~~ www.dharmakshetra.com / blog ~~: April 2010

The month mentioned in the Vedic calendar, Purushottam (Adhik Mas), is very similar to what is known as a blue moon in the West. We have all of heard the expression; " once in a blue Moon". It appears every so often and a good astrologer can easily pin point the exact time Purushottam will appear.

The following are two articles elaborating on this Glorious month . - AJD

Article # 1
All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga

Purusottam, the extra month

This year, 2010, the Vedic calendar has thirteen months instead of twelve. This extra month runs from 15th April to 14th May inclusive, thus splitting the month of Madhusudan into two. In this regard the following article was written by Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj. It was first published in Bengali as the Editorial to the 'Sri Gaudiya Darshan' magazine of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, Nabadwip, of 16th September 1955. The following translation is by Sripad B.P. Tirtha Maharaj, the principal sannyasi of our Kailkhali, Calcutta, Temple.

The Month Of Sri Purusottam

This year there is an extra month, Purusottam Month. It gives a more favourable opportunity for Krishna-Seva and it is a particularly favourable opportunity for the fortunate jivas. Purusottam Month has all good qualities, just like Bhagavan Purusottam, Himself, and is considered the crown of all months. Even the most holy months such as Vaisak Month, cannot be compared with this Purusottam Month. Bhagavan, the Lord Himself, has mercifully accepted this month and given it all His power. We know such things by reading Sri Brihannaradiya Purana.

The materialistic smarta-sampradaya by their karmik standard of judgement avoid performing rituals during this month and they avoid anything considered materially auspicious. By their calculation this extra month is materially barren or gloomy.

In Srimad Bhagavad-gita the Lord says that if we do karma properly then we gain some capacity to enter within jnana.

sarvam karmakhilam partha
jnane parisamapyate

But the fruit of that knowledge, the knower and the known are all nirvisesa, or similar to mukti.

By doing holy activities we may be able to attain heaven, but after finishing that good reaction, we return to this world known as Martya-loka the plain of death. In this way those who aspire for material things have to undergo reactions to their actions.

The devotees of Krishna, however, are worshipers of "kirttaniyah sada harih." Their process of worshiping is given in Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta:

nijabhista krsna-prestha pacheta' lagiya
nirantara seva kare antarmana hana

They are twenty-four hours per day engaged for the Service of the Lord, for they do not have a moment for their own sense enjoyment. They cannot tolerate those who are against doing Seva, especially those who want some result in this world. When they see these types of jivas they dislike them more than hell. We can see many Scriptural examples of this.

Similarly the worshipers of svaguna, the plane within the modes of nature, always show their objection to those who are worshipers of the nirguna — the realm above the modes of nature. There is no lack of Scriptural examples here also.

The smartas, those under the rules of mundane nature, their material duties are already scheduled within the regular twelve months so they dismiss this extra month. However those who continually spend their time in worship and service of the Lord give much attention to this month. They know fruitive activity is a cause of material bondage. However those who desire material results from fruitive activity consider this month to be barren, to be materially unhealthy. Such persons dismiss this month, therefore this extra month feels it is rejected so it feels the necessity to surrender to its Master. The Lord always gives much protection to the surrendered, so He gives all His own wealth and property to this month and in this way it takes on His properties and becomes like Him. Therefore the Lord gave His own Name, Purusottam, making this extra month the king of all months. He Himself glorified this month and gave it to the hand of His most dear devotees whom He loves as Himself. The devotees serve the Lord Goloka Bihari Purusottam very happily in this Purusottam Month, the month when the materialists are very silent in their activities.

Bengali article of Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj,
translated by Sripad B.P. Tirtha Maharaj.

Article # 2

Krishna is very kind because He always presents different ways for us to advance in spiritual life. A nice opportunity is coming up from April 15 to May 13, 2010: the month of Purushottama Adhik Mas. To help the lunar months coincide with the solar year, an extra month, called Purushottama Adhik Mas, is inserted every 30 months, every 2 ½ years. Adhik means extra and mas means month. During Purushottama Adhik Mas certain activities should be avoided such as marriages, signing contracts, beginning new construction, griha pravesham (house warming), etc.

The origin of Purushottam Adhik Mas is explained in the Padma Purana. Every month has a presiding deity, but Adhik Mas was rejected by all the deities: it was thought to be inauspicious because there is no sankranti during this month, meaning that the Sun does not enter any new sign. So originally it was known as Mal Mas (meaning wasted month). Feeling dejected by this, the personified Adhik Mas traveled to Lord Vishnu in Vaikuntha for advice. With heartfelt prayers she requested to be delivered from this inauspicious state. Lord Vishnu blessed her, and sent her to Goloka to meet Lord Krishna, who blessed her with the boon, “I bless you as My own month. Whatever good deeds are done during your reign will outshine works done during all the other months. Works done with devotion during Adhik Mas will amass such great fruits that even the doors to Goloka will open for the devotee. Among all months, you shall reign as the supreme and shall be known by My own name, Purushottama Mas."The Lord then added, “I will forgive all the sins of those who perform penance in Purushottama Adhik Mas.”

Devotional service to be performed:

* Worship Lord Krishna by chanting His holy names: Japa.
* Bathe in a holy river
* Give in charity to a self realized sage or a qualified Brahmin.

Purushottama Adhik Mas is known as Lord Krishna’s month, just as Kartika is Srimati Radharani’s month. Devotees look forward to passing this month in devotion to the Lord, because bhakti is the surest means to salvation in this terrible age of Kali-yuga. The days should be devoted to listening to Krishna katha. Those observing extra devotion, bhakti, during this month gain extra blessings from Lord Krishna, and their sins are washed away. -- Gopal dasi

At a time when the Vietnam War was raging on and the Peace Movement was growing, Srila Prabhupada arrived in America and presented Bhagavad-gita As It Is, a scripture in which Krishna chastises Arjuna for being a pacifist, and tells him to get onto the battlefield and kill.

At the height of the Civil Rights movement and a time when feminism was on the rise, Srila Prabhupada came to teach that spiritually we are all equal, but on the bodily platform it just isn't so.

When an entire generation was turning into bohemian hedonists with slogans like, "If it feels good, do it" and "Turn on, tune in, drop out" and the battle cry, "Sex, drugs and rock n' roll"... Srila Prabhupada introduced bhakti-yoga, a discipline that required followers to give up sex, intoxication, meat eating and gambling.

When growing long hair was so in that the musical "Hair" became a nationwide sensation, Srila Prabhupada instructed his followers to shave their heads.

When other swamis, yogis and gurus were coming from India to the West preaching peace and love and we are all one... Srila Prabhupada called them cheaters, rascals and crows.

When the book "I'm OK, You're OK" came out, Srila Prabhupada remarked, "We say that we are ok, you are not ok."

To say the least, Srila Prabhupada's message was a hard sell given the time, place and circumstances. He was even warned that if he tried to impose such rules and regulations onto Westerners, nobody would listen; no one would take him seriously.

Srila Prabhupada saw through all the superficiality and more than anything else, he saw that we were dissatisfied. We were unhappy. We wanted change. All the experimenting with communes, drugs and sex and all the protesting and rebelling was due to deep feelings of frustration and hopelessness. He told us that we were intelligent to want something better... to want happiness and peace... but we didn't know how to achieve it. He said, "I have come to give you the positive alternative."

Srila Prabhupada never compromised. He was innovative and creative and made some adjustments to accommodate and achieve success in the matter of teaching Krishna consciousness... but he never compromised. He didn't have to. His genuine purity, compassion and love was the force behind the message, which attracted all of us like iron filings to a magnet. We gladly let him turn us hippies into happies... with (as he would describe) shining faces.

Yes, Prabhupada's message was a hard sell and he came alone to a strange, hostile environment to distribute it, as ordered by his guru maharaja. Against all odds he captured our hearts and minds, without ever compromising.

All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga!

By Svarup das