Today, the sacred अक्षय तृतीया (akṣaya tṛtīyā) begins and extends till part of tomorrow. Astrologically, it falls on the शुक्लपक्ष तृतिया तिथि (śuklapakṣa tṛtiyā tithi – thrid day of the waxing/bright moon) immediately following the सर्व अमावस्य (sarva amāvasya – universal no moon day). This year, the sacred event is spread between today and tomorrow
According to the historic account in the महाभारत इतिहास शास्त्र (mahābhārata itihāsa śāstra), it is on this date the sacred अक्षय पात्र (akṣaya pātra – inexhaustible vessel) was gifted to द्रौपदी (draupadī) the pious consort of पञ्च पाण्डव (pañca pāṇḍava) by भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण परमात्म (bhagavān śrīkṛṣṇa paramātma). In some alternate versions of the legend, it was gifted by to सूर्य देव (sūrya deva) to धर्मराज युधिष्ट्र (dharmarāja yudhiṣṭra). In a theological perspective both these देवत (devata - deities) are aspects of सूर्य नारयण (sūrya nārayaṇa) - पर ब्रह्मन् (para brahman). Incidentally, according to लिङ्ग महा पुराण (liṅga mahā purāṇa) today is also celebrated as the महा अवतार दिन (mahā avatāra dina) of पराशक्ति (parāśakti) the Divine consort of परमशिव (paramaśiva), as श्री महा अन्नपूरणेश्वरी (śrī mahā annapūraṇeśvarī – goddess of food).
We all know that अन्नम् (annam - food) is the greatest source of आधार शक्ति (ādhāra śakti – essential energy) that sustains the physical universe. In fact, that is why, this physical plane is called अन्नमय कोश (annamaya kośa – food sheath) according to तैत्रीय उपणिषद् (taitrīya upaṇiṣad). Thus, today is considered very auspicious for sincerely worshipping and contemplating on God, to grant us the sufficient and consistent availability of healthy and hygienic food supply to all forms of life, all through the year, as glorified by श्री आदि शंकराचार्य भगवत्पाद (śrī ādi śaṁkarācārya bhagavatpāda) in his equilogical masterpiece - अन्नपूरणी स्तोत्र (annapūraṇī stotra)
However, the significance of अन्नम् (annam - food) is not just the confined to satiation of our biophysical hunger. The concept has a more holistic scope in spirituality and that is why the deity is called अन्न पूरणी (anna pūraṇī – holistic/complete food). Please remember that philosophically अक्षय (akṣaya - imperishable) represents the सत् चित् अनन्त ब्रह्मन् (sat cit ananta brahman – boundless omnipresent omniscient divinity), what गीतचार्य भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण परमात्म (gītacārya bhagavān śrīkṛṣṇa paramātma) calls अक्षरं ब्रह्म परमं (akṣaraṁ brahma paramaṁ - supreme indestructible divinity) in श्रीमद् भग्वत् गीता (śrīmad bhagvat gītā). Esoterically, पञ्च पाण्डव (pañca pāṇḍava) corresponds to पञ्च ज्ञानेन्द्रिय (pañca jñānendriya – cognitive senses) while पाञ्जाली / द्रौपदी (pāñjālī / draupadī) corresponds to the मनस् / चेतना तत्त्व (manas / cetanā tattva – mind / consciousness principle). In other words, giftingअक्षय पात्र (akṣaya pātra – inexhaustible vessel) symbolizes blessing the supra-mental wisdom as ज्ञान अन्नदान (jñāna annadāna – wisdom as food donation) to the मनस् / चेतना तत्त्व (manas / cetanā tattva – mind / consciousness principle). In fact, in the subsequent verses of अन्नपूरणी स्तोत्र (annapūraṇī stotra), there is seeking for prayers to श्री महा अन्नपूरणेश्वरी (śrī mahā annapūraṇeśvarī – goddess of food) for bestowing such perfect streams of spiritual enlightenment.
This is why It is considered very auspicious to do अन्नदान (annadāna - food donation / sharing) as well as विद्या दान (vidyā dāna - knowledge sharing)
Moreover, mythologically, it is the day on which the पवित्र गङ्गा (pavitra gaṅgā - holy ganges) is supposed to have flown down from शिरस् परमेशिवस्य (śiras parameśivasya -head of Lord Shiva). This flow symbolizes the downstream flow of good luck and prosperity. In esoteric spirituality it represents the downstream of ज्ञानामृत परमानन्दम (jñānāmṛta paramānandam – supreme bliss of gnostic ambrosia) flowing down from ब्रमरन्ध्र (bramarandhra - divine crevice) which is the अव्यक्त द्वादशान्त (avyakta dvādaśānta – twelveth endpoint), located in the सहस्रार पद्म कुण्डलिनी शक्ति चक्र (sahasrāra padma kuṇḍalinī śakti cakra – thoucand petalled lotus center of bio-magnetic spiritual energy). The noble saint திருவள்ளுவப்பெருமானார் (thiruvaLLuvapperumaanaar) in his famous esoteric text ஞான வெட்டியான் (Gnaana vettiyaan) exclaims on the concept thus
It is also the sacred परशुराम जयन्ती (paraśurāma jayantī) who is षष्टक महा विभव अवतार (ṣaṣṭaka mahā vibhava avatāra – sixth supreme glorious incarnation) of Lord महा विष्णु (mahā viṣṇu) incarnated marking the beginning of the त्रेतायुग (tretāyuga).
