Both the Gregorian and Vedic calendars comprise twelve months.
But whereas the number of days in each month varies in the Gregorian calendar,
the Vedic months are all of the same duration: about fourteen days from the new
moon to the full moon and from the full moon to the new. The day of the new
moon is known as amavasya, and the full-moon day is known as purnima. And just
as the Gregorian calendar is periodically adjusted during years known as “leap”
years, the Vedic calendar is also adjusted, every three years. But whereas the
Gregorian adjustment adds one day to the month of February, the Vedic
adjustment adds one month, known as the adhika-masa, to the other twelve.
Adhika means “extra,” and masa means “month.” The word adhika also means
“greater,” and the adhika-masa, also known as purusottama-masa, the month of
Purusottama (Vishnu, or Krishna), is considered to be the greatest of all
months of the Vedic calendar.
As related in the Padma Purana, a very long time ago the great
sage Narada Muni visited the incarnation of Godhead Narayana Rsi at His ashram
in Badarika and humbly requested Him to explain something that would help both
householders and renunciants attain the supreme abode of the Lord. Lord
Narayana agreed and began to explain the glories of the month of Purusottama,
which He said was “fully potent to grant not only all material happiness but
also qualify one to return back to Godhead at the end of life.” Narada Muni had
never heard about that particular month, and he was very eager to learn about
it, including the duties one should perform.
Krishna, in the chapter entitled “Prayers by the Personified
Vedas,” indicates that the Vedas, which emanated from the breathing of
Maha-vishnu, serve Him in personified forms. The Supreme Lord is a person, and
His emanations have personal forms too. The personified form of the earth is
known as Bhumidevi, the Ganges personified is known as Gangadevi, and the
personality of the sun is known as Suryadeva. Likewise, the Vedic months have
personified forms.
So, Lord Narayana told Narada Muni that one day, by the
arrangement of providence, an extra month appeared in this world. People, who
are often afraid or at least suspicious of strangers, turned their backs on the
extra month personified, thinking her to be inauspicious, dirty, and
untouchable. Unhappy, she went to Vaikuntha to explain her situation to Lord
Vishnu. Falling at His lotus feet, she appealed to Him. Crying and crying, she
said that within the whole material manifestation, she alone was unprotected,
without even a name. Lamenting, “I want to die! I want to die!” she fainted at
the lotus feet of the Lord.
Lord Vishnu requested Garuda to fan the extra month, and when
she regained consciousness, He caught her by the hand and brought her straight
to Goloka Vrindavan. She was still crying loudly, and Sri Krishna expressed His
surprise that anyone would cry upon entering Goloka Vrindavan, the rarely
attained supreme abode. After paying His obeisances to Lord Krishna, Vishnu
explained the miserable condition of the extra month and begged Krishna to
please protect her. Now, one might wonder why Lord Vishnu, who is also the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, did not give her protection Himself. In
Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.3.28), we find that all of the incarnations of the Lord
are either plenary portions or portions of plenary portions of Sri Krishna, the
original Personality of Godhead. As such, Krishna’s expansions also take
pleasure in His service and association. So, Lord Vishnu showed compassion and
brought the extra month to Sri Krishna.
Lord Krishna praised Vishnu for bringing Him the extra month
and said that because Vishnu had already accepted her, He would accept her too.
Not only that, but He would also infuse her with all of His opulences,
potencies, and divine qualities.“Named after Me,” Sri Krishna said, “this
month will be famous in this world as the Purusottama masa, and I Myself will
become her protector. Everyone should offer respect to her and worship her. She
will be as qualified as I am to give any type of benediction to the worshipper.
Just by worshipping her, one can burn all of one’s past sinful reactions to
ashes, enjoy a blissful life in the material world, and at the end return back
to Godhead. Those who perform austerities, observe vows of celibacy, engage in
pious activities, or fast for their entire life cannot attain My Goloka. But
simply by practicing devotional service during this sacred month of
Purusottama, anyone can easily perfect his life.”
The Lord gave a specific list of activities to be performed
during the month of Purusottama: chanting His holy name, especially the
maha-mantra: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama,
Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare; singing bhajanas glorifying His activities;
studying Srimad-Bhagavatam and the Bhagavad-gita (especially the fifteenth
chapter, which deals with purusottama-yoga, “The Yoga of the Supreme Person”);
giving in charity according to the directions given in the seventeenth chapter
of the Gita; and offering ghee lamps daily. If possible, one should also bathe
in a holy river at sunrise, offer tulasi leaves and flowers to the Deity,
circumambulate the temple, and worship the tulasi plant. Also, one should try
to rise early; eat simply; observe celibacy; minimize one’s bodily demands; and
be careful not to blaspheme or offend anyone, especially devotees, brahmans,
saintly persons, cows, and the scriptures.
Upon hearing Sri Narayana Rsi’s glorification of the
Purusottama month, Narada Muni prostrated himself again and again at the lotus
feet of the Lord, exclaiming, “Oh, this Purusottama month is the best of all
months, the best of all kinds of vows and austerities. Even if one just hears
her glories faithfully, one will achieve devotional service to the Supreme Lord
Purusottama and all of one’s sinful reactions will be nullified. One who
performs the Purusottama vrata [vow] and worships her properly will achieve
unlimited merit and thus attain Goloka.” Picking up his vina, Narada Muni
continued, “O Lord, now my heart and mind are completely satisfied. All glories
unto You! All glories unto You! And all glories unto the sacred month of
Purusottama!”
