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News Topical, Digital Desk : According to the Hindu calendar, the extra month that occurs once every three years is called "Adhik Maas," "Malmas," or "Purushottam Maas." The addition of this 13th month to the year is linked to a fascinating mythological story, directly related to the slaying of the demon king Hiranyakashipu and the Narasimha incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Let's read this remarkable tale.
Brahma ji gave this boon
Brahma was pleased with the severe penance of Hiranyakashipu, son of Maharishi Kashyap and Aditi, and he asked for a very complex boon to get closer to immortality, which was as follows -
If Dasyasyabhimatanvaranme Varadottam. भूतेभ्यास्त्वद्विस्रिष्टेभ्यो मृत्युर्मा भून्मम प्रभो.
Nantarbahirdiva naktmanyasmadapi chayudhaih. Na bhumau nambre mrityurn narairn mrigairpi.
Vyasubhirvasumadbhirva surasuramahoragaih. Non-rivalry, unity, unity, death.
The Srimad Bhagavata Purana describes Hiranyakashipu's boon to Brahma that he would be killed neither by a human nor by an animal. He would be killed by neither gods nor demons. He would die neither during the day nor at night. He would die neither inside nor outside his home. He would die neither on earth nor in the sky.
He died neither by any weapon nor in any of the twelve months of the year created by Lord Brahma. As soon as Lord Brahma said "So be it," Hiranyakashipu became blinded by arrogance. He usurped heaven from Indra, the king of the gods, and declared himself a god.
The test of devotee Prahlad
Hiranyakashipu's own son, Prahlad, was a staunch devotee of Lord Vishnu, which the demon king found unacceptable. To break Prahlad's devotion, he subjected him to cruel tortures—throwing him from a mountaintop, having him trampled by a mad elephant, and burning him in the lap of his sister, Holika. But by the grace of Lord Vishnu, Prahlad was unharmed.
This is how the boon was broken
When Hiranyakashipu's sins reached their limit, Lord Vishnu took the form of the "Narsingh avatar" to protect his devotee. This form of Lord Vishnu had the body of a man and the head of a lion. Thus, honoring every condition of Brahma's boon, Lord Narasimha killed Hiranyakashipu, who was neither fully human nor fully animal.
She killed Hiranyakashipu at dusk, which was neither day nor night. She laid him on her thighs on the palace threshold and ripped open Hiranyakashipu's chest with her sharp nails.
That is why it is called Purushottam month
Hiranyakashipu was not killed in any of the 12 months of the year. Instead, to nullify his boon, God created an additional 13th month of the year, which we know as 'Adhik Maas'. It was in this 13th month (Adhik Maas) that Lord Narasimha killed Hiranyakashipu and protected Dharma. Since this month was created by Lord Vishnu (Purushottam) to protect his devotee, it is also called 'Purushottam Maas', which is extremely sacred.
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