Adhik Maas is the extra month in a lunar-solar calender that comes after every third year. Thus, the month that does Adhik Mas.
About Adhik Maas
The lunar calendar adds one extra month every third year. This extra month is known by various names: Adhik Maas, Mal Maas, Purushottam Maas, Malimmacha. This is the thirteenth month of the lunar calendar.
Just as there is the lunar year with the extra month (Adhik Maas), so is there a lunar year with a diminished or reduced month, with only eleven months in the year. The lunar year comprising of eleven months only is very rare indeed. It occurs once in 140 years or once in 190 years. But the extra month or Adhik Maas comes every third year. Adhik Maas adopts the name of the month that follows adhik Maas.
Whenever Sankranti does not fall within one month then Adhik Maas occurs. When there are two Sankrantis within one month then it becomes the lunar year with one reduced month (11 months in the year).
Vasishtha Siddhanta (the treatise of Vasishtha) mentions that Adhik Maas or the extra lunar month occurs after every 32 months, 16 days and 8 Ghadis (a Ghadi is a period of 24 minutes and 60 Ghadis equal 24 hours).
It is a fact that the solar year is made up of 365 days and about 06 minutes and the lunar year is made up of 354 days. Thus both the solar and the lunar years have gaps of 11 days, 1 hour, 31 minutes and 12 seconds. As this gap increases each year, it approximates in three years to one month.
Origin of Adhik Maas
In ancient times, the rishis Asit, Deval, Angira, Vamdev and others gathered at Naimisharanya Kshetra. Soon Sutpurani too arrived, while on a pilgrimage. Welcoming him, the others requested him to do katha which would imbue moksha.
Sutji replied, “Once Naradji visited Nar-Narayan rishi’s ashram. He humbly prayed, “O Prabhu! What is the way to moksha in this KaliYuga – age of darkness, which is plunging in ever increasing hedonism?”The rishi replied, “O Muni! If man was to listen to the divine lila of Purushottam Narayan, then even in Kali Yuga, He will grant moksha.”
Therefore the rishis listened to the lila in Adhik Mas, henceforth also known as Purushottam Mas.
Prior to this name, the month was known as Mal Mas (meaning waste).
Since the sun did not enter any rashis during Adhik Mas, people considered it inauspicious and hence referred to it as waste.
Grieved by this blot, Adhik Mas took the form of a human and travelled to Vishnu in Vaikunth. With heartfelt prayers he requested to be delivered from this ignominy and attain honor. Merciful Vishnu blessed him, gracing him Shri Krishna’s darshan in Golok.
In turn Shri Krishna blessed him with the boon, “Henceforth I have accepted Mal Mas! From today, I will uplift him to a status similar to mine.
i.e. “All the virtues that have rendered me fame as Purushottam in this world, and my name Purushottam, I gift both to this month!”
Shri Krishna then added, “Whoever performs satkarmas – good deeds in this month, their misery will be eradicated by these satkarmas. Those who perform penance in this month will conquer their indriyas – senses. Whereas by performing satkarmas in other months one attains Swarg, and also returns (to earth) after their depletion, performing them in Purushottam Mas will totally eradicate punarjanma – cycle of rebirth.
He then added that, “I will forgive all the sins of those who perform penance in Purushottam Mas.
Another story relates how Draupadi, in her past birth as Medhavati suffered spinsterhood. Durvasa rishi instructed her to perform penance in Purushottam Mas, which she hotly refused. Therefore she suffered Durvasa’s curse. To be delivered from his curse she prayed to Mahadevji. When this pleased him, she blurted out a request for a husband five times! This resulted in her being married to the five Pandavas in her next birth, as Draupadi.
Additionally, for insulting Purushottam Mas, she suffered humiliation at the hands of Duhshasan in a packed assembly.
Later, after hearing Purushottam Mas’s katha from Shri Krishna, the Pandavas and Draupadi performed penance in this month and attained peace.
Purushottam Mas’s glory is such that performing penances in any form even unknowingly in this month imbues spiritual merit.
Once a wealthy king named Dradhdhanva in his former birth, being childless, performed penance for a son. When the son was 12 years old he died. In great grief the king and queen forsook food and sleep for a month, sitting near their son’s corpse. This month was Adhik Mas. This earned them Paramatma’s grace, who then resurrected the boy!
There are other similar stories in the Padma Puran extolling Purushottam Mas’s glory.
Significance of Adhik Maas
Regarding Adhik Maas (Mal Maas) Hemadri says that Mal Maas Vrat (Adhik Maaas Vrat) is capable of washing away all the sins of people (who observe the Vrat). During this month mukta, nakta, fasting etc are undertaken and garments etc. are distributed to charities. A beautiful story relates to how, in ancient times, through the observance of Mal Maas Vrat, king Nahush was released from all bondage and acquired the throne of Indra (the ruler of gods in heaven).
It is written in the Devi Bhagavat that charitable and meritorious acts and fastings etc. carried out during this Mal Maas (Adhik Maas), inevitably produce results. Just as atomic sized contents within a seed produce a giant and long living Banyan tree, so in the same manner even a little charitable act done during Mal Maas (Adhik Maas) produces big results.
As mentioned before, Mal Maas or Adhik Maas is also known as Purushottama Maas. There is a nice story about this. According to the lunar year, there were only 12 months. Each of the twelve months was assigned to 12 gods. So that the lunar and the solar years do not get out of step with days and seasons, the far-sighted Rishi-Munis calculated and facilitated Adhik Maas (extra month) and shown its importance. But one problem still remained. Each of the 12 months was assigned to 12 different gods. But the 13th extra month was not assigned to any god. Adhik Maas (Mal Maas) felt sadness and approached Lord Vishnu and said that no god was assigned to him (Adhik Maas) and for that reason he was called Mal Maas or Malimmucha. Adhik Maas further spoke to Lord Vishnu: ‘ I am filled with anxiety and I have therefore come to seek your refuge and help.’
Lord Vishnu took pity on him. The Lord (Vishnu) agreed and assigned Adhik Maas to Himself and gave the name Purushottama Maas to this month. Lord Vishnu also said that acquisition of merits during other months through good deeds, japa, austerities etc can be acquired by japa, austerities etc. carried out within this one month. Since then it is known as the Purushottama Maas and acquired greater significance than the other months.
In a book called Purushottama Granth can be found many aspects of the special religious significance of this month. Many people read or listen to this book during Purushottama Maas (Adhik Maas). By reading and listening, high merits are acquired. There are lots of lovely stories connected with the special significance of this month.
It is written in the Bhavishyottar Purana that fasting or eating once a day should commence on the first day of the bright fortnight (Shukla Paksha) and end on the last day of the dark fortnight (Krishna Paksha). According to ability, distribute to charities and do good deeds.
The Puranas also sing high praises about Adhik Maas and indicate Puja, readings of scriptures etc. during Adhik Maas. Selfless actions, without the expectations of results, are to be performed during Adhik Maas. Mal Maas (Adhik Maas) is the month for Vishnu puja. The recitation of Srimad Bhagavat Purana and of the Bhagavad Gita during this month produce top meritorious results. In addition to singing and listening to the praises of the Lord (Vishnu), undertake Adhik Maas Vrat also. This Vrat is to begin from the first day and ends on the last day of Adhik Maas. Waking up during the hours of Brahma Muhurta (between 4 am and 6 am), after ablutions, place a murti of Radha-Krisha or Lakshmi-Narayana and perform Sodashopachara puja. If there is a temple nearby then perform puja of whatever deities are usually worshipped therein. During the entire month of Mal Maas Vrat eat Sattvic food (vegetarian meals, milk, fruits, nuts, grains, vegetables). One meal at night is recommended. It is written in the Bhavishyottar Purana that Sri Krishna Himself has said regarding Adhik Maas Vrat that by carrying out the Vrat with the sole aim of worshipping God, through fasting, cleanliness, charity, puja etc. merits are acquired which produce unfailing results and all sorts of calamities are overcome.
Rituls of Adhik Maas
In this month, devotees awaken at Brahma Muhurt – around 4.30 a.m. After the ritual ablutions, they perform puja.
They do pranayam for physical and mental purity. If circumstances are favorable devotees should offer Shodshopchar puja – worship with 16 different types of materials.
If physically healthy, devotees should fast; either on water only for the whole month, or do farar, or ektana – one meal a day. The days should be devoted to listening to katha.
The merit of this vrat is greater than that of performing a hundred yagnas, since this leads to attainment of Paramatma’s abode.
Bhagwan Swaminarayan has also enjoined the observance of Purushottam Mas by offering special devotion. The unparalleled feature of this month is that each tithi – date of this month celebrates a sacred festival which falls on that tithi during the year. For example on the first – Padavo, Annakut is celebrated, since it is celebrated on the first of Kartik month, after Diwali.
Hindus worldwide celebrate this sacred month, which arrives every thirty-two months, by performing extra malas, pradakshinas, pilgrimages, scriptural reading and parayans – holding a katha series of a sacred text.
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