Chandana Yatra and Akshaya Tritiya – 20 Significances!
Chandana Yatra and Akshaya Tritiya fall on the same day. Let us read their significances here:
(1) Chandana yatra starts on the third lunar day of the waxing moon of Vaisakha month, and continues for twenty days.
(2) Lord Jagannatha gave direct instructions to King Indradyumna to perform this festival at this time.
(LORD JAGANNATHA OF PURI – A to Z DETAILS YOU SHOULD KNOW! READ HERE!)
(3) Smearing the body of the Lord with the ointments like sandalwood paste except His eyes. Since the month of Vaisakha is very hot in India, the cooling effect of the sandalwood is very pleasing to the body of the Lord.
(4) The utsava murtis (functional Deities – Vijay utsav) are taken on procession and are placed in a boat in the temple pond. To commemorate this festival, Lord Caitanya also carried out water sports with his devotees.
(5) Chandana yatra day is the day on which treta yuga began.
(6) Barley, one of the main ingredients for homa, which is the yuga dharma of Treta Yuga, was also created on this day.
(7) Ganga devi also descended to earth on this day.
(8) One should bathe in a sacred river, give charity, perform japa and offer barley in a sacred fire, and offer barley preparations to the deity.
Significance of Akshaya Tritiya
(9) Akshaya Tritiya day is the very auspicious day – even checking muhurthas is considered unnecessary.
(10) Whatever one does for devotees, and for Krishna that person will get more benefit and it is eternal benefit and never lost.
(ODANA SASTHI – CEREMONY FOR LORD JAGANNATHA – STORY! READ HERE!)
(11) A STORY RELATED TO AKSHAYA TRITIYA
IF YOU GIFT MORE, YOU WILL GET MORE!
There was a brahmana who had a very good wife and was poor. Whatever little money he got would get spent somehow. Also he did not have children. So under the strong request of his wife he went to Vasishta muni to know the reason for his suffering. Vasishta muni told him that in his previous life he was very rich and also had many children. But he was very stingy, he did not spend for charity and was not even spending for his own children. This is the reason for his being poor, also without children.
Then that brahmana asked Vasishta muni why he got a good wife. So that Muni replied that somehow with some reason, he observed that the vrata of Vaishaka month for the last 5 days. So he got a good wife and also the brahmana birth. Then the muni advised him to follow at least the last 7 days left of Vaishaka month, with devotion to Lord Krishna.
Since that brahmana observed the vrata of Vaishaka month for that at least the left out 7 days, he got sons, he became rich, ultimately he got Love of Godhead and went back to the spiritual world.
(LORD JAGANNATHA AND THE PROUD DEVOTEE: A TRUE STORY! READ HERE!)
(12) Akshaya tritiya is the third day in the bright fortnight of vaishaakha is the day of the incarnation of Lord Vishnu as Parashurama. The icon is decorated with an axe, to depict Him in a heroic pose.
(13) When Pandavas were in exile in the forest for 12 years, the akshaya patra is said to have been given by the Sun god today, that mother Draupadi used to cook in when they . It is said that from the time of turning it upwards for use on a day the pot will provide unlimited amounts of foodstuffs for the satisfaction of the Lord. There is a story in this connection wherein the angry sage Durvasas came to Draupadi demanding foods:
(14) Each second on the Akshaya Trithiya day is auspicious. It is said that there is no need to look for a ‘muhurat’ on the day. The word Akshaya means ‘that which never diminishes’ and the day is ideal for beginning new ventures as it is believed that all investments on this day appreciates.
(15) It is believed that the sun and the moon are most radiant and best placed on the day. Therefore it is one of the most popular dates in Hindu calendar for marriages, for beginning new ventures
(Why and How Ganapati wrote Mahabharatha and Bhagavad Gita? READ HERE!)
(16) Parashuram Jayanti is also observed on Akshaya Tritiya day. Sudama or Kuchela visiting Lord Krishna in Dwarka with a handful of beaten rice (poha or aval) and he became rich for giving pressed rice to Krishna happened on this day.
(17) The Sage Vyasa began the composition of Mahabharata on the day. The construction of the charitos for Ratha Yatra begins on the day of Akshaya Tritiya.
(18) Adi Sankaracharya composed Kanakadhara Stotram on this day.
(19) Lord Vishnu and his incarnations are worshiped on the day. People also conduct Lakshmi puja on Akshaya Tritiya. But nowadays, Akshaya Trithiya is associated with gold purchase and many people wait for the day to make investments in gold.
(20) You can do a simple Vishnu pooja in the morning with Tulsi leaves and flowers. Some people also perform an elaborate Lakshmi puja or Lakshmi kubera homa.
DONATE TODAY AND GET MANY TIMES MORE IN FUTURE
Kubera received his wealth and position as custodian of wealth and It is said that Goddess Annapoorna Devi appeared on this day.
When a person donates to the brahmanas or vaishnavas or for Krishna sevas, it is considered very auspicious and they get abundant wealth in life in future as the name AKSHAYA suggests and as abundantly given by Akshaya patra.
(YOU CAN DONATE TO THIS SERVICE ON THIS AUSPICIOUS DAY HERE.)
Offering food to the poor is also recommended to do on this day. There is a popular belief that whatever one invests in on the day of Chandana Yatra and Akshaya Tritiya will continue to grow and bring prosperity. Therefore people invest in gold on the day.
(IS KRISHNA TRUE? DOES KRISHNA EXIST? HOW TO AVOID DOUBTS? READ HERE!)