Vaishakha masam also spelled as Vaisakh mas is the favourite month for Lord Vishnu. Worshipping Lord Vishnu in Vaishakh month is considered as very auspicious. It is the most auspicious mas and the month of prosperity among all the months.
Significance and Importance of Vaishakh Month – Vaisakha Masa Mahatmya:
According to Sage Narada, the three months – Kartika masam, Magha masam and Vaisakha mas are the most auspicious months. But among these three months, Vaisakha mas is the supreme. Vaisakha mas has the sacredness to cleanse the sins of previous births and free the devotee from the result of his bad deeds.
Vaisakha mas is the auspicious month for good deeds such as pujas, yagna, homa, rituals, customs, and tapasya (penance).
In Vaisakha month, Lord Vishnu tests his bhakta, as those who stay without any vrata or charity; suffer from hurdles and obstacles in his future.
People believe that it is very easy to attain the four ultimate aims of human life (chatur purusharthas) – Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha with Vaisakha dharma. Rituals, customs and traditions, collectively called as Vaisakha dharma grants the devotees good health, fame, sustenance and unending blessings of Lord Vishnu.
Balarama Jayanthi, birthday of Lord Balaram or Appearance day of Lord Balaram is celebrated on Vaishakha Shudda Tadiya. The Appearance day of Lord Balaram is also celebrated as Akshay Tritiya and Parashurama Jayanti.
When is Balarama Jayanti or Appearance Day of Balaram celebrated in 2009?
In 2009, Balarama Jayanti is celebrated on April 27, Monday. This day is also observed as Akshay Tritiya.
Legend and Story of Lord Balaram – Balarama Avatar:
According to some Puranas, Lord Balaram was the ninth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Balaram was the older brother of Lord Sri Krishna. Balaram was very powerful that he demolished the large demon, Asuradhenuka. Asuradhenuka was the great demon who had the manifestation of a donkey. When another great demon attacked and lifted him on his shoulders, very young Balaram thrashed the demon’s brain with his fist and killed him.
Some Hindu scriptures also explain that Balaram was not an incarnation of Lord Vishnu but of the great serpent god Aadi Sesha. Aadisesha is the serpent on whom Lord Vishnu reclines.
Lord Balarama – the Haldhari:
As Balaram’s chief weapon is ploughshare (hal), he is also called as ‘Haldhari’. He is also considered as the Lord of agriculture.
Balaram’s Role in Kamsa Vadha – Killing of the Demon Kamsa:
Right from the moment when Sri Krishna went to Mathura, Lord Balaram was with him till he demolished the demon Kamsa. Mahabharata describes that Balaram taught Duryodhana and Bheema, how to use the Gadha (mace).
Parasurama Jayanthi is observed on Vaishkha Shudda Tadiya (third day of Shukla Paksha in Vaishakha Masam). This day is also celebrated as Akshay Tritiya. In 2010, Parasurama Jayanti date is May 16, 2010.
Parsu is a weapon like axe adopted by Lord Parasuram. Lord Parasuram was the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Parashuram was born in Satyu-Yuga and stayed alive till Mahabharata time (Dwapara Yuga). Some scriptures say that Lord Parashuram will stay alive until the Universe faces the Mahapralaya (deluge).
Significance and Purpose of Parasurama Avatar:
The main purpose of the avatar of Lord Parashurama, the sixth incarnation of Vishnu, to make the earth free from the burden of cruel kshatriya kings by defeating the evilness of them as they neglected their regular duties as kings.
The kshatriya kings of the earth became very cruel and were performing many anti-religious acts in the Satya-Yug. Goddess Prithvi (Mother Earth) was unbearable of all these ridiculous acts of the kings and went to Lord Sri Maha Vishnu and worshipped the Lord to relieve her form this. Lord Vishnu appeared in front of Mother Earth and assured that he will incarnate as Parasurama, a . Parasuram has taken revenge of his father’s brutal murder by a kshatriya king and relieved the Mother Earth by slaying all kshatriya kings of the earth.
Temples and Holy Places of Lord Parashuram:
Lord Parasurama was the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, but he is not worshipped as much as Lord Sri Rama and Lord Sri Krishna. The worship of Lord Parasurama is also very strange as we can’t compare it with other worship procedures, as the Lord is the Avesha Avatara like Lord Narasimha Swamy.
In Maharahstra, there is a temple for Lord Parsurama at Lote Parshurama in Ratnagiri district. The Konkan area is called as Parashurama Bhoomi (the land of Parshurama) because Lord Parshurama is considered as the creator of the Konkan coast. There are several temples for Lord Parsuram in Gujarat (Bharuch and Songadh), Maharashtra (Akkalkot, Khopali) and in Jammu Kashmir (Akhnoor).
Rituals and Customs of Parsurama Jayanti:
Parsurama Jayanti is a very important festival for Brahmins as the Lord was also a brahmin. They worship him with utmost devotion and in regions; people observe fasting as the festival coincides with Akshay Tritiya.
