Akshay Tritiya

Published: 13.05.2005
Updated: 26.05.2013
Alias(es)
Akshay Tritya, Akshaya Tritiya, Akshaya Trutya, Akshya Thruthi, Akshya Tritya, अक्षय तृतीया
Fast breaking day

Holy day in Jain Calender, which goes back to first Tirthankara Adinatha's fasting of one year.

The break of one-year fasting is celebrated on Akshay Tritiya. Akshay Tritiya is ten days after Mahavir Jayanti.

Members of Jain community who observe year long alternative day fasting finish their Tapsaya as well on Akshay Tritiya.

Akshaya Tritiya

Jainism is one of the oldest religions India. Rshabhadevaalias Adinath is the first Tirthankara of the Jains. Tirthankara Rshabhdeva was king of Ayodhya. He being enlightened leaved all earthly pleasures and chosen to ascetic life become a Jain monk. Jain monks do not posses anything with them not even food. They do not even cook food for themselves. While hungry or thirsty, they go to people and ask for food or drinking water. Tirthankara Rshabhdeva also went to people and asked food. However, the people of that time did not know anything about the acts of monks, as he was the first monk in this era. People of Ayodhya offered gold, jewelry, gemstones, elephants, horses, expensive garments and even their daughters to honor their beloved king. Rshabhdeva was not in quest of all these. He wanted food only that nobody offered him. Nobody at that time could guess that their king was asking for food. As there was no choice, he had to fast for long time until his grandson Shreyansha kumara understood his need. Shreyansha kumara, finally, offered him sugar cane juice and Rshabhdeva broke his fast with that juice. The incident happened on the day of Akshaya Tritiya. This is considered by the Jains as one of the best offerings. It is believed that bestowing upon religious gifts on Akshaya Tritiya becomes inexhaustible. Jains, even today, observe long term fast to commemorate their first Tirthankara Rshabhadeva and broke their fast on Akshaya Tritiya with sugar cane juice.       

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Some texts contain  footnotes  and  glossary  entries. To distinguish between them, the links have different colors.
  1. Adinath
  2. Ayodhya
  3. Fasting
  4. Jainism
  5. Jayanti
  6. Mahavir
  7. Mahavir Jayanti
  8. Tirthankara
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