Adhik Maas refers to an additional month in the Hindu or Lunar calendar. It occurs approximately every 32.5 months and helps align the lunar and solar calendars. Also called Mal Maas or Purshottam Maas or ‘God’s month’, it has great spiritual and religious significance. Its importance is due to the fact that it comes only once in three years.
In Sanskrit, ‘Adhik’ means ‘additional or extra’. Adhik Maas is associated with Lord Vishnu, Rama, and Krishna.
As the lunar year is shorter than the solar year, the lunar and solar months will fall out of sync with the passage of time. An extra month, or Adhik Maas, is added to the Hindu calendar every 3 years to correct this.
Significance of Adhik Maas
Adhik Maas is significant, both from a scientific and religious perspective.
Scientific Significance of Adhik Maas
Scientifically, Adhik Maas helps align the Lunar and Solar Calendars. While the Lunar Calendar has 354 days, the Solar Calendar has 365 days. The difference between the two is 11 days, 1 hour, 31 minutes, and 12 seconds.
Moreover, Adhik Maas comes every 32.5 months. It last came in 2023. This difference is due to the fact that the Moon takes 27.3 days to complete its orbit around the Earth. On the other hand, the Earth takes 365.25 days to orbit around the Sun.
Religious Significance of Adhik Maas
Hindus believe that the addition of one month to the lunar calendar enables them to eliminate their past karma and sins. It is seen as an ideal time to purify one’s soul by doing Pooja, chanting Mantras, doing meditation, fasting, performing acts of charity, nishkaam upasana, etc.
Interestingly, Adhik Maas is viewed as both auspicious and inauspicious. The reasons are two-fold. It is seen as auspicious as it’s a good time to purify the soul by getting rid of past karma. It is inauspicious because, during this month, there is no Sun’s solstice, due to which it is also called Adhik Malmas. Malmas is not a good time to conduct auspicious functions like marriage, mundan, Griha Pravesh, etc.
Legend Behind Adhik Maas
Once, a king called Nabha was told by his guru that the former had done something bad in his previous life and needed to make amends for it. The guru suggested that the king observe a fast of Mal Maas Vrat during Adhik Maas.
The king took his advice and also performed some special activities to honor Vishnu during Adhik Maas. At the end of the month, Vishnu appeared before the king and blessed him. He also said that the king was now free from his past sins. Thus, people began to follow certain rituals during Adhik Maas to purify their souls and get Vishnu’s blessings.
The Radha-Vallabhi sampradaya, a sect based in Vrindavan, celebrates Krishna on the last day of Adhik Maas with ‘Vyahula’ an allegory of Radha and Krishna’s marriage.
Things to Do in Adhik Maas
You need to perform certain rituals in Adhik Maas to get its benefits. Let us see what they are.
- Rituals during Adhik Maas
- One should do Vishnu seva, manorath, kirtan, samagri and Satsang/path.
- Reading religious texts and scriptures like the Vishnu Purana, Srimad Bhagavatam, and Bhagavad Gita is good.
- Adhik Maas is dedicated to Vishnu, so doing Vishnu Pooja is very auspicious. People can also worship Krishna and Narasimha (avatars of Vishnu) for additional blessings.
- Observe fast and eat Satvik food. This ensures that your body is clean, pure, and hydrated.
Chant Mantras during Adhik Maas
Here are some Mantras, Slokas and passages from holy books that you can read or chant during this month. This will benefit you.
- Chaurastakam
- Jagannathastakam
- Nanda Nandanastakam
- Jaya Radha Madhav
- Vrajraj Sutastakam
- Radhikatakam
- Bhagavad Gita Chapter 15: Purushottam Yoga
- Brahma Samhita
- Hare Krisha Maha Mantra
- Read the Book Purushottam Adhik Maas (The Month that Grants All Desires)
- Things To Donate
Here are some things that you can donate during Adhika Maas month.
Donate food, clothes, money, etc. Offer respects to Brahmins, sages, and saints, as it is auspicious.
Donate money for the education and health of the needy.
Donate to an NGO or religious places so that it can benefit the poor.
Volunteer for an environmental cause.
Things Not to Do during Adhik Maas
- Now, let us take a look at things we should not do during this period.
- Do not perform any auspicious activities like marriage, engagement, Griha Pravesh, etc., this month.
- Avoid hurting others with your words or actions.
- Avoid arguments and fights, and do not ingest any toxins.
- Do not buy new utensils, cars, clothes, furniture, or other things.
Is Childbirth during Adhik Maas Good or Bad?
Astrology says that children born during this month are different from other children in their personality, behavior, and thought processes. They are likely to be creative and disciplined. They may possess good leadership qualities. They may also have a high position and good reputation in society when they grow up.
They are likely to have a blessed future and could reach great heights in life due to their skills. Their love life, too, will be smooth and happy. Their presence will make their home environment auspicious.
