*Purusottama masa(adhik mas) is starting from 16th May 2018 and it will end on 13th June 2018*.
*In Karthik masa* Any spiritual activity done will give thousands times benefit than doing same activity on normal day to him/her.
*In Purusottama masa* Any spiritual activity done will give thousands times benefit than doing same activity on 1 day of Kartik masa to him/her. So you calculate how much Spiritual benefit anyone can get in this month.
To know more about Purusottama masa click on this link : http://www.vaisnavacalendar.info/calendar-events/ekadasi-dwadasi-caturmasya/caturmasya-is-not-observed-during-purusottama-adhika-masa
During this Purusottama masa devotees perform following austerities/activities
1) *Chant more* numbers of rounds *than regular days*. 18-24-32-48-64 etc
2) Complete your fix chanting rounds *in Brahmamuhurta (Before 7am.)*
3) Sleep on floor (with proper bedding).
4) Get up before sunrise and take bath.
5) Attend as many as managala arati in temple.
6) Follow celibacy (Brahmacharya) for month.
7) Offer ghee lamp to Lord 1 or 2 times in day and sing/hear Bhramasamita.
8) *Read and Meditate on bala-lila from Krishna book, bhagavat Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam.*
9) Do minimum 1 or 3 parikarama of temple daily/whenever-you-visit-Temple and/or minimum 1 parikarama to pilgrimage once during vrata.
10) Visit Dham and take bath in Holly Kunda and/or River.
11) Eat regular meal but ones in day, afternoon time or evening time. *health should not be compromise on the name of austerity.*
12) Avoid oil in food. Use ghee.
13) Give donation to temple as per your capacity.
14) Do some fix service / seva in temple as per your capacity/ capability.
Message from His Holiness Bhakti Dhira Damodar Swami Maharaj for following Purushottama Month
Hare Krsna,
[1] Please read Bhagavad-gita 15th chapter every day.
[2] Increase your chanting both in quality and quantity.
[3] Don't eat grains [for the whole month]
[4] Read Bhagavatam and [Bhagavad] Geeta daily.
[5] sprinkle Radhakund, Yamuna, Ganga water on your body daily
[6] and chant Radha Krsna bhajans.
[7] no idle talks, criticism nor blasphemy of anyone.
* This is the exact message from Gurudeva. Only the things in square brackets [] are my addition, for clarity's sake.
Please find the below update from His Holiness Jayapataka Swami Maharaj regarding Purushottama month:-
From 16th May adhik mass starting. It also known as Purushottama mass. Austerity perform during kartik mass gives 1000 times benefit and austerity perform during purushottam mass is give 1000 time benefits of kartik mass. Rest you calculate it. (Source His Holiness Jaypataka Swami Maharaj message).
How to follow the Purushottama Vrata? (Note : health should not be compromised for austerity)
1) Chant Hare Krsna Mahamantra and meditate on Krsna’s forms, qualities and pastimes. Daily chant extra rounds: 20, 24, 32 or 64 rounds.
2) Keep celibacy for one month. (Sleep on the floor – optional).
3) Bathe daily before sunrise (best in a holy place, or at least 3 days in a month).
4) Eat on leaf plates sitting on the floor (optional).
5) No cooking in oil or rubbing of oil on your body.(optional)
6) No eating or rubbing of mustard oil.(optional)
7) Diets: eat satvik food only. Best to eat once(optional) a day after sunset or noon.
8) No cutting of hair or nails (optional).
9) Take a vow to remain peaceful and truthful throughout the month.
10) Be careful not to blaspheme any devotees, brahmanas, saints, cows, sastras or people who follow this vrata.
11) Daily offer dandavats to Bhagavan Sri Krsna and the Vaishnava.
12) Daily offer Aratika and perform Parikrama around Tulasi Devi.
13) Daily perform parikrama around the temple (4 times).
14) Daily offer ghee lamp to Radha-Krsna Deities or picture.
15) Daily offer Radha-Krsna Deities or picture roses, lotus flowers and Tulasi leaves or as many as you can.
16) Try your best to please Radha and Krsna by performing devotional austerities according to your abilities.
17) Daily read Srimad Bhagavatam, especially Lord Brahma’s prayers to Krishna (Canto 10, Chapter 14), and Bhagavad-gita (Chapter 15).
18) Give charity as per your capacity to temples, brahmans and go sevak(cow care taker).
19) Recommended to daily chant Sri Jagannathastakam, Sri Cauragraganya-purusastakam, Sri Nanda-Nandanastakam, Jaya Radha Madhava, and other Radha-Krsna bhajanas and prayers.
20) Bhaktivinoda Thakura: Perform the Nirapeksa Vrata, which means 30 days of concentrated, one-pointed worship and service to Radha-Govinda by hearing, chanting, remembering Their divine names, forms, qualities, pastimes. All day and night, hear about Bhagavan Sri Krsna, chant the Hare Krsna Mahamantra, take only mahaprasada.
There is an update to the above message about purushottam month. As His Holiness Jayapataka Swami is more focused on preaching, so this is what he says:
As His Holiness Jayapataka Swami is more focused on preaching, so this is what he says:
Dear Vaishnava devotees, Godbrothers and sisters,
Dandavat Pranamas.
All glories to Guru Maharaja and Srila Prabhupada.
Since January this year Guru Maharaja has been giving the ISKCON Congregational Development Ministry (CDM) many instructions on how to observe this Purushottama month.
In brief:
1- He wants Purushottam Month to be celebrated with Ghee lamps in the same way as Damodara. (We will present to him to choose a song to be sang along according to the Acaryas' indications).
2- He also wants devotees to particularly focus on preaching! That means attracting new people to participate this month in some devotional activity. He does not want devotees to indulge in difficult austerities but rather increase their devotional activities and "make it easier for others" to perform some Bhakti this month.
3- He suggested that devotees create teams and prepare 'kits' to visit people's homes to celebrate Purushottama month.
(He called this month the "Super Sale" of Krishna Consciousness)
4- He suggested devotees gather by sectors to perform morning or evening programs and on the weekend try to attend the temple program.
5- He wanted to hear suggestions from the preachers, leaders, grihastas and busy, working devotees on how to promote this program in a practical way.
6- He wants this celebration a massive offering of love to please Srila Prabhupada by bringing as many people as possible to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's ISKCON movement. Hare Krishna
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