Spiritual Importance of the day in TDW

Akshaya Tritiya: The Golden Day - May 13, 2013

Hindus believe in the theory of "mahurats" or auspicious timings in every step in life - be it to begin a new venture or making an important purchase. Akshaya Tritiya is one such momentous occasion, which is considered one of the most auspicious days of the Hindu Calendar. It is believed, any meaningful activity started on this day would be fruitful.

Once a Year

 Akshaya Tritiya falls on the third day of the bright half of Vaishakh month (April-May), when the Sun and Moon are in exaltation; they are simultaneously at their peak of brightness, which happens only once every year.

Holy Day

 Akshaya Tritiya, also known as "Akha Teej", is traditionally the birthday of Lord Parasurama, the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. People conduct special Pujas on this day, bathe in holy rivers, make a charity, offer barley in a sacred fire, and worship Lord Ganesha & Devi Lakshmi on this day.

The Golden Link

 The word "Akshaya" means imperishable or eternal - that which never diminishes. Initiations made or valuables bought on this day are considered to bring success or good fortune. Buying gold is a popular activity on Akshaya Tritiya, as it is the ultimate symbol of wealth and prosperity. Gold and gold jewelry bought and worn on this day signify never diminishing good fortune. Indians celebrate weddings, begin new business ventures, and even plan long journeys on this day.

Myths Around Akshaya Tritiya

The day also marks the beginning of the "SatyaYug" or the Golden Age - the first of the four Yugas. In the Puranas, the holy Hindu scriptures, there is a story that says that on this day of Akshay Tritiya, Veda Vyasa along with Ganesha started writing the great epic Mahabharata. Ganga Devi or Mother Ganges also descended on earth on this day. 

According to another legend, during the time of the Mahabhrata, when the Pandavas were in exile, Lord Krishna, on this day, presented them an 'Akshaya Patra,' a bowl which would never go empty and produce an unlimited supply of food on demand.

The Krishna-Sudama Legend

Perhaps, the most famous of the Akshaya Tritiya stories is the legend of Lord Krishna and Sudama, his poor Brahmin childhood friend. On this day, as the tale goes, Sudama came over to Krishna's palace to request him for some financial help. As a gift for his friend, Sudama had nothing more than a handful of beaten rice or 'poha'. So, he was utterly ashamed to give it to Krishna, but Krishna took the pouch of 'poha' from him and relished having it. Krishna followed the principle of 'Atithi Devo Bhava' or 'the guest is like God' and treated Sudama like a king. His poor friend was so overwhelmed by the warmth and hospitality shown by Krishna, that he could not ask for the financial favor and came home empty handed. Lo and behold! When he reached his place, Sudama's old hut was transformed into a palace! He found his family dressed in royal attire and everything around was new and expensive. Sudama knew that it was a boon from Krishna, who blessed him with more than the wealth he actually intended to ask for. Therefore, Akshaya Tritiya is associated with material gains and wealth acquisition.

Bright Births

 It is also believed that people born during this time shine bright in life. Many luminaries were born during this period: Basaveshwara born on May 4, Ramanujacharya and Adi Shankaracharya on May 6, Swami Chinmayananda on May 8 and Lord Buddha on May 16. Akshaya Tritiya is also celebrated as the birthday of Lord Parashurama, one of the ten avatars of Lord Vishnu.

"Feeding a starved human being and helping the poor with much needed items is the key to receiving material and spiritual blessings". Any sort of Donation on Akshaya Tritiya day produces great returns. If you have been planning to donate, this is the best day.

Gold, especially in India, is much more than just a precious metal as it is part of the fabric of the culture and an inseparable part of belief system. It is the core from which the world was created. In Hindu mythology, the Creator deposited a seed in the waters of the dark and lifeless universe. The seed became a bright cosmic egg as radiant as the Sun and from this was born, the incarnation of the Creator Himself - Brahma. Thus He is referred to as Hiranyagarbha - the one born of gold.

Akshaya Tritiya is the 

•Most Special of all the 3rd Moon Days

•Most Suitable Day to Attract Wealth and Prosperity

•Best Day to Donate to Needy and Poor

•Most Auspicious Day for Starting New Ventures

 Kubera, the Banker in heaven, got his popular position on Akshaya Tritiya day, due to his past habits of giving on this day. 

May Lord Vishnu bless you with wealth and prosperity on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya.

May this Akshaya Tritiya, light up for you.

The hopes of Happy times, And dreams for a year full of smiles!

TDW Wishes you All a Very Happy Akshaya Tritiya!

Temple Development Works - TDW

900-year-old temple to get new lease of life

Kamakshi Samedha Ekambareswar Temple in the foothills

Chief Minister announces in the Assembly Rs. 1 crore for restoration of the temple situated atop hill near Tindivanam.

Neglected over the years, a 900-year-old temple in Villupuram district is set to get a new lease of life with Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Friday announcing Rs. 1 crore for its restoration.

The derelict Mukyachaleeswarar temple is situated atop a hill at Perumukkal village near Tindivanam, while Kamatchi Samedha Ekambareswarar temple is in the foothills.

The temple atop the hill is under the control of the State Archaeology Department and the other one is maintained by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department.

In a suo motu statement in the Assembly, Ms. Jayalalithaa said the temple was originally built in brick and renovated as a granite structure during the reign of Vikrama Chola (1118-35 Christian era). The deity’s Tamil name is Thiruvanmigai Iswaramudayar or Perumukkal Udayar.

S. Vasanthi, Commissioner of the Archaeology Department, said the original brick structure bore testimony to the fact that the Mukyachaleeswarar Temple was existed from ancient times. But the lower temple belonged to a later period and was constructed by Vijayanagar kings around the 15th century. The restoration plan would cover both the temples.

Mukyachaleeswarar temple atop a hill at Perumukkal village near Tindivanam.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), on a request from the HR&CE Department, inspected the temples on May 6 and is preparing a detailed report on restoration and the cost.

“Though it is in extremely bad shape, you cannot call it a non-living temple as a priest regularly visits to perform pooja. The compound wall is 90 per cent destroyed,” said an ASI official, who was on the ASI team that visited the temple. A minute study of the structure had to be done before suggesting restoration.

“We have to take into consideration the original structure and interventions made by subsequent rulers. Different types of lime-mortar paste were used in the past. One type for plastering, one for concrete, one for pasting and one for the weather course,” said ASI officials.

The temple tower and vimana on the top of the sanctum sanctorum are made of brick. There are 60 inscriptions that talk about donations made by Chola, Pandya, Sambuvaraya and Vijayanagar kings.

Officials also felt that Rs. 1 crore was not adequate to carry out the restoration work as the entire temple complex was in a really pathetic condition.

Ms. Jayalalithaa said Tamil Nadu had the largest number of temples as well as epigraphs.

So far, 24,060 epigraphs had been copied. These epigraphs are in Tamil, Brahmi, Vattezhuthu (ancient rounded Tamil script), Grantha, Telugu, Kannada and Nagari scripts.

She said estampages made in 1967 by the Archaeology department were in tatters and on the verge of destruction. The government had decided to salvage them by digitisation. A total of Rs. 50 lakh would be spent on this work, which will take three years to complete.

TDW requests the readers to help for this temple development work in Tindivanam.

Temple Development Works - TDW

Historic Rama temple cries for attention

A Rama temple replete with history in the coastal village (Kanaparthi, a silpakala kshetram in Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh), covered by sand dunes, will vanish from public view forever unless urgent steps are taken to protect it.

Located some 100 to 150 metres from the sea tide level, only the temple tower is visible now.

The sleepy village is full of artefacts of both pre-historic and historic periods throwing light on the rich culture of the Andhra Pradesh people down the ages.

“The temple seems to belong to the period of Chalukyas or Telugu Cholas and calls for a detailed study,” said State Archaeology and Museums in-charge Director G.V. Ramakrishna Rao told The Hindu .

“The site is worthy of protection,” said Mr. Rao, who recently visited the village to take stock of the condition of the State Archaeological Museum, named after Andhra Pradesh’s first Chief Minister T. Prakasam Pantulu in the village.

“I have instructed the Assistant Director [Museums] to send proposals and necessary information,” he added.

“The museum’s caretaker has been asked to liaise with local revenue officials and get boundary and other particulars after perusing the revenue records for us to go ahead with preparation of a historical note,” explained Assistant Director [Museums] S. Bangaraiah.

“Once they are ready we will go ahead with preparation of a detailed project report for consideration by a State-level committee,” he added.

The museum in the village with a wonderful collection of stone inscriptions in Prakrit and Brahmi and other artefacts would be expanded and renovated to showcase the political, socio-economic and cultural aspects of the life of Andhra people for several centuries, Mr. Rao added.

The archaeological evidence found in and around Kanaparthi show that it was a flourishing centre of Buddhism and also Jainism and could be put on the international tourism circuit, felt social activist Komatla Trinatha Reddy, national Gram Ratan awardee.

“The flat beach is an ideal one for sea bathing,” added the former MPTC member and Bharat Nirmal Volunteer.

The museum houses statues of Ganesh, Kumaraswamy, Narayani, Brahmini, Surya, Parasurama, and Varahini, besides numerous Sivalingas of different sizes and shapes, including a finely chiselled “Dhara sivalinga,” with 32 dimensions. Non-indigenous stones were imported for making attractive Sivalingas by expert sculptors at the Yelleswara temple before exporting them to different destinations in south-east Asian countries.

More details

TDW requests the readers to help for this temple development work.

Spiritual Quote in TDW

“The disunited mind is far from wise; how can it meditate? How be at peace? When you know no peace, how can you know joy?”

"Bhagavad Gita"

Spiritual Mantra in TDW

Moola Mantra Of Hindu Gods / Goddesses

Lord Krishna Moola Mantra

The following Lord Krishna Moola Mantra should be chanted 336 times for 21 consecutive days. It will help to bring success in education and also promote more understanding in the family.

It will help to relieve Budha Dosha.

om kleem krishnaya namah

ॐ क्लीं कृष्णाय नमः