Akshaya Tritiya
India is a land of rich and diverse spiritual heritage providing a treasure of knowledge which we are indeed fortunate to have received by virtue of being born in this land. Just as there is a blueprint made out long before anything comes into existence, be it a house, a car, a television, computer, missile or satellite, in the same way your life too has a blueprint which
was made long before you came into existence. You may or may not have realized this but it is this heritage which lays great emphasis on fasts, vows and festivals that keeps an individual from straying away from the blueprint designed for life.
How exactly does this happen? Take a closer look and you will discern that these festivals occur at special moments in time. They also commemorate an event long gone thus signifying the circular movement of time which allows these special moments to return again and again. The term given to these moments is muhurta and we ought to know that the significance of every
muhurta can be felt at every dimension of existence whether physical, material, emotional, intellectual or spiritual.
One such important muhurta is Akshaya Tritiya which has earned itself the status of a festival which is inherently perfect. Akshaya Tritiya also known as akhateej occurs on the third day of the bright fortnight in the month of Baisakh (mid April to mid May). The word Akshaya literally means that which is constant, stable and is never destroyed. In our lives nothing is
constant, everything s continually changing and we feel the burden of this from time to time when we have to adjust ourselves accordingly. In fact the only example we have of something which is never destroyed is satya or truth, which is but another name for the omnipresent God.
Of course we have never seen God, but the heritage we have received from our ancestors tells us that there are special muhurtas or moments when one can experience this constant truth and also benefit from that experience. One of these auspicious muhurtas is Akshaya Tritiya.
In fact Akshaya Tithi is also known as Ishwara Tithi. Tithi means day and by calling it Ishwara Tithi it signifies that anything that comes into existence on this day will never die. Parashurama one of the chiranjeevis or immortals was born on this day. As such this day is also known as
chiranjeevi tithi.
Out of the four yugas, Treta Yuga commenced on this day, therefore it is also known as yugaditithi which is considered a very significant moment in time as great metamorphosis in the stratosphere takes place at that moment.
It is on this day that Badrinath one of the four revered shrines in the Himalayas opens its doors for worship of Lord Narayana.
On account of the indestructible force of this day all the words you speak, thoughts you think and acts you perform on this day become a part of your hard disk and remain with you life after life. It is therefore understandable that on this day one must make a sincere effort to perform
good deeds through japa, tapa, tyaag, daan and remembrance of the Lord so that your bank balance increases.
The predominant tattwa on this day is the Akshaya tattwa. That indestructible tattwa which can open those avenues for you which can make you realize your own potential. As such it is most definitely the day when one should scratch the surface and search within as the vibrations of this
day will make that task so much easier. It is a day to leave behind the destructible acts and perform only those that you will feel happy to have recorded in your file when you look back. Because the indestructible nature of the tattwa that prevails on this day penetrates into every domain of life.
Rise early on Akshaya Tritiya and perform havan repeating the 1000 names of Vishnu. After that if time permits do japa of guru mantra or akhand naam sankirtan of Rama. Chanting of the entire Bhagawad Gita is especially significant on Akshaya Tritiya. *And if you are fortunate* to find someone in need do help out as that will earn you the blessings of the Lord. At Sri
Swamiji's tapobhumi in Rikhiadham this is how we celebrate this important occasion of Akshaya Tritiya.
Hari Om Tat Sat!
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Warm Regards
Nomita Chakravorty
Dreams are illustrations... from the book your soul is writing about you. - Marsha Norman
When you work you are a flute through whose heart the whispering of the hours turns to music.
Which of you would be a reed, dumb and silent, when all else sings together in unison? ~ From The Prophet, Kahlil Gibran
