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Adhik Purshottam Maas The Supreme “extra” Month

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Adhik Maas What is Adhik Maas?

What is the astronomy behind it?

What are the dates for it in 2015?

Why is it happening?

Nice story behind adhik maas?

Benefit of adhik masa vrat

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What is adhik maas? The lunar calendar adds one extra month every third year. This extra month is known by

various names: Adhik Maas, Mal Maas, Purushottam Maas, Malimmacha. This is the thirteenth month of the lunar calendar.

Just as there is the lunar year with the extra month (Adhik Maas), so is there a lunar year with a diminished or reduced month, with only eleven months in the year. The lunar year comprising of eleven months only is very rare indeed. It occurs once in 140 years or once in 190 years. But the extra month or Adhik Maas comes every third year. Adhik Maas adopts the name of the month that follows adhik Maas.

The Adhika Masa is dedicated to Lord Sri Krishna.

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Astronomy The Hindu calendar is a Lunar calendar and is based on the Moon

The concept of Adhika Masa is unique to the traditional Hindu lunar calendars based on the cycles of the Moon.

A lunar month is around 29.5 days long. Now, a solar month, that is the usual calendar, is 30 to 31 days.

The lunar year consists of 354 solar days and solar year consists of 365 days. So, as years pass by each lunar month starts earlier to the corresponding solar month. There is a difference of 11 days between the lunar and solar year.

In every three solar years the difference between the two calendars becomes a full month or around 29 days.

To compensate and get the two calendars similar an extra month is added.

Vasishta Siddhanta, a treatise of Sage Vasishta, says that the Adhika Masa occurs after every 32 months, 16 days and 8 Ghadis. A Ghadi is 24 minutes.

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Dates in 2015 17 June 2015, Wednesday

Ashadha (Adhik) Shukla PakshaPratipada TithiMrigashirsha Nakshatra

16 July 2015, Thursday Ashadha (Adhik) Shukla Paksha

Amavasya TithiPunarvasu Nakshatra 

This additional time unit of approximately 30 days is called Adhik Ashad Maas or Adhik Ashada Mahina.

So in 2015 there are thirteen months in Hindu Lunar calendar apart from the normal 12 months.

Adhik masa is celebrated as very important month. People perform extra mala japas, pradakshinas, pilgrimages, scriptural reading and parayans.

Adhik Maas

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What should we do ? The Puranas also sing high praises about Adhik Maas and indicate Vishnu

Puja, readings of scriptures, Bhagvat etc.

Selfless actions, without the expectations of results, are to be performed during Adhik Maas.

During the entire month of Mal Maas Vrat eat Sattvic food (vegetarian meals, milk, fruits, nuts, grains, vegetables).

Daana is an important aspect of Vaisakhadharma. This can comprise the giving of any item in charity, but the highest among these is the daana of WATER or JALA DAAN.

Regarding Adhik Maas (Mal Maas) Hemadri says that Mal Maas Vrat (Adhik Maaas Vrat) is capable of washing away all the sins of people (who observe the Vrat). During this month mukta, nakta, fasting etc are undertaken and garments etc. are distributed to charities. A beautiful story relates to how, in ancient times, through the observance of Mal Maas Vrat, king Nahush was released from all bondage and acquired the throne of Indra (the ruler of gods in heaven).