Lord Krishna's Month Back Again After Two and a Half Years

Source http://news.iskcon.org
Wednesday,April 28,2010

(The Vedic calendar is a combined lunar and solar calendar)

Krishna is very kind because He always presents different ways for us to surrender to Him. 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 the temple

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.