Purusottam, the extra month
by Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj, 1955
 

Sometimes the Vedic calendar has thirteen months instead of twelve. In this regard the following article was written by Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj. It was first published in Bengali as the Editorial to the Sri Gaudiya Darshan magazine of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, Nabadwip, of 16th September 1955.

This year there is an extra month, Purusottam Month. It gives a more favourable opportunity for Krishna-Seva and it is a particularly favourable opportunity for the fortunate jivas. Purusottam Month has all good qualities, just like Bhagavan Purusottam, Himself, and is considered the crown of all months. Even the most holy months such as Vaisak Month, cannot be compared with this Purusottam Month. Bhagavan, the Lord Himself, has mercifully accepted this month and given it all His power. We know such things by reading Sri Brihannaradiya Purana.

The materialistic smarta-sampradaya by their karmik standard of judgement avoid performing rituals during this month and they avoid anything considered materially auspicious. By their calculation this extra month is materially barren or gloomy.

In Srimad Bhagavad-gita the Lord says that if we do karma properly then we gain some capacity to enter within jnana.

sarvam karmakhilam partha
jnane parisamapyate

But the fruit of that knowledge, the knower and the known are all nirvisesa, or similar to mukti.

By doing holy activities we may be able to attain heaven, but after finishing that good reaction, we return to this world known as martya-loka the plane of death. In this way those who aspire for material things have to undergo reactions to their actions.

The devotees of Krishna, however, are worshipers of "kirttaniyah sada Harih." Their process of worshiping is given in Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta:

nijabhista krsna-prestha pacheta' lagiya
nirantara seva kare antarmana hana

They are twenty-four hours per day engaged for the service of the Lord, for they do not have a moment for their own sense enjoyment. They cannot tolerate those who are against doing seva, especially those who want some result in this world. When they see these types of jivas they dislike them more than hell. We can see many scriptural examples of this.

Similarly the worshipers of svaguna, the plane within the modes of nature, always show their objection to those who are worshipers of the nirguna — the realm above the modes of nature. There is no lack of scriptural examples here also.

The smartas, those under the rules of mundane nature, their material duties are already scheduled within the regular twelve months so they dismiss this extra month. However those who continually spend their time in worship and service of the Lord give much attention to this month. They know fruitive activity is a cause of material bondage. However those who desire material results from fruitive activity consider this month to be barren, to be materially unhealthy. Such persons dismiss this month, therefore this extra month feels it is rejected so it feels the necessity to surrender to its Master.

The Lord always gives much protection to the surrendered, so He gives all His own wealth and property to this month and in this way it takes on His properties and becomes like Him. Therefore the Lord gave His own Name, Purusottam, making this extra month the king of all months. He Himself glorified this month and gave it to the hand of His most dear devotees whom He loves as Himself. The devotees serve the Lord Goloka Bihari Purusottam very happily in this Purusottam Month, the month when the materialists are very silent in their activities.

 
Bengali article of Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj,
translated by Sripad B.P. Tirtha Maharaj in 2004.