Morning Deity worship, 22nd April 2023 | Live Now | Srila Gopal Krishna Goswami

Shingaratan Mandir Marjanado. Yukteswar Bhaktam Chamiyan Jatopi. Vande Guru Sri Charanaravindam. Chaturvidhashi Bhagavad Prasad. Swadhenya Tripta Hari Bhakti Sangam. Kinto prabhore ya hapriya e bataasya. Vande Guru Sri Charanarvindam. Yes, ya prasadad. Bhagavad prasado. Yes, ya prasadad. Nagati kutopi. Dhyayam stuvam tasya yasya astri sandhyam. Vande Guru Sri Charanarvindam. Agaura vārṇī prācārini, nirviśeṣa śūnyavādi, paśchācādhiṣṭhārini, jai Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, prabhūnetyānanda, Śrī-Adhāitva-gadādhara Śrī-Vaṣadi, Gaura-bhakta-vrinda, jaya Sri Krishna, chaitanya Prabhu-nityananda, Sri Adaitva-gadādhara Śrī Vāsade, Gaura-bhakta-vrinda. Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna!

Krishna!

Hari-hari— hari-rāma, hari-rāma— rāma-ṛmohari-hari— Hare Kṛṣṇa! Hare Kṛṣṇa! Krishna! Krishna! Hari-hari— harīrāma, harirāma— Ram, Ram, Hari, Hari, Aum. Namaste, Narsinghaya, Prahlada, Hladadaini, Hiranyaka, Shihipur, Vaksha. Jai Narasimha Dev! Narasinghadev! Narasinghadev! Jayo Narsinghadiv! Jayo Prahlad Maharaj! Prahlad Maharaj! Prahlad Maharaj! Jayo Prahalad Maharaj! Prabhupāda! Prabhupāda! Prabhupāda! Jaye prabhu paadaa! Nayanehri bo sadah, yuga leru parasi. Eyni vedana dhara, sakira nu gata kara. Seva di kara di, karone jadaasi. Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare. Hari Rama, Hari Rama, Rama Rama, Hari Hari.

I am reading this from ISKCON Desire Tree article. It is on Akshaya Tritiya. Chandanyatra starts on this day, which is celebrated as well as the day on which Treta Yuga began. Barley, barley, one of the main ingredients for Homa, which is the Yuga Dharma of Treta Yuga, was also created on this day. Gangadevi also descended to the earth on this day. Many common people have a special puja on this day. 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. Akshaya Tritiya day is very auspicious. It's a very auspicious day. There is no inauspiciousness to be found today, so even checking murtas is considered, is considered unnecessary. So auspicious it is. Whatever one does for devotees and for Krishna that person will get more benefit, and it is eternal benefit and never lost. He said, he said one story of a Brahmana. 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, also he did not have children. So under the strong request of his wife, he went to Vashista Muni to know the reason for his suffering. Vasishta Muni told him that in his previous life he was very rich and also, and also, also had many children, but he was, but he was very stingy. He was not even spending for his own children. This is the reason for his being poor, also without children. So then that Brahmana asked Vasishta Muni why he got a good wife. So the muni replied that somehow, with some reason, he observed the vrata of Vaishakha 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 these last 7 days left of Vaishakha month with devotion to Lord Krishna. Since that Brahmana observed the vrata of Vaishakha 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. It is important to hear such a story, pastimes as this, so that at least by hearing this we engage ourselves in the service of guru. The Vaishnavas and Krishna, thus becoming inspired to always render service to the devotees, is always the beneficiary of such interaction with the Vaishnavas, one's guru, and Lord Sri Krishna. Akshatirthya, from the calendar of the Madhva Vaishnavas. The third day in the bright fortnight of Vaishakha is the day of the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, Parshuram. The icon is decorated with an axe to depict him in a heroic pose. This coincides with the anniversary of passing of Sri Vijayadvaja Tirtha, the 6th, the 6th P. Thadipati in the lineage of Sri Pejwar Mutt. He is famous for his commentary upon the Srimad Bhagavata epic. He lived in the 15th century and his Vrindavana samadhi is in kanva tirtha. So there is also a peepal tree by the side of the Vrindavana under which he is believed to have written his commentary. During the tenure of Sri Pejavara Matha, a special festival is arranged in Sri Krishna Math on this day, and the akshaya patra given by Sri Madhava is offered a special puja. This akshapatra is said to have been given by the Sun God. It is the same pot that Mother Draupadi used to cook in. It is said that from the time of turning it upward for the use on the day, the pot will provide unlimited amount of amounts of foodstuff for the satisfaction of the Lord. There is a story in this connection wherein the angry sage Durvasa came to Draupadi demanding foods. On the Pandavas' return to Hastinapur, they resided in the palace created for them by the demon Maya Danava. Mayasura built this palace out of gratitude to Krishna for saving him in the forest fire in the Khandava forest where he was hiding when Agni devoured it. He also presented Bhima with a magnificent fighting club. After the Rajasuya sacrifice was performed, Duryodhana, being always envious of the Pandavas, came to the mansion created by Maya Bhanda's illusion. Bewildered by illusions of many kinds, Duryodhana mistook the solid floor for water and lifted the end of his garments to walk forward on what he thought was shallow water, but it was solid floor, and after a few more steps he fell into waist-deep water mistaking it for a solid floor. Proud Duryodhana, who was wearing his crown and a costly necklace, was very angry. But when he fell into the water, everyone laughed, especially Draupadi and Bhima. Yudhisthira tried to check the laughing of all the women in the palace by raising his hands and his glances. Lord Krishna, however, encouraged it by the suggestive gestures of his eyebrows. Humiliated and swearing revenge, Duryodhana turned his face downwards and went back to Hastinapur. The Kuru then made a conspiracy to trick Yudhishthira into a gambling match by which the Kauravas Kuru could cheat the Pandavas out of everything with the dice made from Sakuni's bones. During the match, Yudhishthira lost his kingdom, wealth, jewelry, clothing, and finally even gambled and lost his wife. When Dushasana went to fetch the chaste Draupadi, she said she couldn't come to the assembly as she was undergoing her monthly period and was only dressed in one piece of cloth, a simple saree. Draupadi had a beautiful bunch of hair which was sanctified at the ceremonial Rajasuya Yagya, but Dushasana defiled that sacred, sacred lady and grabbed her by her hair, just to insult her. When he started to pull off her saree just to make her naked, Draupadi, realizing that she had no hope to help from her husband as they too had been lost by Yudhishthira, by Yudhishthira being tricked into upholding mundane moralistic codes, and how had no free will to act. Within brackets, though Bhima was transcendentally situated from such sentimental quotes, his brothers tried to make him restrain to follow Yudhisthira's mood and etiquette. Draupadi then sent herself completely surrendered to Krishna, and to the amazement of the assembly, as much saree as Dushasana took from her body, as much again replaced it. Lord Krishna, though protecting his surrendered devotee, decided that for their sinful behavior, the Kurus would be inevitably killed at the Battle of Kurukshetra, and all of their wives would too loosen their hairs in public, but this time as widows. When the Pandavas were exiled to the forest for 12 years after a second gambling match, the Kurus made a clause that after the completion of 12 years, the Pandavas had then to spend 1 year incognito, thus making 13 years all to all total. If during the final year the Pandavas' whereabouts were discovered, they again had to spend another 12 years in the forest. Because, because the Pandavas were concerned how to feed the Brahmanas who accompanied them to the forest, Srimati Draupadi Devi was given a pot by the Sun God called by Akshapatra. So this pot would never be empty until Draupadi had taken her meal and turned the pot upside down. Then it would produce no more for that day. Once Draupadi had finished cooking and had just taken her meal, when the Muni Durvasa arrived with many of his disciples. The angry sage Durvasa and his disciples had secretly been asked to go there by the Kauravas, who knew that by this time Draupadi would have taken a meal., and as she was unable to offer them anything to eat, she would incur the wrath of Durvasa. Durvasa and his disciples went to the river to bathe and freshen up before taking their meal. Draupadi, full of anxiety, prayed to Lord Krishna to help her. Lord Sri Krishna then told Draupadi that if there was a morsel of food left, he would be satisfied if that were offered by Draupadi. His pure devotee with love to him. Seeing a fragment of spinach stuck to the side of the pot, Krishna asked for it. Draupadi offered it to Krishna, and simply by eating that morsel of foodstuff, all of Duryodhana's men and Duryodhana himself became completely fully and fully satisfied, and out of embarrassment slipped away and didn't come to demand a meal meals from Draupadi as the sinful Duryodhana had arranged for them to do. Now, Akshaya Tritiya lecture by Girasoy Maharaj, 3rd May 2022. Bēl, bēl, bēl. Yes, Maharaj. This is Akshaya Tritiya lecture given by It's on 3rd May, uh, 2022. So the day known as Akshaya Tritiya occurs on the 3rd Tritiya day of the waxing moon, waxing moon, in the month of Vaishakha. Every second of this best day is completely auspicious, and so there is no consideration of any one period being better than another. Akshaya means inexhaustible. Anything a person undertakes on the day of Akshaya Tritiya is bound to succeed, especially the performance of devotional activities which guarantee inexhaustible benefit. It is said that Akshaya Tritiya is the day when Treta Yuga began and the river Ganges descended to earth. Also, the festival known as Chandanyatra starts on the Akshaya Tritiya. In the Madhva Sampradaya, Akshaya Tritiya is celebrated as the day of the incarnation of Lord Vishnu as Parshurama. In the Sri Krishna Math monastery, a special festival takes place during which the Akshaya Patra, the marvelous pot gifted by the Sun God to Draupadi, is worshipped. Śrīmatī Draupadi was given the benediction that her pot would provide unlimited food to each meal until she herself ate from it. It appears that the pot came under the custody of Śrīmad Vācārya, and on Akṣaya Tithiya it is worshipped and prasāda is lavishly distributed throughout the day. In Nandagram, where Śrī Kṛṣṇa enjoyed His childhood pastimes, times with Nanda Maharaja and Mother Yashoda, an interesting incident took place on Akshaya Tritiya. When Nanda Maharaja established his residence in Nandagrama, he excavated a large lake then known as Nanda Sarovara. Nanda Maharaja, his family members, and all the Brajavasis used to bathe in that lake, and it is said that while Nanda Maharaja and his family bathed at one end of the lake, Vrishbhanu Maharaj would occasionally come and bathe with his family at the other end. According to local tradition, Srimati Radharani and Krishna used to swim underwater to the middle of the lake and engage in pastimes. One day, little Krishna noticed that instead of cooking the usual meal of rice, dal, sabzi, and chapatis, Mother Yashoda was making all kinds of fried preparations with dal noodles, and flour. When Krishna asked her why she was cooking those things, she replied that Nanda Maharaj was going on a pilgrimage the next day and that the fried things she was cooking would last for several days without spoiling. Krishna then asked where his father was going, and Mother Yashoda replied that he was going to Prayaga. Little Krishna went to Nanda Maharaj and asked him, where Prayaga was and why he was going there. Nand Maharaj explained that Prayaga is the most sacred place where the three rivers Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati meet and flow together, and that to take bath there was most auspicious. The next morning was the Akshatritiya, the perfect day to start a— start on a long journey. As usual, Nand Maharaj got up early and went to take bath in his lake. When he got there, he saw a man he had never seen before, an imposing regal person rolling in the dust. While rolling in the dust, the man laughed loudly. Every now and then he would get up and dive into Nanda Sarovar, and then again he would come out and roll in the dust and laugh, and again bathe in the lake. Nan Maharaj approached the kingly man and asked, Maharaj, who are you? Baba, I am Prayag, the man replied. Prayag? I don't know anyone in Nandagrama with that name. No, no, I am not from here. I am Prayagraj, the king of all holy places, tirthas. And why have you come here today, Maharaj? Baba, all year long people come and bathe in my waters. And leave their sins. So every year on Akshaya Tritiya, I come here, roll in the dust of Raja and bathe in this Sarovar because this dust and this lake have the potency to purify one from all sins. Then Maharaj was amazed. Suddenly he noticed that on the other side of the lake were many beautiful ladies in silk sarees embroidered with gold and silver threads. They were all bathing in the lake. Approaching them respectfully, Nanda Maharaj asked who they were. One lady replied, Baba, I am Ganga. Another, I am Saraswati. And yet another said, I am Godavari. They all responded with the names of different holy rivers— Kuru, Jangala, Kaveri, Narmada, Brahmaputra, Mahananda, etc. Then Nanda Maharaj asked, and why have you come here today? I have never seen you before. The ladies explained that all year long people put their sins within their waters and that every year on the Akshaya Tritiya day they come to Vraja to roll in this dust, bathe in the Sarovara, and become purified. Pavana. After taking his bath, Nanda Maharaja went back up to the hill to his residence. By that time, little Krishna was awake. Coming before his father, he asked, Baba, are you going now? No, Lala, I am not going. Why, Baba? Because today all the places I wanted to go came to take bath in our lake and become purified.

Pavana.

So why should I take the trouble to go to them when they all came here? From that day, Nanda Sarovar became known as Pavana Sarovar. Now on Akshaya Tritiya day, message from His Holiness Jepataka Swami. Krishna says that all months, Kartik is the best, but some of the Puranas say that better than Kartik is Magha, and better than Magha is Vaishakha. In any case, Vaishakha is a special month to do some services like charity, japa, bathing, and rising early and worshiping the Lord. It is especially a a blessed month for doing charity and in general to increase one's devotional service. Of course, if someone is already chanting 16 rounds and attending mangala arati every day and is generally fully engaged in devotional service, then they get all benefits of all the months every month. But if someone is not fully vegetarian or not chanting or not chanting all 16 rounds, then this is a good month to chant some extra rounds or give some extra charity. Or do something extra. For example, they can commit to attend Mangala Aarti for a certain period this month. Of course, already more than a week of Vaishakha month has passed, but we can still take advantage of this month even if we observe 1, 2, or 3 days. Whatever we can do would be beneficial. If we can observe for 2 weeks, that would be really great. Please see how you can increase your devotional service during this Vaishakha month, especially holy ārtha days like Nrsimhācaturdāsī or the Pūrṇima. Immediately after it, then there is the third day of the rising moon, which is known as Akshaya Tritiya or the indestructible tithi. Akshaya Tritiya is the beginning day or the anniversary of Krita Yuga, and it's said that any devotional service or charity you do on that day will last forever. So please take all the mercy that is available on that day. If you are not already getting the full mercy, then this is an opportunity to try to increase your devotional service and get some extra mercy. While some things give you 100+ times the benefit, some things give you much more or even millions of times the benefit. Your well-wisher always, Japa Taka Swami. Krishna says that all months, Kartik is the best, but some of the Puranas say that better than Kartik is Magh and better than Magh is Vaishakha. In any case, Vaishakha is a special month to do some service like charity, japa, bathing, and rising early and worshipping the Lord. It is specially a blessed month for doing charity and in general to increase one's devotional service. Of course, if someone is already chanting 16 rounds and attending mangala arati every day, and is generally fully engaged in devotional service, then they all— then they get all benefits of all the months every month. But if someone is not fully vegetarian or not chanting, or not chanting all 16 rounds, then this is the good month to chant some extra rounds or give some extra charity or do something extra. For example, they can commit to attend mangala arati for a certain period this month. Of course, already more than a week of Vaishakha month has passed, but we can still take advantage, but we can still take advantage of this month even if we observe 1, 2, or 3 days. Whatever we can do would be beneficial. If we can observe for 2 weeks, that would be really great. Please see how you can increase your devotional service during this Vaishakha month. Especially holy are days like Narasimha Chaturdasi, the Purnima immediately after it. Then there is the third day of the rising moon, which is known as Akshatritiya or the indestructible tithi. Akshatritiya is the beginning day or the anniversary of Treta Yuga, and it is said that any devotional service or charity you do on that day will last forever. So please take all the mercy that is available on that day. If you are not already getting a full mercy, then this is an opportunity to try to increase your devotional service and get some extra mercy. While some things give you 100+ times the benefit, some things give you much more or even millions of times the benefit. Your, your well-wisher always, Jai Bhatta Krsnami. Anymore? Now there is a— we are reading from— there is a reading from Shri Caitanya Bhagavat. There is some mention of Akshaya Tritiya in Shrimad— in Caitanya Bhagavat. So we are going to read from that. Text 101. Mahāprabhu led them from Arāhunāla to the bank of Narendra Sarovar in 10 dandas, about 4 hours. At that time, Balarama, Kṛṣṇa and Govinda, the Vijaya-vigraha, arrived at Narendra Sarovar for performing water sports. In the Skanda Purāṇa, It is stated, "Smear fragrant sandalwood paste on My body on the day of Akshaya Tritiya during the waxing moon in the month of Vaishakha." Śrī Puruṣottama Deva ordered His servant, the exalted Vaiṣṇava Śrī Indriya-dumna Deva, to smear fragrant sandalwood paste on His body on the day of Akshaya Tritiya during the waxing moon in the month of Vaishakha. Following this, even today, Lord Jagannatha's Vijaya-vigraha, Sri Madan Mohana, is brought on the palanquin from the temple to Sri Narendra Sarovara every day from Akshaya Tritiya in Vaishakha up to the 8th day of the waxing moon. Sri Madan Mohana Deva enjoys these boat pastimes in the lake along with his ministers headed by Lokanath and Mahadev. Since the Chandanyatra festival of Sri Madan Mohana is held in Sri Narendra Sarovara, the lake is also called Chandana Pukura. The phrase Sri Yatra refers to Chandanyatra. So there was a tumultuous vibration of the chanting of the Lord's holy names mixed with the sounds of metangas, conch shell kettle drums, and other other large drums. The scene was beautified with thousands of umbrellas, flags, and chamaras on all sides. No sound could be heard other than the loud chanting of Jaya Jaya and Hari Hari. In this way, Balaram, Krishna, and Govinda, the Vijaya Vigraha, were brought to the bank of Narendra Sarovara with great pomp. The word Narendra refers to Sri Narendra Sarovara. The associates of the Lord Jagannātha and associates of Lord Caitanya mixed together and everyone forgot themselves in the ecstasy of sankīrtana. Such happiness was experienced when the two groups joined together that it seemed as if the happiness of Vaikuntha had appeared in person. Lord Caitanya personally enjoyed endless happiness and distributed that happiness to everyone in the four directions. Balaram, Krishna, and Govinda were then placed in a boat while devotees on all sides fanned them with chamaras. Lord Gauranga felt satisfied on seeing the boat festival of Balaram, Krishna, and Govinda. Then Lord and his devotees all joyfully jumped into the waters of Narendra Sarovara. Oh brother, oh brothers, now hear the pastime performed by Sri Krishna Chaitanya in the waters of Narendra Sarovara. Previously, the Lord and His cowherd boyfriends formed circles and enjoyed water sports in the Yamuna. In the same way, the Lord and His devotees now formed circles in the water by holding each other's hands. They began their water sports with one well-known Bengali water sports named kaya. So the Vaishnavas called out kaya-kaya. They clapped their hands in the water and produced musical sounds by hitting the water in a certain way. The devotees became absorbed in the mood of the cowherd boys of Gokula, and the Lord accepted the mood of Krishna and the Lord of Gokula. Overwhelmed in ecstasy, the devotees forgot everything and fearlessly splashed water on the Lord. Lord Caitanya and Adaita Acharya began by splashing water and gets poured on each other. While forcefully splashing water in the eyes of each other, sometimes Adaitva would be defeated and the next moment the Lord would be defeated. The word nirghata means forcefully and vigorously. Nityānanda Prabhu, Gadadhara, and Puri Gosvāmī all began water fights with one another. Yet none of them were defeated. Mukunda Datta and Murari Gupta had repeated water fights in which they shouted loudly in ecstasy. The two friends, Pulnik Vidyanidi and Saroop Damodara, smiled as they splashed water on each other in ecstasy. Then the Shriwas, Shri Ram, Haridas, Vakreshwara, Jagadisha, Gopinath, and Chandrashekhar all became overwhelmed in the ecstasy of Lord Caitanya's pastimes as they splashed water on one another. Hundreds of thousands of people in the water took great pleasure as Balaram, Krishna, and Govinda, the Vijayavigraha, rode in a boat. Sannyasis, brahmacharis, and the householders all balls floated in the water of Nanda Sarovara, Narendra Sarovara, and floated in waves of bliss. The word vinaya refers to materially attached person in the grihastha ashrama. The influence of Lord Caitanya is such that less fortunate person could neither see nor enter that place. Those who are less fortunate cannot be counted among the associates of Lord Caitanya, who is controlled only by devotion. One is not qualified to be included among the associates of Śrī Caitanya simply on the strength of ordinary piety or advanced moral life. Accomplishments in extraneous desires, foolish activities, speculative knowledge, and mystic perfection are examples of insignificant piety. Pure devotional service alone is able to diminish the reactions of such activities, and only then is one able to attain the mercy of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Deva. In his commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra 3.3.50, Śrīmad Vācārya has quoted the Mahorāṣṭṛti as follows: Only devotional service can lead one to the Personality of Godhead. Only devotional service can help a devotee meet the Supreme Lord face to face. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is attracted by devotional service, and as such, the ultimate Supremacy of Vedic knowledge rests in knowing the science of devotional service. Lord Vishnu dwells in devotional service. The Supreme Lord Vishnu is controlled only by devotional service. Only through devotional service one can attain His darshana, and only through devotional service does He award one liberation. Knowledge and austerity have no values— have no value without devotional service. They bring only misery. Proficiency in knowledge and austerities that are opposed to the service of the Supreme Lord certainly result in distress. Only a person who has devotion to the Supreme Lord is qualified in real knowledge and austerity. Even though one engages with great endeavor in the mystic yoga system, philosophical speculation, charity, vows, penances, ritualistic sacrifices, teaching of Vedic mantras to others, personal study of the Vedas, or the renounced order of life, still one cannot achieve Me. My dear Uddhava, from Srimad Bhagavatam 11.14.20-21. My dear Uddhava, the unalloyed devotion— My dear Uddhava, the unalloyed devotional service rendered to Me by My devotees bring Me under their control. I cannot be thus controlled by those engaged in mystic yoga, sankhya philosophy, pious work, Vedic study, austerity, or renunciation. Only by practicing unalloyed devotional service with full faith in Me can one obtain Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I am naturally dear to My devotees who take Me as the only goal of their loving service. By engaging in such pure devotional service, even dog-eaters can purify themselves. Themselves from the contamination of their low birth. Chaitanya Bhagavatam Tekhanda 8.132. One can— No, Maharaj, this is Akshaya Tritiya, it's over. Now we are reading from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Print out and open.

Print out.

Significance of Akshaya Tritiya. Lord Parashurama appeared on this day. Second— first— second, River Ganges— River Ganges descended to Earth on this day. Third, this day marks the beginning of Treta Yuga. Fourth, Sudama visited Krishna at Dwarka. Fifth, the Pandavas received Akshatpatra from the Sun God. Sixth, Vyasa Deva started composing Mahabharata on this day. Seventh, Adi Shankaracharya composed Kanakadhara Stotram on this day. 8. Kubera received his wealth and position as custodian of wealth. 9. Goddess Annapurna Devi appeared on this day. 10. Every year the Rath Yatra festival is celebrated at Jagannath Puri. The three chariots of Jagannath, Nandi Gosha, Baladeva— Baladeva— Jagannatha's Nandi Gosha, Baladeva's— and Subhadra Darpa Dalana are newly built every year with the wood of specific trees. The construction of the chariot for Rath Yatra begins on the day of Akshaya Tritiya. 11th, Srila Prabhupada is the founder acharya of ISKCON, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Before starting ISKCON, Śrīla Prabhupāda incorporated a society in India called the League of Devotees at Jhāsi on the auspicious day of Akshaya Tritiya, 16th May, in the year 1953. Auspiciousness. Akshaya Tritiya day is, is the very auspicious day. There is no inauspiciousness to be found today. So even checking muhurtas is considered unnecessary, so auspicious it is. Whatever one does for devotees and for Krishna, that person will get more benefit, and it is eternal benefit and never lost. Meaning, Akshaya Tritiya means that this does not diminish or perish. Hence, Akshaya Tritiya is believed to bring never-ending success and good luck. Every year, Akshaya Tritiya is celebrated on the 3rd day of bright half of lunar Purna month or Vaishakha month of Hindu calendar. The festival of Akshaya Tritiya, which is said to bestow all auspiciousness on any undertaking being started on this day, is observed all over India to commemorate various pastimes of the Lord. It is on this day that Lord Rishabhadeva broke his one-year fast. That he had been observing by drinking sugarcane juice. Also, it is said that when the Pandavas were in exile with Draupadi after having lost in the unfair gambling match with the wicked Duryodhana, they had an akshapatra, a pot, the contents of which were inexhaustible till Draupadi ate. And this was bestowed upon them on this auspicious day 5,000 years ago when Shilavyas gave the the literary incarnation of Krishna, wanted to start writing the fifth Veda, the great epic Mahabharata. He implored Ganesha to be the scribe upon which Ganesha agreed to do as asked on the fulfillment of one condition. He informed Vyāsdeva that he wanted him to speak continuously without stopping or else he would leave writing. Vyāsdeva agreed to this, but in return he too put a condition that Ganesh should not write anything till he understands hands. So when they reached an agreement, the auspicious day of Akshaya Tritiya was chosen to start writing this great literature. The great devotee and friend of Lord Krishna, Sudama Vipra, who was in Rishi Sandipani, Muni's Gurukula with the Lord, visited Dwarka dish on this day and offered Krishna some chipped rice as he was a poor Brahmana, but he saturated it with pure love and devotion. And although the offering of his friends was very meager, the Lord disregarded this and only saw the pure feelings with which Sudama had offered him the rice. And being merciful, the Lord bestowed upon his friend all that one could possibly desire for. This pastime depicts— now, this pastime depicts how Krishna is actually bhava-grahi janardana, meaning that he accepts the bhava or feeling of the devotees without considering whether the offering is opulent or just something simple. In Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna says, patram pushpam phalam toyam yome bhaktiyaprayachati tadambhaktiyubhartam astami pritatmanah. If one offers me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit, or water, I will accept it. Shyamsundara is the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is full of all opulences. All the riches a person may have in this material world come from Him. Then what can one possibly offer Him? Everything in this universe belongs to Him. The only thing that we can offer at the lotus feet of the Lord are our hearts, and Lord is also very eager for our love and devotion. So following the footsteps of the great devotee Sudama, we can also offer our hearts to the Lord, and He certainly accepts accepts us and bestows upon us loving service to his two divine lotus feet. This day also marks the beginning of Chandanyatra, in which the Lord is smeared with sandalwood paste due to the scorching heat of the summer season. This Chandanyatra festival is celebrated over a period of 21 days, in which the devotee makes different arrangements to cool the Lord down and want to give Him relief from the intense heat. Although the Lord is self-sufficient and does not require anything, but the devotees, taking Kṛṣṇa to be their life and soul and most beloved friend, they cannot bear the thought of Him having to experience the burning sun of the summer. They always want Him to be pleased, and hence they take care of Him with so much affection. Shri Shetra or Puri Dham. This festival is celebrated for 42 days in which Utsav Murti of the Jagannath Temple, Madan Mohana, along with other deities of the temple and 5 Shivalingas known as Panch Pandavas are taken in a procession to Narendra Sarovara where they are taken for a boat ride. There is a pastime pertaining to this boat festival In Dwapara Yuga, when Maharaja Virat realized that the Pandavas were— realized that the Pandavas were living incognito in his place for one year in accordance with the condition of the gambling match that the Pandavas lost, he requested Maharaja Yudhisthira that he wanted to have darshan of Lord Krishna, upon which Yudhisthira instructed him to arrange for a nice a good festival for the pleasure of Krishna when he comes. His heart overflowing with joy upon thinking of his good fortune, the king arranged for a beautiful festival, and Lord Krishna along with Balaram blessed him with their divine presence in his kingdom. At that time, the king served them with a splendid gold festival and applied