Akshay Patra was granted as a boon to Yudhishthir, by Surya devta, when he prayed to him to help the Pandavs feed every visitor who comes to their ashram during their exile. It was a miraculous bowl, which would keep feeding people until Draupadi took her meal for the day.
Surya gifts Yudhishthira the Akshayapatra ; Image Source: Ramanarayanadatta astri
Pandav brothers wandered across the nation, with their wife Draupadi also known as Draupadi, during their exile and wherever they halted, many saints and people came to meet them. It was difficult for the Pandavs to feed the visitors. Surya Dev granted the boon of Akshaya Patra for 12 years, after Yudhishtir (eldest of the Pandav brothers) prayed to Him. The Patra would keep feeding people, until Draupadi would take her meal. The Patra would not offer food for the rest of the day once Draupadi had eaten.
All the Rishis and Gurus ate to their hearts’ content, thanks to the wonders of Akshaya Patra, which promised a limitless supply of food. After the Akshaya Patra came into their possession, the Pandavs were confident that they could survive in the jungles without concern. Many sages eventually visited the Pandavs’ ashram and were never disappointed by the hospitality of the Pandavs.
The visitors who had been charmed by the Pandavs’ ashram meal began to spread the word and it swiftly travelled throughout the region, including Hastinapur. When Duryodhan learned about the Pandavs’ good fortune, he grew enraged and envious. He was restless and wanted to smear the Pandavs’ reputation. Duryodhan made the decision to retaliate and devised a devious plan.
Since the Kaurav brothers, who were always up to harass the Pandavs, one day, Duryodhan, the eldest of the Kaurav brothers, invited Rishi Durvasa to pay them a visit and enjoy the perks of their hospitalityDuryodhan asked Rishi Durvasa to visit the Pandavs in the jungle during their meeting. Rishi Durvasa was known for his anger and impulsive curses. So, Duryodhan cleverly suggested that Rishi Durvasa visit the Pandavs after Draupadi had finished her meal, so that Rishi Durvasa would get enraged and curse her. Durvasa agreed to Duryodhan’s suggestion and went to the Pandavs in the jungle with his disciples. As per Duryodhan’s plan, Rishi Durvasa reached the Pandav brothers’ ashram just after Draupadi ate her food. Draupadi had taken her meal, thus Akshaya Patra would not offer food that day. Upon this realisation, the Pandavs got worried as they were clueless how they would serve such a big group of people in short span of time.
Draupadi, whose mind was clouded by numerous thoughts, now pleaded to Bhagwan Shree Krishna for help. Bhagwan Shree Krishna appeared in front of her and she explained what had happened. Draupadi was asked by Bhagwan Shree Krishna to fetch the Akshaya Patra. He then noticed a small portion of grain stuck to the Patra’s rim. It was devoured by Bhagwan Shree Krishna. He offered His gratitude to Draupadi and left, saying that his stomach was filled. Draupadi could not fathom what Shree Krishna meant by that.
Rishi Durvasa and his disciples who were taking bath in the river suddenly felt that their stomachs were filled. Since they did not feel like having food anymore, they left Pandavs’ ashram. After they left their ashram, Draupadi realised that Bhagwan Shree Krishna had in fact satiated the hunger of Rishi Durvasa and his disciples, with the single leftover grain in the Patra after she had had her food.
Even today, several NGOs and other groups of people offer food to the destitute under the name of ‘Akshay Patra’, meaning, the food supply would never end and anyone can have food from their organisation at any given point of time.
