Akshay Tritiya

 Akshaya Tritiya falls on the third lunar day of the second fortnight of the month of Vaisakha (April or May). It marks the anniversary of the birth of Bhagwan Parashuram, the sixth avatar of god Vishnu and is celebrated as Parasurama Jayanti. Akshaya Tritiya is considered auspicious by Jains too because the first Tirthankara, Rishabhnath, ended his one-year asceticism by consuming sugarcane juice poured into his cupped hands on this day. It is believed that god of wealth Kuber acquired a new kingdom known as Alkapuri with the blessings of Lord Brahma & Shiva on this day. Besides, the sun and the moon are at their most exalted position on this day, therefore astrologically a lucky day. People on this day prefer starting new things like buying ornaments or property in the belief that they would be blessed with everlasting prosperity.

‘Akshay’ means ‘never decreasing’ and ‘Tritiya’ means ‘the third lunar day of the bright fortnight in the month of Vaisakh’. In other words, this day is so auspicious that it grants the prosperity that does not dwindle. The whole day is considered to be sacred: one can start new ventures, businesses, careers, engagements or weddings at any moment of the day without waiting for a propitious time. People worship Lord Shiva, Vishnu, Laxami and Ganesh, conduct meditation and give food, cloth and money to charity. On this day, the more you give, the more you get, for it is associated with the day when god Syrya gave Yudhisthira a divine vessel, which offered a never-depleting supply of food to the Pandav family every day during their exile. Sage Vyas began to write Mahabharata on Akshay Tritiya because lasting success is secured by those who start work on this day, Construction of Jagannath chariots commences on this day at Puri.

Bhagwan Parashuram is the 10th incarnation of Lord Vishnu. A good many kshatriy dynasties were ruling people under brutal dictatorship, violating all rules of religion. Bhagwan became incarnate as a brahman named Parashuram and destroyed all such dynasties. Ravana was a Brahman but he was cruel and a threat to faith. Bhagwan became incarnate in a kshtriy dynesty and obliterated the whole race. Bhagwan Krishna wiped out the power drunk people of his own yadu caste before He left the world. This way no incarnation of God can be related to a particular caste or an ethnic group of people. Whenever religion declines and violence spreads, God becomes incarnate as a man to reestablish faith on the earth. He is the Creator of everything and he pervades everybody.

The poem conveys the message that a man grows, he ages, and ultimately he dies. So if this world is not our permanent home then why not live in harmony with one another.

Brothers, free yourselves of trickery,

And don’t make your life a misery.

It is, though blissfully bright, yet brief.

Take the right fork to avoid coming to grief –

Who knows when our last we breathe!

Who knows when our last we breathe!

The world is not yours not mine;

Of all the states of God, it is divine.

Let’s love, live and enjoy the world;

Let’s fly together, free like a bird –

Nobody has again visited the earth!

Nobody has again visited the earth!

We have a chance but first and last;

Our time is short and the world is vast.

Why waste time occupying barren wastes?

God’s bounty of fruits let us taste;

If we don’t do it now, it’ll be too late!

If we don’t do it now, it’ll be too late!

Tuesday, 10 March 2015