Science behind Adhik Maas

Adhik Maas, also called as Purushottam Maas (Not Mal Maas) is a month dedicated to the purushottam Shree Hari vishnu. The lord of the month is Shree Vishnu. This month is inserted in calendar in order to bring a balance between solar and lunar years. Adhik Maas does not have a Sankranti, I.e there is no movement of the Sun from one Rashi to the other. A typical Lunar month has one Sankranti called Maasa Sankranthi. Adhik Maas doesn’t have any sankranti. The sun remains in the same house and changes only later.

Adhik maas is a month which occurs randomly between any two months. It is not fixed. It occurs once in every three years approximately. This month is special and marked with high importance of praying Shri Vishnu.

A lunar month has 29 days and a solar month has 30 to 31 days. A lunar year is totalled to 354 days and a solar to 365days. Lunar year usually starts earlier to solar year. A gap of 11days occurs between them and in 3 years it sums up to a month.

This 13th extra month is called as Adhik Maas. Adhik maas is added to the calendar when the Amavasya and Surya Chalan ( Sankranti) coincides. This month adopts the name of month which follows.

Similarly there is Kshaya Maas. This occurs when there are only 11 months in a year. A month falls short in a year and is very rare in occurence. It happens once in 140 to 190 years. During kshaya Maas 2 sankrantis occurs in same month.

What not to do ?

Starting new works

Janeu Sanskaar

Griha Pravesh

Buying a vehicle

Opening a new business

Starting any machinery

Mundan Sanskar

Engagement

Buying Gold Ornaments or silver

Marriages

Taamasik Bhojan

Digging a well etc.

New initiations are not practiced during Adhik Maas strictly. The mentioned above are basic ones and there are many more recommendations.

Looking at the spiritual significance of the month, Adhik Maas vrat is kept by many people. Some perform Jaap, Puja, Aaradhana, Daan, Purana shravan etc. This practice of remembering Shri vishnu helps devotee enjoy worldly pleasures & attains moksha reaching Vishnu Lok / Vaikunth

Adhik Ashwin 2020 starts from Sept 18th and ends October 16th. Nij (Shuddh) Ashwin starts from Oct 17th and the Sharadiya Navratri starts on that day. Selfless pujas and Dana are performed during Adhik Maaa for shree Vishnu Ji’s blessings. Jai Shri Krishna.!