The story of MalMaas
Once several rishis gather together and decide to align the solar and lunar calendars. They keep scientific calculations in mind and divide the solar year into 12 months. A particular rashi transits each month once. They invoke one deity to preside over each month. They then create an extra month called Malmaas/Adhik Maas and invoke a deity to preside over this month too. But since the sun did not pass through any rashi during this month, the rishis considered Malmaas as a wasteful month and so no one performed any auspicious rituals.
So the presiding deity of Adhik Maas goes to Vishnu who takes him to Krishna in Goloka. Krishna blesses Malmaas and says, “Henceforth you shall be known as Purushotham Maas – a month which is complete on its own like me. People will consciously pursue spirituality during this month. And those who do so will be freed from the cycle of rebirth and gain moksha.”And that is how Malmaas came to be known as Purushotham Maas.
The story of Draupadi
Draupadi falls at Krishna’s feet, sobs uncontrollably and says, “I have five husbands. And what did they do? They gambled me away and watched in silence when the Kauravas disrobed me in public and now we are all forced to live in the forest. Tell me O Krishna, what crime have I committed in my previous lives to merit this kind of treatment? Why do I have five husbands? Why did they do nothing to protect me? Can I ever make peace with what fate is doling out to me? Tell me how I can do so O Krishna for my heart knows no peace anymore.” Krishna consoles Draupadi and reveals these stories about her previous lives to her.
The story of Nalayani
Nalayani, a beautiful virtuous woman marries Maudgalya, an old lustful, jealous and short-tempered leper who has a shrunken body. Maudgalya, a deeply spiritual person with several siddhis performs austere penances regularly.
Nalayani, a devout woman takes good care of her husband and survives on his leftovers. One day, Maudgalya’s thumb falls off his hand as he is eating his food. He wonders if Nalayani would eat his leftovers that day too without getting repulsed. Nalayani just removes the thumb from the food and continues eating Maudgalya’s leftovers.
Maudgalya feels honoured when he sees Nalayani’s absolute devotion for him. So he offers Nalayani a boon. She hesitates to speak her mind fearing the worst. But Maudgalya reassures her and says, “I used this body of a leper as a façade to gauge your love for me. I will happily fulfil your wishes.”
So Nalayani says, “If that is the case O Maudgalya, divide yourself into five forms and satiate me sensually. Indulge in the different physical forms of love with me for I wish to experience these pleasures with you.”
Maudgalya fulfils Nalayani’s wish. He transforms himself into five different forms and satiates Nalayani’s desires much to her delight. So much so that Nalayani starts loving Maudgalya with her very soul and being. Years pass in this manner.
But one day, rishi Maudgalya loses interest in these transient pleasures. He realizes that his highest dharma is to aspire for Moksha. So he abandons Nalayani. Nalayani pleads with Maudgalya and says, “O dear Maudgalya. Please don’t abandon me. I cannot live without you. And I am not yet satisfied with the sensual pleasures that we shared…”
Maudgalya says, “You have waylaid me from the path of Dharma and created obstacles in my path. You, O Nalayani, should be ashamed to crave for sensual pleasures from a man of Dharma. Yet since you love me with such absolute devotion, I will use my siddhis to grant you whatever you crave for. But in my own way. You will be reborn as Draupadi and you will marry five handsome men who will give you all the sensual pleasures that you are craving for.”
Nalayani feels horrified when she hears Maudgalya words. She wonders why her husband – whom she loves with her very soul – has cursed her for no fault of hers. Totally dejected, she goes to a forest and performs the most intense of tapasyas – the PanchAgni tapasya.
She surrounds herself with four fires and with the sun blazing above her meditates upon Shiva. The minute Shiva appears before her Nalayani says, “I wish to marry a noble and brave man with whom I can enjoy sensual pleasures.” She unknowingly ends up repeating this statement five times. So Shiva blesses her with five husbands.
Nalayani realizes her mistake and knows that she cannot escape from what is written in her destiny. She says, “O Shiva, how can a woman belong to many men? Our scriptures say that a woman should remain faithful to one man all through her life. A woman is allowed to conceive through Niyog only in extreme cases. In fact, a woman commits a sin when she goes to a third man and is looked upon as a prostitute when she goes to a fourth man.
You O Shiva know this. Yet you too say I will marry five men. How can I absolve myself of this sin of being married to multiple men? Why – I will gain no respect from anyone and people will treat me with contempt.”
Shiva says, “O Nalayani, you have accrued a lot of spiritual merits through your devotion for your husband and this tapasya. So, I Shiva bless you. You shall gain fame for your spiritual orientation and follow the path of Dharma with your husbands. People will respect you for your nobility and you will gain glory too. You will marry five men who will satiate your sensual desires to the fullest. But people will always think of you as a pure woman.”Shiva then disappears from there.
Krishna looks at Draupadi and says, “I have answered your question on why you have five husbands Draupadi. Now listen to the story of why the Kauravas disrobed you.…”
The story of Medhavati
“In one of your previous births, you were a beautiful intelligent woman called Medhavati. One day, rishi Durvasa chanced upon you in the forest and instructed you to observe a fast during the Purushotham Maas which was round the corner.
But you Medhavati flatly refused to do so. And rishi Durvasa cursed you saying that you will remain a spinster. So you worshipped Shiva who blessed you with five husbands. But the presiding deity of Adhik Maas, lord Purushotham cursed you for insulting him too.
He said, “People like you O Medhavati, fail to appreciate the sacredness of the Purushotham Maas because they are so proud of their beauty and knowledge. So I Purushotham Deva curse you. A man who scorns at your beauty and knowledge will humiliate you in the midst of a packed assembly.”
Krishna counsels her and says, “It’s time to make amends by fasting during the Purushotham Maas O Draupadi. For a person who consciously indulges in spiritual pursuits during the Purushotham Maas can clear his karmic accounts, absolve himself of all sins and attain Moksha.”
Are we reborn when we die? Does Karma work? Does God exist? Who knows? Who can prove such things? Yet we have faith in God and believe in Karma probably because we want to leave this earthly realm with a clear conscience. So let’s use this God-given opportunity and focus on spiritual pursuits during the Purushotham Maas.
Click here to read about other rituals for Krishna.
Click here to read stories on Vishnu.