7th May 2008

Blessed Souls and Immortal Self,

I offer my earnest wishes on this very auspicious day of the soli-lunar calendar. This day of Vaishākha-shukla-tritiyā, or the third lunar day of the bright half of soli-lunar month Vaishākha, is known as the Axaya-trityā. Spiritual practices, including meditation or gifting, become immortalized, and hence the name “Axaya” or imperishable. According to the soli-lunar cycles, we are currently in Kali-yuga. Today marks the memorial for when Tretā-yuga era had begun, wherein a yuga heralds a long period of thousands of soli-lunar years in the cycles of time and its beginning or end marks a special transition. Just as this Vedic calendar is cyclically endless, this day harnesses the spirit of limitlessness hidden within our actions limited by physical momentum.

The fruits of noble deeds on this day gather an imperishable momentum. Any meditation or genuine gifting acquires merits that imbibe the soul’s endless eternal spirit. The tradition calls for donating grains or rice equivalent to one’s body weight as a charitable gift on this day so that the act generates a momentum of sharing bounties with the needy. Mystics, yogis and monks undertake severe spiritual penance and meditate maximally on this day to usher major breakthroughs. Similarly, the day calls for any server, seeker or devotee to make noble resolutions. Firm conviction ensues from such vows and the auspiciousness of this day makes it a greater possibility for resolutions to stick over time. Therefore, noble vows or acts made this day cultivate the immortal essence within us and recapture the spiritual momentum riding beneath the changing material world.

The Sanskrit verse: Snātwā hutwā cha datwā cha japtwānanta-phalam labhet signifies the spirit of today’s potential. The verse means that on this occasion holy bathing, genuine giving, meditating, penancing and offering oblations to ceremonial fire fructify endlessly. Vespers to one’s altar and offering ablutions to mark this day would also embellish all around benevolence. I pray that you become strong through your noble resolutions and grow in your spiritual conviction from this day onward.

With my abounding holy blessings,

Swami Vidyadhishananda