Prince Dharmaraj, the eldest of the Pandavas receiving the divine gift from the Sun god, Surya Bhagwan
The word Akshya Paatra in Sanskrit language means a pot or vessel which can supply in an endless manner, a inexhaustible vessel. As per the legend that appears in the Indian Epic of Mahabharata, Akshya Paatra was a divine gift. It could feed and gratify the physical senses of people in an endless manner.
I am speaking of this story about Akshya Paatra to understand the concept about emptying the mind to discover pure consciousness which is associated with the experience called Joy, Bliss, or Happiness. In the story, Lord Krishna did not choose to provide happiness through gratification of the physical needs of the body. Akshaya Paatra was totally empty and there was nothing left in the pot to feed the guests after Lord Krishna had consumed the last leftover grain at the bottom of the pot. He demonstrated that He could provide gratification and joy while the Pot was empty and had nothing to cater for the physical needs of people.
Dr. R. Rudra Narasimham, B.Sc., M.B.B.S.,
Kurnool Medical College, Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, India,
M.B.B.S. Class of April, 1970.