Akshyay means inexhaustible or something that does not decay, does not perish, or in more simple words you do not suffer any loss on account of it. We have a festival in the name of Akshyay Tritiya celebrated on vaishakh shukla tritiya and another festival in a similar name of Akshyay Navami almost after six months of the earlier that is celebrated on Kartik Shukla Navami ie on ninth day of second (bright) fortnight of the month Kartik.
Akshaya Navami is an auspicious lunar day. This is the day Krishna left Vrindavana with Akrura. Parikrama is done of both Mathura and Vrindavana of 54km (32 miles). The popular belief is that the Treta Yuga started on this day. Some people refer the day as the beginning of the Satyuga. An important event on Akshay Navmi is the distribution of alms and receiving of presents.The day is observed as Akshay Navami Parikarama Divas in North India. Goddess Jagadhatri is worshipped on the day in West Bengal.
Also on this day Sun God worshipped Durga and was in return awarded with unlimited gifts possibly in the form of solar properties which are now so beneficial to mankind. The main characteristics which lends the epithet `Akshyay' or Indestructible to this day is that gifts bestowed on this particular day continue to bear blessings for ever. The day is spent by devout Hindus in meditation and prayer to acquire the inexhaustible knowledge of God and thereby attain eternal bliss and peace.
This is the day on which devotees undertake parikrama (circumambulate) of the twin city of Mathura and Vrindavan. They come out of their homes early in the morning before sunrise, barefoot, walk down to Yamuna, take a holy dip, worship Yamuna, smear a little of Braj Raj on their foreheads and then start the Parikrama. Wearing the braj raj on the forehead is said to be assuring salvation to salvation itself. As some enlightened saint of yesteryears mentions:
Vrindavan ki gail mein mukti pade bilkhaye,
Mukti kahe Gopal son, meri mukti bataein |
Padie raho ya gail mein panthi awat jayein,
Brij-raj ud mastak lage, mukti mukt hai jai ||
Meaning goes as: The goddess Salvation (Mukti), lying in the lanes of Vrindavan, is crying. The Goddess is urging Gopal( a lovely name of Lord Krishna, meaning the protector of cows, the cowherd boy) to tell her the way that she herself can be salvaged. The Lord tells her to patiently keep on lying in these lanes of Vrindavan. As the people will walk up and down the lane the dust of Vrindavan (Braj-raj) will raise off the ground by their footfalls and as it touches your forehead you will attain salvation. Such is the divine power of Braj-raj.
So, the devotees wearing braj-raj on their foreheads go around the holy cities of Mathura and Vrindavan. As they start from Vrindavan, walking along the holy river Yamuna, on their way they offer their respects at various temples- Shri Banke Bihari Mandir, Kaliya Dah, Cheer Ghat, Nidhivan, Keshi Ghat, Gopeshwar Mahadev, Jagannath Ghat and finally Godess Durga in Vrindavan. Then they walk towards Mathura, along Yamuna taking the same rout as taken by Lord Krishna when He left Vrindavan on invitation of His maternal uncle Kamsa, and offer pooja at Akroor Ghat temple on their way. On entering Mathura they worship Yamuna again at Vishram Ghat, offer pooja at Dwarkadhesh Temple, Rangeshwar Mahadev, Bhuteshwar Mahadev and Shri Krishna Janmasthan Temple. Then they walk back to Vrindavan through the forests and grasslands where Lord Krishna used to graze cows in his childhood ages ago. The land is considered pious as it bears imprints of Lotus feet of Lord and his friends. By the time they reach back to Vrindavan from head to toe they are laden with pious Braj-raj. Though the ritual is tiring and highly demanding on physical strength of the devotee, it is seen that even seemingly fragile and weak devotees are also able to successfully undertake the parikrama. As we know this is the divine intervention in our lives in the form of enhanced energy and strength that is granted to us for fulfilling such pious ambitions.
On this occasion if you are not able to physically undertake the parikrama we advise you to undertake at least mansik parikrama of the holy land. You can meditate on the image of Brij mandal and mentally walk around Vrindavan and Mathura. Believe in the power of deep meditation and be assured that mansik parikrama will do you as good spiritually as the actual physical parikrama.
Akshaya Navami is also known as the Amla Navami. As per traditions, the Amla tree is also worshipped on Akshaya Navami. Amla has much religious significance attached to it as it is a fruit known to be very dear to lord Vishnu.
The legend behind Amla Navami
One day a Chandala went hunting in the forest. While he hunted for birds and deers, he fell hungry. Seeing an Amla tree, he climbed onto it and ate the sweet Amla fruits. Unfortunately, as he began to climb down, he fell and died. When Yam raj’s attendants to take away his soul, they could not do so. This baffled the Yam raj to a great extent and he seeked help from sages. They enlightened him by saying that they couldn’t approach the Chandala’s body as he had consumed Amla just before he died.
Amla Navami celebration
The festival of Aanvla Navmi or Amla Navami is celebrated with joy by women. Women pray for the success and welfare of their family on the day of Amla Navmi.
Preparation for the Puja
Amla navmi Puja is of special significance for women. This day ladies perform special puja and pray before Indian Goose Berry Tree or Aanvla (Amla) tree. If the aanvla tree is not present in close vicinity of the house, a small branch of the tree can be brought to the house for performing puja.
Requirements:
Method
Puja of Amla Navmi is performed by women for the well being and prosperity of their family. On the day of Amla Navmi, women rise up early in the morning and then take bath and wear new or washed clothes.
All women of near by places gather and move to the place where aanvla tree is present and if the tree is not present then branch of the tree is brought and set in mud or kalash filled with water.
Puja is always performed in a particular direction. This puja for Amla Navmi is performed while facing towards east. First, water is offered to the tree followed by milk, moli, roli, chawal, jaggery, batasha, aanvla, blouse piece and some money.
Deepak and Dhup (Lamp) are lit before the tree then all ladies put tilak (Auspicious red color Mark by roli) on their forehead.
The special trend of Parikrama is practiced in which women revolve around the tree for 8 or 108 times and while moving they wrap the raw white thread or red moli (Red sacred thread) around the Amla tree.
After performing Parikrama, all women sit together and read or listens Katha associated with Amla Navmi. Katha of Bindaayakji is read after the katha of Amla Navmi. There is also the practice of keeping few grains in the hand during katha and later placed in kalash filled with water placed near aanvla tree.
There is also tradition of inviting the Brahmini for food and presenting clothes and dakshina (money).
Women should include goose berry or Amla in their food on the day of Amla navmi.
Akshaya Navami is an auspicious lunar day. This is the day Krishna left Vrindavana with Akrura. Parikrama is done of both Mathura and Vrindavana of 54km (32 miles). The popular belief is that the Treta Yuga started on this day. Some people refer the day as the beginning of the Satyuga. An important event on Akshay Navmi is the distribution of alms and receiving of presents.The day is observed as Akshay Navami Parikarama Divas in North India. Goddess Jagadhatri is worshipped on the day in West Bengal.
Also on this day Sun God worshipped Durga and was in return awarded with unlimited gifts possibly in the form of solar properties which are now so beneficial to mankind. The main characteristics which lends the epithet `Akshyay' or Indestructible to this day is that gifts bestowed on this particular day continue to bear blessings for ever. The day is spent by devout Hindus in meditation and prayer to acquire the inexhaustible knowledge of God and thereby attain eternal bliss and peace.
This is the day on which devotees undertake parikrama (circumambulate) of the twin city of Mathura and Vrindavan. They come out of their homes early in the morning before sunrise, barefoot, walk down to Yamuna, take a holy dip, worship Yamuna, smear a little of Braj Raj on their foreheads and then start the Parikrama. Wearing the braj raj on the forehead is said to be assuring salvation to salvation itself. As some enlightened saint of yesteryears mentions:
Vrindavan ki gail mein mukti pade bilkhaye,
Mukti kahe Gopal son, meri mukti bataein |
Padie raho ya gail mein panthi awat jayein,
Brij-raj ud mastak lage, mukti mukt hai jai ||
Meaning goes as: The goddess Salvation (Mukti), lying in the lanes of Vrindavan, is crying. The Goddess is urging Gopal( a lovely name of Lord Krishna, meaning the protector of cows, the cowherd boy) to tell her the way that she herself can be salvaged. The Lord tells her to patiently keep on lying in these lanes of Vrindavan. As the people will walk up and down the lane the dust of Vrindavan (Braj-raj) will raise off the ground by their footfalls and as it touches your forehead you will attain salvation. Such is the divine power of Braj-raj.
So, the devotees wearing braj-raj on their foreheads go around the holy cities of Mathura and Vrindavan. As they start from Vrindavan, walking along the holy river Yamuna, on their way they offer their respects at various temples- Shri Banke Bihari Mandir, Kaliya Dah, Cheer Ghat, Nidhivan, Keshi Ghat, Gopeshwar Mahadev, Jagannath Ghat and finally Godess Durga in Vrindavan. Then they walk towards Mathura, along Yamuna taking the same rout as taken by Lord Krishna when He left Vrindavan on invitation of His maternal uncle Kamsa, and offer pooja at Akroor Ghat temple on their way. On entering Mathura they worship Yamuna again at Vishram Ghat, offer pooja at Dwarkadhesh Temple, Rangeshwar Mahadev, Bhuteshwar Mahadev and Shri Krishna Janmasthan Temple. Then they walk back to Vrindavan through the forests and grasslands where Lord Krishna used to graze cows in his childhood ages ago. The land is considered pious as it bears imprints of Lotus feet of Lord and his friends. By the time they reach back to Vrindavan from head to toe they are laden with pious Braj-raj. Though the ritual is tiring and highly demanding on physical strength of the devotee, it is seen that even seemingly fragile and weak devotees are also able to successfully undertake the parikrama. As we know this is the divine intervention in our lives in the form of enhanced energy and strength that is granted to us for fulfilling such pious ambitions.
On this occasion if you are not able to physically undertake the parikrama we advise you to undertake at least mansik parikrama of the holy land. You can meditate on the image of Brij mandal and mentally walk around Vrindavan and Mathura. Believe in the power of deep meditation and be assured that mansik parikrama will do you as good spiritually as the actual physical parikrama.
Akshaya Navami is also known as the Amla Navami. As per traditions, the Amla tree is also worshipped on Akshaya Navami. Amla has much religious significance attached to it as it is a fruit known to be very dear to lord Vishnu.
The legend behind Amla Navami
One day a Chandala went hunting in the forest. While he hunted for birds and deers, he fell hungry. Seeing an Amla tree, he climbed onto it and ate the sweet Amla fruits. Unfortunately, as he began to climb down, he fell and died. When Yam raj’s attendants to take away his soul, they could not do so. This baffled the Yam raj to a great extent and he seeked help from sages. They enlightened him by saying that they couldn’t approach the Chandala’s body as he had consumed Amla just before he died.
Amla Navami celebration
The festival of Aanvla Navmi or Amla Navami is celebrated with joy by women. Women pray for the success and welfare of their family on the day of Amla Navmi.
Preparation for the Puja
Amla navmi Puja is of special significance for women. This day ladies perform special puja and pray before Indian Goose Berry Tree or Aanvla (Amla) tree. If the aanvla tree is not present in close vicinity of the house, a small branch of the tree can be brought to the house for performing puja.
Requirements:
- Indian Goose Berry Tree or Aanvla (Amla) tree or branch of the tree.
- Water in a kalash
- Milk
- Roll, moli, chawal, jaggery, batasha
- Raw white thread, moli
- Doop, deepak, matchstick
- Money for offering
- Saree, blouse—piece and dakshina for Brahminis (optional)
- Blouse piece (either red, yellow or pink in color)
Method
Puja of Amla Navmi is performed by women for the well being and prosperity of their family. On the day of Amla Navmi, women rise up early in the morning and then take bath and wear new or washed clothes.
All women of near by places gather and move to the place where aanvla tree is present and if the tree is not present then branch of the tree is brought and set in mud or kalash filled with water.
Puja is always performed in a particular direction. This puja for Amla Navmi is performed while facing towards east. First, water is offered to the tree followed by milk, moli, roli, chawal, jaggery, batasha, aanvla, blouse piece and some money.
Deepak and Dhup (Lamp) are lit before the tree then all ladies put tilak (Auspicious red color Mark by roli) on their forehead.
The special trend of Parikrama is practiced in which women revolve around the tree for 8 or 108 times and while moving they wrap the raw white thread or red moli (Red sacred thread) around the Amla tree.
After performing Parikrama, all women sit together and read or listens Katha associated with Amla Navmi. Katha of Bindaayakji is read after the katha of Amla Navmi. There is also the practice of keeping few grains in the hand during katha and later placed in kalash filled with water placed near aanvla tree.
There is also tradition of inviting the Brahmini for food and presenting clothes and dakshina (money).
Women should include goose berry or Amla in their food on the day of Amla navmi.
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