PURUSHOTTAMA MONTH – GLORIES!
(From Padma Purana)
Lord Narayana spoke to Narada from His moon-like lotus mouth:
“O Narada, I will tell you something which was previously explained by Lord Sri Krishna to Maharaja Yudhisthira. Once Dharmaraja Yudhisthira lost everything-his empire, his palace and even his chaste wife Draupadi-to Duryodhana in a gambling match. At that time, Draupadi was insulted by Dusasana in front of the whole royal
assembly. But when Dusasana had tried to strip Draupadi, she was saved from such a dangerous situation by Lord Sri Krishna.
After this incident, Yudhisthira Maharaja along with his brothers and wife left
his kingdom and lived in Kamyavan, Vrindavan.
Once Sri Krishna, son of Devaki, visited the Pandavas in that forest. All the
Pandavas, including Draupadi, were very happy to see their Lord, and they
forgot their painful forest life immediately. They felt enriched with a new life
just by taking Sri Krishna’s darshan. They paid their obeisances at their
Lord’s lotus feet.
Seeing the miserable condition of the Pandavas, Sri Krishna became very upset, and at the same time He became very angry towards Duryodhana. It appeared as if the Lord was going to destroy the whole universe, and so the Pandavas became fearful and all began to pray to the Lord in a humble mood.
Listening to the humble prayers of Arjuna, the Lord composed Himself and said, “Oh Arjuna, being very pleased with all of you Pandavas, and being controlled by your devotion and friendship towards Me, I will now tell you about the wonderful history of Purushottama month.
Once upon a time, by the arrangement of providence, an extra month came to this
world. Every one took this month to be most inauspicious, [Khar-maas], and
even saw it as a stool-like month. Just as one should not touch stool, this
month was also seen as untouchable. It was constantly unprotected and
blasphemed, and rejected by everyone as an improper time for any religious and auspicious activities.
Being so rejected by all human beings, and constantly hearing only bad words and
blasphemy, the personality of this extra month became very sad. She came to
Vaikuntha to explain her sorrowful situation to the Lord. Seeing Lord Vishnu on
His Simhasana, she fell down at His lotus feet in a mood of sorrow and grief.
Tears were falling profusely from her eyes. She prayed to the Lord, “Oh ocean of
mercy! I have come to You because I am helpless. I have been rejected and
blasphemed by all people of the world. Please protect me; please show me Your
mercy. Please don’t be indifferent towards me.” Saying these words, the extra
month [adhik maas] continued crying in front of Lord Vishnu and sat down before
Him in a dejected mood. Seeing the humble and pitiable position of the extra
month, Lord Vishnu became very merciful towards her. He told her, “Do not
lament, I shall give you protection from all of your miseries. Please stop
crying. It is not proper to lament after taking shelter of My lotus feet.”
Being so consoled by the Lord, the extra month said, “Oh Lord, You know my
painful condition. No one is in more miserable situation in these three worlds
than I. First of all, all other months, years, days, nights, directions etc. are
being protected by You, and so they are always moving fearlessly in their
unique charming moods. But I [an extra month] don’t have any name, nor any
protector, nor a husband to give me shelter. All the demigods and human beings
have rejected me for any auspicious activities.
For this reason, oh Lord, I want to die immediately. “Oh Narada, this extra
month then repeatedly said, “I want to die! I want to die! I want to die!”
Then she fainted at the feet of the Lord.
Being requested by Lord Vishnu, Garuda started fanning the extra month. And
after sometime she got up and began to speak again, “Oh Lord of the universe, I
am in need of Your shelter, please protect me.”
Lord Vishnu told the extra month, “Oh child, please don’t lament, your misery
will be finished very soon. Get up and come with Me to Goloka Vrindavana, which
is unattainable even to great yogis. Goloka is the abode of Lord Sri Krishna.
Here Lord Sri Krishna is in His two handed form, surrounded by gopis and is
enjoying His eternal pastimes. The Supreme Sri Krishna of Goloka will deliver
you from all your miseries, please come with Me.” Then Lord Vishnu took
Malamasa (the extra month) to Goloka by catching her by the hand.
From a distant place Lord Vishnu and Malamasa observed the effulgence of Goloka.
This dazzling effulgence automatically forced Malamasa to close her eyes.
Therefore, keeping the extra month behind Him, Lord Vishnu proceeded further
until they reached the main gate. There the doorkeeper paid his respects to Him.
Having reached the Supreme Abode, Lord Vishnu met Lord Sri Krishna who was
surrounded by many devoted gopis. Lord Vishnu, the husband of Ramaadevi, paid
His obeisances to Lord Sri Krishna. Then He made the extra month also offer her
obeisances at the lotus feet of Lord Sri Krishna, even though she was crying
loudly.
Immediately Sri Krishna asked, “Why is she crying? She is in Goloka
Vrindavana, why is she crying?” Hearing these words form Lord Sri Krishna, Lord
Vishnu got up from His seat and started explaining the miserable condition of
the extra month. He begged Him to please protect his unprotected month. “There
is no one except You Lord Krishna, who can save this extra month from her
hellish condition and give her full protection.”
Having said these words, Lord Vishnu remained standing in front of Lord Krishna
with folded hands.
Purushottama Sri Krishna said, “Oh Vishnu, you have done a very great deed by
bringing this extra month to Me. You will become even more famous for
performing this act. Because You have accepted this Malamasa, I will also accept
her. I shall make this poor extra month just like Me in quality, fame
opulence, realization, success, and in giving benediction to the devotees.
This month will become equally potent to Me. I am bestowing all of My divine
qualities in this abused month. Named after Me, this month will be famous as
Purushottama month in this world.
“Oh Janardana, now that she has imbued My qualities, I Myself will become the
husband and protector of this Purushottama month. And being equal to Me, this
month will be the master of all other months. Now this month will become
worshipable by one and all. Everyone should pay their obeisances to her,
everyone should worship her. This month is equally as powerful as Me to give any type of benediction to its observer. The worshiper of this month will be able to burn
all his past sinful reactions to ashes, and after enjoying a blissful life in
the material realm, he will return back to Godhead.
“Oh Garudadhwaja,” Lord Sri Krishna continued, “My Goloka is unattainable to the
performers of austerities, mahatmas engaged in pious activities, to people
who maintain celibacy, or to those who fast their whole life’s duration. But
just by observing Purushottama month and becoming a devotee one can easily cross
over this material ocean and return back to Godhead.
Observance of this Purushottama month is the best of all austerities. Just as a
farmer produces a rich harvest by planting seeds in nicely cultivated land, so an intelligent man who practices devotional service towards the Supreme Lord
in this Purushottama month will enjoy a blissful life while in this world and
after leaving his body he will return back to Godhead.
“An unfortunate ignorant man, who does not perform any japa, does not give any
charity, does not pay respect to Lord Sri Krishna and His devotees, does not
behave properly to brahmanas, who makes enmity with others and who blasphemes
the Purushottama month will go to hell for an unlimited period.”
Lord Sri Krishna continued, “How can a person make his life successful unless he
performs devotional service in this Purushottama month? A person who is
fully engaged in sense gratification and does not give any special importance to
this sacred month becomes the best candidate for hell. All human beings
should perform some devotional service in this Purushottama month by daily
worshipping Me, Sri Krishna, by chanting My holy names, Study of Srimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita, Giving in charity, Offering ghee dipa (lamp), etc.
A fortunate person who follows My instructions and observes this Purushottama
month properly, and in a faithful way worships Me will attain fame, opulence
and a good son in this very life. After enjoying a happy life, he will return
back to Goloka Dhama. By following My instructions, everyone should worship
this sacred month. I have made it the best among all other months. Oh husband of
Ramaa Devi (Vishnu), give up all kinds of mental speculation about this
extra month. Just take this Purushottama month with You to Your Vaikuntha abode.
After narrating this brief history of the Purushottama month, Lord Sri Krishna
glanced very mercifully upon Yudhisthira and Draupadi, and then began speaking
to Arjuna:
“Oh lion amongst men, can you now understand the reason why you Pandavas are
suffering? You did not acknowledge or honor the presence of Purushottama month,
which has just recently finished. That month which is most dear to Vrindavan
Chandra has passed, but you Pandavas were in the forest and did not worship
Purushottama month. So now you are suffering. You have been following the
ritualistic principles given to you by Vyasadeva, but unless you worship
Purushottama month you cannot perform pure devotional service to Me.
Lord Sri Krishna continued, “Now I am going to narrate a famous historical event
concerning the previous birth of Draupadi. In her previous birth, Draupadi
was the daughter of a great Brahmana Sage called Medhavi. Her mother died when
she was a small child, and so she was under the care of her father. Day by
day, she grew to full bloom youth. She was very beautiful, but her father was
not interested in arranging her marriage. Seeing her other girlfriends with
their husbands and young children she passed her days in a very miserable way.
In the meantime, her father passed away from this material world while
uttering the sacred name of Hari.
“This made his daughter even more miserable. Fortunately, the great sage, Durvasa Muni, appeared in her ashram shortly after her father’s death.
Seeing the great sage, the girl paid her obeisances to him and respectfully
worshiped him. She offered flowers and fruits to the great sage. When he
expressed his pleasure with her reception, she began lamenting and crying before
him. Concerned, the sage inquired about her lamentation. The brahmana girl
began to speak, “Oh great saint Durvasa, you know everything – past, present and
future.
I have no shelter in this world. I have lost all of my relatives. My parents
have passed away, and I have no elder brother. I am also unmarried, and
therefore there is no husband to protect me. Oh great sage, please do something,
please help me! Please give me some advice to relieve me from this miserable
condition.” After listening to her prayer, Durvasa began to consider the
unfortunate condition of the girl, and he decided to show mercy towards her.
Sage Durvasa began to speak, “Oh beautiful one, three months from now the most
auspicious Purushottama month will begin. This sacred month is most dear to
Lord Sri Krishna. Just by taking a holy bath in this month a man or woman can
become completely sinless. This Purushottama month is more glorious than all
other months, including Kartik month. The glories of all other months is not
even equal to one sixteenth of the glories of Purushottama month. The merit of a
person who takes a holy bath even once in this month is equal to the merit of
taking bath in the Ganges for twelve thousand years, or the merit achieved by a
person who takes a bath in the Ganges or Godavari when Brihaspati [Jupiter],
enters Leo. If you will take a holy bath, give in charity and chant the holy
name of Krishna during this month, all your miseries will go away. You will
attain all kinds of perfection, and all of your desires will be fulfilled.
Please follow my advice. Please do not forget to worship the forthcoming Purushottama month very sincerely.”
After speaking these words, Sage Durvasa remained silent. Unfortunately, the
young brahmani did not believe in his words; rather she became angry and started
criticizing, “Oh great sage, you are exaggerating. How could this extra month,
which is also called Mala-masa [stool month], be superior to other great
months like Magha, Kartika and Vaisakha? I cannot believe your words. You are
trying to cheat me. This extra month is known to be most abominable for any
kind of pious activity.”
Hearing these words of the brahmana girl, Durvasa became very angry, his whole
body started burning, and his eyes became red. But remembering the helpless
condition of the girl, he consciously controlled himself.
Sage Durvasa told the girl, “Oh unintelligent one, I am not going to curse you
because your father was a good friend of mine. You are in such a helpless
condition. Being an ignorant child, you cannot understand the shastrik
conclusion. I am not going to take your offenses towards me seriously. But at
the same time, I cannot and should not tolerate your offences towards Purushottama month.
In your next life you will certainly reap the results of your offensive
words.” The great sage Durvasa then hurriedly left that place to perform his
service for Lord Narayana.
Lord Sri Krishna told Arjuna, “Oh sinless one, when Durvasa Muni left that place
the brahmana girl [Druapadi in her previous birth] lost all of her opulences
in a moment. Being an offender to Purushottama month, her body began to look
very ugly, and she lost all of her bodily effulgence. She then decided to
worship Lord Shiva who is known as Ashutosh, one who is very easily pleased.
This young brahmani then began to perform great austerities to please Lord
Shiva, the husband of Parvati. She continued her austerities for nine thousand
years. In the summer season, she would sit for meditation surrounded by fire and
under the hot sun. In the winter season, she meditated under freezing cold
water. Observing her great austerities, even the demigods became fearful. Lord
Shankara then appeared before the brahmana girl because he was pleased by her
worship and austerities. When Lord Shiva appeared before the girl in his
spiritual form, she immediately stood up rejuvenated. In the presence of Lord
Shiva all of her bodily weakness disappeared and she again started to look beautiful.
Seeing Lord Shiva in front of her, she started to worship him in her mind,
and then began to recite nice prayers to please Him.
Being very pleased with the girl, Lord Shiva said, “Oh performer of austerity,
all good fortune to you. Now please ask some boon from me. I am pleased with
you. I shall grant whatever you want.”
Hearing these words from the mouth of Lord Shiva, the girl said, “Oh friend of
the poor, if you are pleased with me then please give me a husband.”
Repeatedly speaking the same words, “Give me a husband,” five times, the girl
then fell silent. Then Lord Shiva replied, “Let it be. You have asked for a
husband five times, and so you will get five husbands.”
Hearing Lord Shiva’s words, the girl became very ashamed. She said, “Oh Lord, it
is most abominable for a girl to have five husbands. Please retract your
words.”
Lord Shiva then spoke to her very gravely, “That is impossible for me.
What you have asked from me will be granted. You will get five husbands in
your next life. Previously you offended Purushottama month by not following the
kind advice of sage Durvasa. Oh brahmana girl, there is no difference between
the body of Durvasa and mine. All we demigods, including Lord Brahma and all the
great saints like Narada, worship this Purushottama month in accord with the
order of Lord Sri Krishna. A devotee of Purushottama month achieves all good
fortune in this life and at the end of his life he goes back to Goloka Dham, the
abode of Lord Sri Krishna. Being an offender to this sacred Purushottama month,
you will get five husbands in your next life.”
The girl become very remorseful, but Lord Shiva immediately disappeared from the
place. After Lord Shiva’s departure the young brahmani became very morose
and fearful about her future life. In this way, after few days, the girl left
her body by the arrangement of providence.
Lord Sri Krishna then said, “Oh Arjuna, in the meantime the great king Draupada
had been performing an elaborate sacrifice. From this sacrificial fire, the
young brahmani took her birth. She appeared as the daughter of Maharaja
Draupada. Oh Arjuna, the same daughter of Medhavi Rishi has now become famous in the world as Draupadi. She is none other than your present wife. Because she
blasphemed the Purushottama month in her previous life, she was insulted by
Dushasana in front of the whole Kuru assembly in the presence of all her Pandava
husbands. Fortunately she remembered Me [Sri Krishna] and took My shelter.
Forgiving her offenses, I protected her from that most abominable condition and
saved her from the hand of Dushasana. Oh dear Pandava brothers, please don’t
forget to worship the forthcoming Purushottama month. A person who blasphemes
Purushottama month will never attain good fortune. This Purushottama month is
fully potent to fulfill all your desires and remove all miseries. Now your
fourteen years of forest life is coming to an end. Please worship this
Purushottama month sincerely, for it will bestow all good fortune upon you.”
Giving full consolation to the Pandavas in this way, Lord Sri Krishna then left
that place for Dwaraka.
After some time, when Purushottama month appeared, Maharaja Yudhisthira reminded his younger brothers and wife Draupadi of the words of Lord Sri Krishna. All of them followed the instructions He had given them. They worshipped
Purushottama Sri Krishna in various ways during this sacred month. From the
merit they achieved by performing Purushottama vrata, they regained their lost kingdom, and after enjoying a happy life they all returned back to Godhead by the grace of Lord Sri Krishna.
An intelligent person should engage himself in hearing Krishna katha from a pure
soul. In this way, one should always meditate on Krishna and discuss His
pastimes with other devotees. He should take rest thinking of Lord Sri Krishna
within his heart. If one is a grihastha, he should perform his household
duties in a truthful and peaceful way. He should not commit violence to others
and should be merciful towards saintly people as well as to the poor.
Protection of animals, truthful speech, mercifulness, and nonviolence are some
of the important principles a grihastha should follow.
“Oh this Purushottama month is the best of all months, it is the best of all
kinds of vratas and austerities. Even if one just hears the glories of
Purushottama month faithfully, he will achieve devotional service to the Supreme
Lord Purusottama, and all of his sinful reactions will be immediately
nullified. One who performs Purushottama vrata and worships Purushottama month
properly will achieve unlimited merit and thus attain Goloka.
Narada Muni then told Lord Narayana, “O Lord, now I am fully satisfied and my
heart and mind are completely content. All glories to You!”
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