Akshaya Tritiya or Akha Teej is an auspicious day for Hindus, also celebrated as Varshitap. With the blessings of Lakshmi, Vishnu and Kuber, Akshaya Tritiya is very auspicious for buying gold, silver coins or jewelry, house or property for business and marriage ceremonies.
Akshaya Tritiya, an auspicious Sade Teen Muhurat
Sade Teen Muhurat is based on Hindu Calendar. Sade means half, Teen means three, thus Sade Teen Muhurat means three and a half Muhurat. These three are Ugadi, Akshaya Tritiya, and Vijaya Dashami.
Half Muhurat/ Padyami/ Bestu Varsh
Half Muhurat is Kartik Shukla Paksha Padwa or Padyami (Prathama) – Bali Padyami or Bestu Varsh (Gujarati New Year).
Akshaya Tritiya is one of the most significant Tithi. It is an extremely auspicious yoga period (Shubh Muhurat) of the three and a half or Sade Teen Muhurat to start or buy something new.
With the blessings of Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Vishnu, and God Kuber, one will achieve health, wealth, well-being, and all the important aspectsAngular distances between planets, based on zodiacal longitudes, calculated in specific degrees, viz trine, square, represent relationship between two planets Planets generally influence 3rd, 5th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th house due to their aspect of success, all round prosperity, and unending achievements.
This day is auspicious for planning or making commitments, and starting new relationships.
Akshaya Tritiya is an auspicious day to buy luxury items like a new house, a new car, other luxury items, or gold. A large number of people buy gold ornaments or coins on this particular day.
As per Hindu Vedic astrologyThe study of the influence of celestial bodies on earth and humans, Akshaya Tritiya or Akha Teej is considered a very auspicious day in India and Nepal.
As this Tithi is ruled by Lord Vishnu, many important events took place on this Tithi (day) according to Hindu mythology.
Akshaya Tritiya date, Shubh Muhurat, (timings for Puja) for 2023
Timings for Akshaya Teej or Akshaya Tritiya Muhurat i.e. Puja and performing of all events start on Sunday, April 23, 2023.
What are Three and a half or Sade Teen Shubha Muhurat?
Akshaya Tritiya, an auspicious Sade Teen Muhurat
Sade Teen Muhurat is based on Hindu Calendar. Sade means half, Teen means three, thus Sade Teen Muhurat means three and a half Muhurat. These three are Ugadi, Akshaya Tritiya, and Vijaya Dashami.
Half Muhurat
Half Muhurat is Kartika Shukla Paksha Padwa or Padyami (Prathama) – Bali Padyami or Bestu Varsh (Gujarati New Year).
This means:
i) Gudi Padwa, Ugadi, 1st Tithi of Navratri in Chaitra Maas
ii) Dashahara or Vijaya Dashmi in Ashwin Maas
iii) Akshaya Tritiya or Akha Teej in Vaishakha Maas.
iv) Bali Padyami or Bestu Varsh.
This Tithi is known as Akshaya Tritiya because it never diminishes (Tithi Kshaya) in the Hindu lunar calendar and it comes only once a year.
Akshaya Tritiya is significant because Sun and Moon are in their exalted zodiacHeaven divided into 12 signs, of 30° each signs, at their most powerful position and brightest point on Akshaya Tritiya.
People strongly believe this Tithi brings unending success and good fortune to the people if they start planning a new venture or an auspicious event.
That is why this day is considered significant by both Hindus and Jain.
The meaning of word Akshaya means ‘never diminishing’ or ‘destroying’. Therefore anything attained on this day may bring unending success and happiness.
This day is the birthday of Lord Parasuram God Vishnu’s Avatar the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
How one should worship, and perform Puja and Daan on Akshaya Tritiya?
This auspicious Tithi is ruled by Lord Vishnu. Both Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi are worshiped along with God Kuber by Hindus on this Tithi.
Kuber was blessed with the custody of status, position, prosperity, wealth, and treasure in heaven by Lord Krishna (incarnation of Vishnu) on this day.
To perform Puja, most people observe fast and perform Daan (donation).
Devotees visit the temple in the morning and evening, for worshiping Lord Vishnu first. Then worship Shree Lakshmi with the method we perform Puja during Lakshmi Puja, and offer flowers, especially lotus to God Vishnu and Kuber.
Offer red flowers especially to Goddess Lakshmi first, to please, then Akshat (unbroken rice) fruits and Prasad.
After Bhoga, one should chant Vishnu Sahastranama to please Lord Vishnu and recite Mahalakshmi Strotam to appease Goddess Lakshmi.
Ganesha and Ved Vyasa started to write Mahabharata, Lord Krishna presented Akshaya Patra, the unending bowl of food material to Pandava during their exile.
Lord Krishna conferred unending prosperity and empire to his poor friend Sudama. Krishna transformed his old hut into a royal palace with all the amenities, of this day.
I hope readers must have liked all the above interesting legends based on Puranic Katha and try to attain the best possible positive results through their Punya-karma.
List of charitable things one should donate on this day to please Pitra or our forefathers
i) Jal (water) in copper or silver vessel
ii) Bed or bedding
iii) Vastra (clothes)
iv) Til (sesame seeds)
v) Chandan (sandal wood)
vi) Kumkum
vii) Nariyal (coconut)
viii) Whey (Chhanchh)
ix) Pan (betel)
x) Slippers or shoes
Do’s and don’ts
Perform Jap, Tap, Pavitra snan-daan, Homa, Havan. Punya-karma (deeds), one should perform. Do charity to the poor, needy, and old people.
Do not wear a cotton thread (Upanayana Zanskar) on this day.
Varshitap 2023
Varshitap Parana by Jain falls on this auspicious Tithi/ the third day of Shukla Paksha (bright fortnight) of Vaishakha Maas (month) on Sunday, 23rd April 2023.
Jain people perform rituals on Akshaya Tritiya by remembering and offering a holy bath to the image of Lord Rishabha Dev, the first Tirthankar of Jain with sugarcane juice.
People celebrate the Varshitap Paran, i.e. the ending of his one-year fast (Varshitap) by consuming sugarcane juice on this significant day.
