Guiding Light: Purushottama Masa

In our tradition where the lunar calendar is followed, the month definition is by the transit of the moon. It takes about twenty-nine days for the moon to complete one rotation. Thus, when we have a solar year of three hundred and sixty-five days, the lunar calendar trails by ten days.  Thus, this shortfall gets accumulated and over the next three years, another lunar month equivalent becomes a reality waiting for correction. This becomes the extra month and is called “adhika masa”. Formally, this is referred as Purushottama masa in the tradition. 

The above in a way is akin to the leap year phenomenon. Every year having a few hours extra contributes to the extra one day at the end of the fourth year is the logic behind leap year. In adhika masa too, about ten days a year that need computational correction add up to the extra month or Purushottama masa during the third year. This year, we are experiencing during Jyeshta masa as the extra month, and hence it is called “Adhika Jyeshta” masa.

When Purushottama masa occurs, we spend time in worship/sadhana, yatra/pilgrimage, , study of religious books or writing deeply etc. The emphasis is more on the spiritual deeds. The auspicious but material Shubhakaryas (acts like marriage) are avoided during this adhika month. The reason is, such activities are embedded in the material plane, and the insistence here is on spiritual pursuits. The restricted lifestyle is often followed sincerely by the seekers for betterment.

(Dr. S. Ainavolu is a Mumbai-based teacher of Management and Tradition)