Devotees Vaishnavas: Purusottama-masa

sábado, 24 de abril de 2010

Purusottama-masa

17 May: Purusottama-masa
May 16th, 2007

Today is the first day of Purusottama-masa, the most auspicious month in the lunar calendar. In Sri Mayapur-dhama, Jananivasa prabhu read excerpts from the Padma Purana on the origin and auspiciousness of Purusottama-masa. See below for a summary.

On today’s pod:

Karmi grains on sankirtan.
Pure devotional service defined in Suddha-bhakti-cintamani.
Everything we do must be pleasing to Krishna – whether it is being with Him or being away from Him.
A devotee’s only request of Krishna is “Let me always remember You.”

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Above: Offering a lamp and bathing in Ganga are two of the four especially auspicious activities to perform during Purusottama-masa. The others are, of course, chanting the holy names, and giving in charity.

PURUSOTTAMA-MASA (Summarized from the Padma Purana)

Once, an extra month — adhika masa — appeared in addition to all the other twelve months. The other months, naming it “mal,” (an unclean thing, the opposite of nirmala) derided this month’s existence, as it had no purpose, no name, no qualities at all: it was simply adhika-masa: an extra month.

Feeling overwhelmed with sadness, the adhika-masa approached Lord Vishnu in Vaikuntha. She said to the Lord, “O Lord, what is my fate! I am an outcast, and the other months call me ‘mal!’ I have no purpose, no qualities — I even have no name!” Lamenting thus, the adhika-masa collapsed in grief, fainting at the Lord’s feet out of sadness. Garudaji fanned her with his feathers until she regained consciousness.

Garuda pleaded to Lord Vishnu on her behalf, and so, feeling pity for the adhika-masa, Lord Vishnu took her to Krishna in Goloka Vrindavan. She had to hide behind Lord Vishnu as the abode of Goloka was so dazzlingly effulgent. She was crying pitiably and Krishna was surprised to see someone so sad in Goloka. On her behalf, Vishnu appealed to Krishna to bestow His blessings on this adhika-masa. Such are the pastimes of the Supreme Lord!

Seeing her pitiable condition, Sri Krishna said, “From now on you will be full of all auspicious qualities. Anyone who blasphemes you will certainly be the best candidate for hell. Materialists who deride you will surely see hell. All the other months such as Magh, Vaisakh, and Kartika, all combined will only match 1/16th of your glories, which will exceed even the month of Kartika. Thus you will bear My name, Purusottama-masa. You will be the most auspicious of months. Anyone who bathes in the Ganga, worships Me, and chants My glories in this month will surely enjoy all happiness and prosperity in their present life and upon leaving their bodies will return to Me in this life.”

Purusottama-masa occurs once every three years. It is beneficial for all spiritual activities, and inauspicious for all material activities. Chanting the holy names, bathing in Ganga, offering a lamp to Krishna, and giving in charity are particularly beneficial in this month.

To neglect Purusottama-masa is a great offense to Krishna. When the Pandavas were in exile in the forest, Krishna felt great pity for Draupadi’s situation, and thus revealed to Her the reason for Her suffering:

Once there was a young brahmana girl, Medhavi, whose mother died when she was very young. She grew to be very, very beautiful. Her father worshipped the Lord, but was so absorbed in his puja that he neglected to find a husband for his daughter. She watched as her childhood friends grew up, married, and gave birth. Soon her father died, thus making her chances of finding a husband almost impossible.

At this time Durvasa Muni visited her. Seeing her distress, he told her of the glories of Purusottama-masa and advised her to observe and honor it. The girl could not believe that the widely known mal masa was even more auspicious than Vaisakh, Magh and Kartika, and she neglected Durvasa Muni’s advice, even telling him he was trying to cheat her.

Durvasa Muni, although angry, controlled himself upon remembering her pitiable condition. But due to her offending the Purusottama masa, she immediately lost her beauty and youth and became very ugly.

Then she started to perform severe austerities and meditation to please Lord Siva. In the hottest months she sat surrounded by fire under the blazing sun; in the coldest winter, she sat immersed in ice-cold rivers. Lord Siva was pleased and appeared before her. In his presence, she immediately regained her beautiful form and started to offer nice prayers. Lord Siva told her to ask for a boon. Medhavi, who was overwhelmed with great misery, asked for a husband, but in her excitement and eagerness, she begged this of Lord Siva five times.

Lord Siva said that thus she will have five husbands as she desired. Feeling ashamed she requested Lord Siva to take back his benediction, but he said it was not possible.

Thus fearful and morose about her future, within a short time she left her body by the will of providence. She then took birth from the yajna pit of Drupada Maharaja as his daughter, now famous as Draupadi.

That is why Draupadi suffered in the court of the Kauravas, for her offense to Purusottama-masa. But because she took shelter of Krishna, she was saved. Krishna told Draupadi that the Pandavas had also missed the observance of Purusottama-masa, and advised that they should observe the upcoming one.

When the time came, Maharaja Yudhisthira reminded the Pandavas and Draupadi about Krishna’s words, and so they observed Purusottama masa. As a result they enjoyed the kingdom and led a life of royal happiness henceforth and went back to Krishna at the end of their life.

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