Post No. 11,896
Date uploaded in London – – 12 APRIL 2023
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Every year Hindus celebrate a festival called Akshaya Trithiyai in April- May season. Akshaya means Undiminishing, Never exhausting. Trithiyai means Third Day. Hindu months have two Thrithiyai days. They count from New moon day upto 14 and then From Full moon day up to 14th day and so there are two Trithiyai.(In Tamil ‘i’ is added with Trtiya)
The third day (Trithiya) after the New moon day in the Hindu month Vaisaka (in Tamil Vaikaasi) comes this Festival of ‘Undiminishing , Never Exhausting Third Day’. But this falls in Chaitra (Chiththirai in Tamil) this year, because outside Tamil Nadu a Hindu month starts on New moon day. This year we have it on April 22, 2023.
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What is the significance of this festival?
Every Hindu festival teaches you a new lesson. This festival is about Investment. The story goes like this:
Durvasa was a notorious Hindu saint; He was the embodiment of anger. Even today Hindus use his name as a phrase. All short tempered people are called Durvasas. During Mahabharata days, Durvasa visited Pandavas’ hut in the forest. Just then Draupadi, Pandavas’ wife, finished her lunch session and washed her utensils. Durvasa appeared suddenly and said to her, “Hi , I am joining you for lunch with my battalion of disciples. But we will finish our bath in the holy river and back soon. Please get ready”.
Draupadi was nonplussed; she always gets the help of Lord Krishna in such situations. Krishna came and asked for the washed vessel. There was one left over rice particle in it. He said ‘This is more than enough’. He multiplied it to many thousand through his magical power and there was enough rice for Durvasa’s battalion. They were very happy and gave her good boons and left after the feast. The vessel is known as Akshaya Patra (Inexhaustible vessel).
So Hindus are very familiar with Akshaya. Anyone who has lost a big money in business, can survive even with one penny or one paisa or one cent. That is the lesson of this Akshaya Patra story.
Hindus also buy gold on this Akshaya Thrithiyai day with the hope of multiplying it. Farmers in Gujarat and Orissa also start cultivation on this day with the hope of multiplying their harvest. This has been in Hindu Panchaangaas (almanacs) from South to North; so it is an all India festival with different dimensions in different areas.
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Jains also celebrate it
For Jains, it is a significant day because their First Theerthankara (Saint No.1 out of 24 saints) finished his penance on that day.
Hindus believe that was the first day of Krita or Treta Yuga .
Rishi Veda Vyasa was known to have started writing the holy epic Mahabharata on this auspicious day too.
It was the birth day of Parasu Rama, the Sixth Avatar (incarnation) of Lord Vishnu. Parasurama and Balarama were two great agriculturists of Hindu race. Both of them went all over India and taught agriculture to all primitive people. Parasurama even reclaimed saline lands in Kerala and started cultivation. Now Keralites call their land ‘God Given Land’. Krishna’s brother Balarama also refused to side with Krishna in the Great War and instead, went all over India spreading agriculture. Both figures are sculpted with agricultural equipment’s on their shoulders.
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Gold and Akshaya Trithiya
Of late , Hindu women make it a Golden day, by buying lot of gold jewellery on this day. So the jewellery shops do roaring business, particularly in South India (see the attached news items).
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Departed souls are honoured!
Another significance of the festival is honouring the departed souls.
Special fasts and feasts of the month Vaishakh begin with Akshaya Tritiya. On this day oblations are offered to deceased parents. A pot full of water, a fan and a pair of shoes are given to a priest so that they may reach heaven for the use of the dead parents.
In the Vrat- Raj a story is told to the effect: That once upon a time there lived a poor bania ( Sanskrit word Vanik is corrupted as bania/businessman). On this day he performed tarpana or the ceremony of giving offerings to the Brahmanas in the name of dead father, with the result that he was at the next birth born a very rich Kshatriya and performed many Yagnas or sacrifices. His lavish feeding Brahmins, instead of reducing, tended to increase his wealth by leaps and bounds. He enjoyed life, passed his days happily, and ultimately attained salvation. If this day falls on a Wednesday while moon is in Rohini, the day becomes specially sacred.
Gauri in the Swing which has been worshipped in the month of Chaitra has to be finally worshipped and removed to family altar. All women, both married and un married take part in Puja and distribute sweets, fruits and germinating grains
(this part is taken from a book published in 1919.)
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This festival teaches Hindus
A small investment in life becomes a big asset later.
Cultivation in the right season gives you good harvest.
Departed souls must be remembered and honoured.
Great agriculturists like Parasurama must be remembered and thanked.
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Here is a news item from The Economic Times dated 3rd May 2022
Akshaya Tritiya gold sales surpassed the pre-Covid-19 level by 25-30% to 27.5-28 tonnes this year, according to industry executives, as shops were open for the first time on this occasion after two years.
In the pre-Covid 2019, total gold sales of 22 tonnes were recorded on Akshaya Tritiya, a day in the Hindu calendar when it is considered auspicious to buy gold and gold jewellery.
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Ushering Boundless Abundance
Celebrated by Hindus all over the world, Akshaya Tritiya is a one-day festival believed to provide limitless blessings of prosperity, health and happiness. In a nation as vibrant and diverse as India, with its many cultures, customs, traditions and festivals, it’s not surprising that a day is dedicated to making good beginnings. There are numerous legends that mark the beginning of this sacred festival, and many Hindus observe the day with the same pomp and enthusiasm it has been celebrated with for centuries.
–subham—
Tags- Gold Sales, Akshaya, Tritya, Thrithyai, Patra, Draupadi, Durvasa, Hindu festival
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