu calendar, Akshaya Tritiya is one of the most celebrated festivals in India.
Akshaya Tritiya is also known as “Akti Teej” or “Akha Teej”, and is one of the most auspicious occasions.
When Is Akshaya Tritiya Celebrated?
According to the Hindu calendar, Akshaya Tritiya falls on the third day (Tithi) of Shukla Paksha of the Hindu’s Vaisakha month. If we go by the Gregorian calendar, it falls somewhere around April and May.
Why the festival is called Akshaya Tritiya?
Akshaya Tritiya has two words Akshaya & Tritiya, and the Sanskrit meaning of Akshaya Tritiya holds a lot of importance. “Akshaya” means ” stands for eternal, the never diminishing or imperishable ” and the term “Tritiya” signifies “the third day of the illuminated half of Vaisakha month”.
Legends Associated With Akshaya Tritiya
There are many references in the Hindu scriptures of Vedas why Akshaya Tritiya is considered an auspicious day as there is a number of events that took place on this day.
- Start of Third (Treta) Yuga: As per one legend, on Akshaya Tritiya, the third (Treta) Yuga, the second of the four yugas, started and
- Lord Parasuraman’s Birth: It was on Akshaya Tritiya day that the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, Parshuram, was born.
- Goddess Annapurna’s Birth: As per the scriptures, the Goddess of food “Annapurna” was also born on this auspicious day. Annapurna is one of the many forms of Goddess Parvati. Once Lord Shiva went to Goddess Annapurna as a beggar for food. It is said that the Goddess Annapurna fed Lord Shiva herself.
- Kuber’s Appointment: On the day of Akshaya Tritiya, Kuber called a “Banker in Heaven” was granted good wealth as a boom after he worshipped Lord Shiva. Also, on the same day, the Goddess of Wealth, Lakshmi too was blessed by Lord Shiva. Both Goddess Lakshmi and Kuber were given the custodian position of prosperity and wealth.
- Relation with Mahabharat: It was on Akshaya Tritiya day that Maharishi Ved Vyasa, the author of Mahabharata, started narrating the epic to Lord Ganesh. Also, the eldest of Pandavas, Yudhishtar also called as “The son of Dharma”, was given a bowl called “Akshaya Patram” by Lord Krishna at Thirumanthurai Temple. It was said that the bowl was given unlimited food. Yudhishtar used this bowl to help and serve food to poor people. This incident of giving the bowl to Yudhishtar happened on the day of Akshaya Tritiya.
- Lord Shree Krishna and Sudama Story: Lord Krishna met his childhood friend Sudama on the day of Akshaya Tritiya and treated his beloved friend as nothing less than a king. By seeing the overwhelming hospitality of Lord Krishna, Sudama couldn’t ask for anything, and thus, returned home barehanded. But on his return, he found that his small hut has turned into a big palace. Thus, by this act, Lord Krishna set the Hindu principle “Athithi Devo Bhava”, which means “Guest is God”.
- River Ganga descendants: The famous and pious river “Ganga” descended on Earth from heaven on Akshaya Tritiya.
Why is Akshaya Tritiya Celebrated?
The festival of Akshaya Tritiya is not only celebrated by Hindus but also by Jain and Sikhs community around the world.
Hindus celebrate the festival of Akshaya Tritiya as it brings good luck and success in one’s life. It is proven that any new venture, business, or construction of a building will turn out to be prosperous if started on this day. Not just this, on this day, people perform holy rites, rituals, and acts of charity that are believed to bring grace, prosperity, and unending bliss.
This day holds so much importance that, it is on this day that any new venture or even to open the portals of sacred destinations like “Chhota Char Dham” in Uttarakhand starts.
In Jainism, the festival pays homage to Rishabhdev the first Tirthankara who ended his one-year asceticism by drinking sugarcane juice. They also call the festival of Akshaya Tritiya “Varsi Tapa”.
Mantra recited on Akshaya Tritiya
As on Akshaya Tritiya, both the moon and sun remain at their planetary best so devotees recite mantras for good health, prosperity, luck, and wealth.
Mantra 1
तां म आवह जातवेदो लक्ष्मीमनपगामिनीम्।
tāṃ ma āvaha jātavedo lakṣmīmanapagāminīm।
हे जातवेदस् (अग्नि), मेरे लिए उस लक्ष्मी का आह्वान करो, जो दूर नहीं जाती।
Meaning: O Jātavedas (Agni), invoke for me that Lakṣmī, who does not go away.
Mantra 2
उत्तमोऽप्रार्थितो दत्ते मध्यमः प्रार्थितः पुनः।
याचकैर्याच्यमानोऽपि दत्ते न त्वधमाधमः॥
uttamo’prārthito datte madhyamaḥ prārthitaḥ punaḥ।
yācakairyācyamāno’pi datte na tvadhamādhamaḥ॥
उत्तम मनुष्य मांगे बिना देता है, मध्यम मांगने पर देता है,
और आधम तो याचकों के मांगने पर भी नहीं देता है।
Meaning: A noble person gives without being asked, a person of the medium category gives when asked, and the worst of them doesn’t give even after being asked by the needy.
Mantra 3
गौरवं प्राप्यते दानात न तु वित्तस्य संचयात् ।
स्थितिः उच्चैः पयोदानां पयोधीनाम अधः स्थितिः ॥
gauravaṃ prāpyate dānāta na tu vittasya saṃcayāt ।
sthitiḥ uccaiḥ payodānāṃ payodhīnāma adhaḥ sthitiḥ ॥
वित्त के संचय से नहीं अपितु दान से गौरव प्राप्त होता है।
जल देनेवाले बादलों का स्थान उच्च है,
जब की जल का संचय करने वाले सागर का स्थान नीचे है।
Meaning: Dignity is obtained by donating, not by accumulating wealth. The clouds that give away water stand high, whereas the sea that just gathers it stays low.
Mantra 4
दानेन भुतानि वशीभवन्ति दानेन वैराण्यपि यान्ति नाशम्।
परोऽपि बन्धुत्वमुपैति दानैर्दान हि सर्वव्यसनानि हन्ति॥
dānena bhūtāni vaśībhavanti dānena vairāṇyapi yānti nāśam।
paro’pi bandhutvamupaiti dānairdāna hi sarvavyasanāni hanti॥
दान से सभी प्राणी वश होते है; दान से बैर (शत्रुताओं) का नाश होता है।
दान से शत्रु भी भाई बन जाता है; दान से सभी व्यसनों का नाश होता है॥
Meaning: A charity can subdue any creature; a charity can eliminate enemies and make them allies. A charity indeed is the cure for all bad things.
Mantra 5
सर्वाबाधा विनिर्मुक्तो, धन धान्यः सुतान्वितः।
मनुष्यो मत्प्रसादेन भविष्यति न संशयः ॥
sarvābādhā vinirmukto, dhana dhānyaḥ sutānvitaḥ।
manuṣyo matprasādena bhaviṣyati na saṃśayaḥ ॥
देवी लक्ष्मी के आशीर्वाद से कोई भी सभी बाधाओं से मुक्त होगा तथा
धन, धान्य एवं सन्तान से सम्पन्न होगा इसमें तनिक भी संदेह नहीं है।
Meaning: With the help of her blessings (Goddess Lakshmi), undoubtedly,
one can get rid of all obstacles and attain wealth, grains and sons.
Where is Akshaya Tritiya Celebrated?
Although Akshaya Tritiya or Akha Teej is celebrated all over India, it is majorly observed in the states of Odisha, Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh in a grand manner. However, the festival in these regions is celebrated with different rituals and customs
1. Uttar Pradesh
In the North Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Akshaya Tritiya holds the status of one of the most important festivals in the region. In Banke Bihari Temple of Vrindavan, the feet of the presiding deity are shown on this day of the year. As per Hindu scriptures, the day of Akshaya Tritiya is the first day of creation, and hence, boasts such a high sacred significance. The idols of Lord Shree Krishna are adorned with sandalwood paste. Besides, cucumber, aamras (mango juice), juice, and laddus made up of sattu (floor of ground pulses and cereals) are offered to the deity as holy offerings.
2. Odisha
In the eastern state of Odisha, the festival marks the starting of the construction of chariots for the grand procession of “Rath Yatra”. Akshaya Tritiya is the day when the famous Chandan Yatra begins. In the western part of Odisha, this special day is also touted as ‘Muthi Chhuan’. On this day, the consumption of green leaves is forbidden. Also, farmers sow seeds on this day for bumper harvesting.
3. Maharashtra
In the central state of Maharashtra, this festival is celebrated with great pomp by women. Women pray for the well-being and long life of their husbands. As a ritual, they exchange Haldi (turmeric) and Kumkum (vermilion). Both Haldi and Kumkum are the symbols of marital bliss. Not just this, they gather along and worship Goddess Gauri and offer them sweets and fruits.
4. West Bengal
In the eastern state of West Bengal, the festival of Akshaya Tritiya is celebrated with much devotion and fervor. People purchase long-term assets like gold and silver on this day. In order to bring luck and prosperity into the business, businessmen perform religious functions and puja to worship Goddess Lakshmi.
Delicacies during Akshaya Tritiya
Following are the dishes prepared and relished on the Hindu festival of Akshaya Tritiya
- Chakli
- Puran Poli
- Tilgul
- Thalipeeth
- Gujiya
- Malpua
- Dudhi Halwa
I wish all my readers “A Blessed and Prosperous Akshaya Tritiya”
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