Understanding Akshaya Tritiya; the Hindu festival of new beginnings

The root of this day and its significance is in the spiritual message of the eternal sustaining of anything that surmounts and transcends human limitation

By Surya Vishwa 

Akshaya Tritiya is a festival falling on 10 May commemorating the eternal or continual sustaining of new endeavours and is based on Hindu belief systems; ‘Hindu’ is a generic ancient term used to encompass a people domiciled around the Indus valley.

“Akshaya” is translated as eternal, while “Tritiya” means third and refers to the cosmic trinity that the crux of Hinduism is based upon – the creative overarching force; Brahma, the universal destructive force – such as of evil which is understood through the concept of uprooting, represented as Shiva and the sustaining of that which is beneficial through preservation understood through Vishnu.

While these terms are today strongly linked with human like imagery who we are used to identifying with, a delving into an in-depth search for meaning beyond the cursory will reveal to us the deeper networks that bridge the cosmic intelligence with the human search for understanding across the continuous evolution of time. This will show us a labyrinth of interpretations that will keep bringing our connection back to the energies of the universe. 

These are branches of knowledge that the ancient students and seekers perfected, using the deserts, the caves and the forests as their house of learning, placing themselves directly upon the earth and under the knowing roof of the sky, humbling themselves enough to treat the universe as the teacher. 

This is not the attitude we have today where we treat ourselves as the master and the cosmos as a subject. In this mental condition we are just rote believers or practitioners of ‘religion’ without diffusing ourselves within the core kernel of realisation. 

Complexities of philosophically linked or spiritually intricate explanation is not for all of society and this is why belief systems evolve over time into branches of mythology, tradition and ritual which is preferred by masses of any society. This is why the shell of religion thrives as opposed to the nectar of spirituality. 

Yet, every myth is based on a significant core and this is the same for the Aksahaya Tritiya which has its share of legends associated with the avatars of Vishnu and at ancient societal level is associated with the Pandavas who are amongst the central figures of the Hindu epic the Mahabharatha. 

It is believed that the Pandavas described as righteous were prevented from want by being provided for in terms of sustenance by Lord Krishna considered an avatar of Vishnu. With the advent of time across the lost archaeology of history, there are individuals of elevated ideals who serve mankind with godlike devotion and they are duly placed within legends and fables until their human significance cannot be traced. They are then deemed as gabled deity or avatars of more ancient gods.

The name eternal in Akshaya Thritiya is in today’s commercial world viewed as a day associated with good luck, for investment and purchases such as gold. However the root of this day and its significance is in the spiritual message of the eternal sustaining of anything that surmounts and transcends human limitation – such as devotedness, unselfish love, compassion and generosity. 

Within the framework of this spiritual analysis which co-relates to the cosmic energy levels associated with the cycles of the sun falling upon this day, as understood by ancient astronomers, it is considered auspicious for the start of any new activity, resolution or project.

Our wish in understanding the significance of the universal energy linked with this day is for the eternal abundance of prosperity to loom large in every human heart and nestle within the supreme bliss of unconditional love for all of humanity. 

(The writer is a student of comparative spirituality and a seeker of integrated 

understanding.)