What to Do On Akshay Tritiya:
Akshaya Tritiya is considered as one of the most auspicious festivals by Hindus. It marks the setting of Treta Yuga among the other three Yugas (Satya, Dwarpa and Kali).On this auspicious day, one may perform Madhusudhana ritual, with Tulasi archan and also chant Sri Vishnu Sahasranaamam. Also, one may perform charities during this day which will certainly bless the donor.Following are the charities (Daanam) one can undertake:
Jala Daanam: One can offer jala or water to Brahmins with betel nuts and donate to them dakshina, offerings in one’s capacity.
Shayana Daanam: One can donate beds to the needy or the underprivileged.Vasthra Daanam: Vasthra means clothes. One may donate clothes to the needy and be blessed with a long life.
Kunkum daanam: Donating kumkum blesses the donor with higher status in life and the women are blessed with their husbands getting a longer life.
Chandana daanam: Just like others mentioned above, donation of Sandalwood protects the donor from untimely accidents and inauspicious.
Thamboolam: Giving Thamboolam or betel leaf invites prosperity into one’s life. Thamboolam epitomizes spiritual strength and prosperity. It is believed that the betel leaf was produced during the churning of the ocean aimed at extracting amrita, nectar and the leaf is also the abode of all the demigods.
Naarikela Daanam: Donating Naarikela, coconuts to Brahmins relieve our ancestors from agonies of the underworld.Butter milk daanam: Offering butter milk as a charity blesses the donor with vidya prapti, attainment of knowledge.
Udakumbha Daanam: Giving water contained in a bronze or silver vessel along with camphor, saffron, basil leaves (Tulasi) and betel nut assures one of having their desires fulfilled soon. Those who seek a suitable life partner, want to have a child and want to get rid of ancestral curses (Pitru Shraap) must perform this charity on Akshaya Tritiya.
Padaraksha: Donating padaraksha, slippers, shoes, chappals or any footwear will ensure that the donor’s life gets purified and is never subjected to entering Hellish planets after death.
Chatra Daanam: Offering chatra, an umbrella to the needy removes unexpected obstacles from one’s life.Apart from the above donations, one can also donate wheat which is believed to please the Kingof Heaven, Lord Indra who is in charge of rains. And the sufficient rains help grow plants and vegetation on Earth.You may select the donation of your choice or may do all of them. The end results would be cessation of bad karma’s impacting the existing life which a gift from the Lord to realize one’s ownself and their relationship with the Creator.
Holy Bath: Taking bath in the holy river rids one of all inauspiciousness and bad karmic reactions. One may take bath before sunrise in one of the Holy Rivers; Ganges, Yamuna, Godavari, Sindhu, Saraswati, Narmada, Krishna, Bhagirathi, Gandaki, Gomathi, Kaveri and Phalgu.
Popular Pujas performed on Akshaya TritiyaPuja of Goddess Mahalakshmi and Vishnu: Goddess Mahalakshmi is the goddess of wealth. Vishnu is the preserver and one of the Gods of the Trinity. By performing Pujas on this day, the worshipper is bestowed with love, good health, wealth and new opportunities.
Puja of Cow: Cow is considered as holy animal inHindu religion and millions of Hindus worship cows. Cow represents purity, love and ever givingand is the symbol of planet Venus.Puja of Horse: Horse (Ashwa) is considered to be disciple of Mars, which represents command and energy. Performing Ashwa Puja on the auspicious day of Akshaya Tritiya blesses the devotee’s home with positivity and mental peace.
Gaja (Elephant) Puja: If elephants are offered flowers and food while a priest chants the appropriate mantras, it invokes the blessings of Lord Ganesha, the remover of all obstacles.Worshipping Goddess mother Earth: By doing so, one is bestowed with the grace of goddess of foodgrains (Dhaanyalakshmi), the goddess of wealth (Dhanalakshmi) and goddess of prosperity (Vaibhavlakshmi).
