Akshay Tritiiya

Akshay Tritiiya, also known as Parashurama Jayanti, the appearance day of Lord Parashurama, is a Vaishnava Hindu holiday that has gathered numerous meanings as it has been associated with diverse events from Hindu mythology. It is celebrated on the third day of the waxing moon of the Hindu month of Vaishakh (May on the Common Era calendar). Among its important commemorations, it is believed to be the day that the legendary sage Veda Vyasa, considered the author of the Indian epic Mahabharata, began to dictate the book to the elephantheaded deity Ganesh, Many Vaishnava Hindus consider Veda Vyasa as an avatar (incarnated form) of the deity Vishnu. Ganesh appears in most Hindu temples as the god who removes obstacles.

Primarily, however, Akshay Tritiiya is also considered to be the birthday of Parashurama, the sixth incarnation of the god Vishnu. Parashurama was a famous warrior, and most of his adventures involved fighting. Among his battles was his opposition to the advancing ocean, his blocking of which saved the lands of Konkan and Malabar. The most prominent temples to Parashurama are found along the western coast of India from Gujarat to Kerala, including the ones at Shivpuri-Akkalkot, Khopoli (Maharashtra), and Fort Songadh (Gujarat).

In northern India, Akshay Tritiiya is referred to as the day the river Ganges, the most holy in India, is supposed to have descended to the earth from the heavens. Thus it is an auspicious day to take a bath in the river.
Akshay Tritiiya is generally observed with fasting and the performance of pujas (worship). According to the Vedic scriptures, knowledge gained and/or charity done on this day will be most fruitful. Many think of it as a lucky day for the starting of a new business, or a new venture in life such as a marriage. Many people will delay purchases until this day because of its lucky associations. The day is also celebrated in Bengal, where Ganesh and the goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, are the special objects of attention. Some say that even Kubera, the treasurer of the gods and the richest of deities, will pray to Lakshmi on this day. Attention to Kubera and Lakshmi is directed through a lengthy Kubera Lakshmi Puja before an image of Lakshmi and the Sudarsana Kubera Yantra, an image symbolic of Kubera.

References
“Akshay Trittiya.” Soul Lens. Posted at http://soullens.blogspot.com/2008/05/akshay -trittiya.html. Accessed April 15, 2010. Mehta, Gita. Eternal Ganesha. New York: Vendome Press, 2006. Pattanaik, Devdutt. Lakshmi: The Goddess of Wealth and Fortune—An Introduction. Mumbai, India: Vakils Feffer & Simons, 2003.