It has become a new rage to buy and stock gold every year in the name of Akshaya Tritiya, despite the escalating prices of yellow metal, thereby distending the coffers of jewellers. Almost all banks, jewellery outlets and Govt organisations such as MMTC sell gold coins & bars on advance bookings! The cartel may even push for a Govt holiday on AT - who knows?!!
What is the significance of AT? Some say it is on this day that Krishna gave Draupadi the Akshaya Paathram that can serve food or oodles of people. This day also marks Parasurama Jayanti – appearance of Lord Vishnu’s 6th incarnation. Most of them say its on this day that Adi Sankara, as an young boy, sang Kanakadhara Stotram and banished poverty from a poor Brahmin household.
Legend goes thus: Young Sankara during his routine bhikshatana visited the house of a poor Brahmin lady, who had nothing in the house to offer. Upset and worried, she searched for something to offer Sankara and found a Nellikayi (amla fruit) and offered in the bowl of Sankara. Moved at the sight of poverty, the sage in an extempore way composed 22 hymns praising Goddess Lakshmi (the bestower of wealth) and prayed Her to drive away the Brahmin lady’s poverty. Appeased, Goddess Lakshmi showered instantly golden rain (hence the name, kanaka dhara) of Amla fruits.
Let us look at it this way: Akshaya means never-diminishing, inexhaustible, unlimited, non-stop. The Brahmin lady was blessed with fortune because she GAVE whatever she had. Draupadi was blessed with akshaya paathram because she PARTOOK whatever food she had with others.
That means, we can gain something only if we are ready to OFFER the needy something. Instead of hoarding gold coins every year and standing in serpentine queues, I feel it is more rational to spend this day offering some help for the poor and needy. Remember, Nara Seva, Narayana Seva.
So true.
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