📅 17-5-2026 to 15-6-2026
✨ Significance, Legend, and Rituals of the Adhika Masa ✨
The profound spiritual importance of Purushottam Masa (also known as Adhika Masa or Mala Masa), the extra month in the Hindu lunar calendar. The divine origin story of Hiranyakashpu, his son Prahlada, and Lord Vishnu, and also Lord Krishna and Radha. The devotees observe its sacred rituals to attain ultimate blessings. This year it has occurred in the month of Jyestha.
🌼 Introduction to the Divine Extra Month 🌼
The Hindu lunar calendar traditionally consists of 12 months, spanning from Chaitra to Phalguna. While Dhanur Masam holds a unique, revered status in Vaishnava culture as a special period dedicated to Lord Vishnu, Purushottama Masa is a distinct astronomical and spiritual phenomenon.
🌙 Occurrence of Adhika Masa 🌙
Occurring approximately once every three years, this extra month arises due to the difference between the solar and lunar cycles, heavily influenced by the movements of the Sun, Moon, tithis (lunar days), and nakshatras (stars). Because this extra month was born out of a structural imbalance in the lunar dates, it was originally deemed Mala Masa (the impure month). While the standard twelve months were assigned presiding deities and celebrated with festivals.
🕉️ Story of Mala Masa 🕉️
Hiranyakashipu performed penance for several years and received a boon from Lord Brahma that he would not die in any of the 12 months created by Brahma, nor during day or night, nor by any weapon, nor by human or animal, nor inside the house or outside the house.
With this boon, his cruelty increased towards the Devathas and also towards his son Prahlada, who was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu.
Then Lord Vishnu appeared as Narasimha Swamy — half animal and half human — and created a 13th month (Adhik Maas). He killed Hiranyakashipu at twilight, on the threshold, using His nails, thus honouring Brahma’s boon.
Thereafter, Mala Masa was left nameless and without a divine guardian. Feeling rejected, the personified month approached Mahakala (the Lord of Time) and Lord Brahma (the Creator of the Universe), pleading for a name and a deity to grant it honour. However, both expressed their inability to help.
Seeking refuge, the month approached Lord Sri Krishna. Moved by its prayers, the compassionate Krishna declared:
“From this day forward, this month will be known by My own name, Purushottama, and I shall be its presiding deity.”
Radha Rani, who was present during this divine declaration, added her supreme blessing too. Those who worship both Radha and Krishna during this sacred month will attain a place in Goloka Vrindavan — a realm far more blissful than Vaikuntha, Kailasa, or any other heavenly paradise.
From that moment onwards, the once-neglected month became the most spiritually potent period of the calendar.
✨ The Spiritual Significance ✨
The core promise of Purushottama Masa is absolute spiritual redemption. It is believed that whoever sincerely worships the consecrated idols or images of Radha and Krishna throughout this month — culminating in acts of charity on the final day of Amavasya (New Moon) — will be completely cleansed of their past karmic sins and granted a permanent residence in Goloka.
🌸 Step-by-Step Rituals for Purushottam Masa 🌸
The beauty of observing Purushottama Masa lies in its flexibility. Devotees are encouraged to perform rituals according to their personal time, financial capacity, and regional or family traditions.
🪔 Clean your altar and place a beautiful idol or photograph of Radha and Krishna.
🌺 Decorate the worship space daily with flowers and draw auspicious geometric rangolis, such as:
- Ashtadal Kamal (8-petaled lotus)
- Sahasra Dal Kamal (thousand-petaled lotus)
- Shatkonam (six-pointed star)
🪔 Daily place a Ghee Lamp on your drawn rangoli before Pooja.
🙏 Perform a simple Archana with 33 names of Lord Purushottam and offer Aarati to Radha and Krishna daily.
🍃 Prepare a Tamboolam consisting of:
- Betel leaves
- Betel nuts
- Fruits
- A coin / Dakshina
Offer this Tamboolam to:
- A Brahmin
- A married woman (Sumangali)
- Or a young unmarried girl
If doing this daily is not possible, aim to perform it at least once during the month or on highly auspicious days.
🌕 On the concluding day of Amavasya, conclude your month-long penance by feeding the needy or offering special Dakshina, clothes, or food grains to a righteous Brahmin to seal the blessings of your fast.
Rituals vary beautifully from region to region and family to family. The Supreme Lord looks at the devotion (Bhava) in your heart rather than the grandeur of the ritual. Perform these steps according to your unique situation and find immense peace.
🌸 33 Names of Lord Purushottama 🌸
- Jishnave Namaḥ
- Vishnave Namaḥ
- Mahāvishnave Namaḥ
- Hariye Namaḥ
- Krishnave Namaḥ
- Adhokshajāya Namaḥ
- Keshavāya Namaḥ
- Mādhavāya Namaḥ
- Rāmāya Namaḥ
- Achyutāya Namaḥ
- Purushottamāya Namaḥ
- Govindāya Namaḥ
- Vāmanāya Namaḥ
- Shrīshāya Namaḥ
- Shrī Kanthāya Namaḥ
- Vishva Sākshine Namaḥ
- Nārāyanāya Namaḥ
- Madhuripave Namaḥ
- Aniruddhāya Namaḥ
- Trivikramāya Namaḥ
- Vāsudevāya Namaḥ
- Jagatkāranāya Namaḥ
- Sheshashāyine Namaḥ
- Sankarshanāya Namaḥ
- Pradyumnāya Namaḥ
- Daityārine Namaḥ
- Vishvatomukhāya Namaḥ
- Janārdhanāya Namaḥ
- Dharādharāya Namaḥ
- Shrīdharāya Namaḥ
- Garudadhvajāya Namaḥ
- Hrishīkeshāya Namaḥ
- Padmanābhāya Namaḥ
🙏 JAI SRI KRISHNA 🙏
