Hare Krishna Prabhujis and Matajis,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva.
Recently the Purushottama month or adhika maas was observed by devotees all over the world. The month is also called mala masa (impure month) and the Supreme Lord who is called Purushottama (Supreme Person) blessed this month so that this month becomes most auspicious. An ancient saying mentions there are four kinds of persons based on their nature as follows.
ete satpuruṣāḥ parārthaghatakāḥ svārthān parityajya ye
sāmānyāstu parārthamudyamabhṛtaḥ svārthāvirodhena ye
te’mī mānuṣa rākṣasāḥ parahitam svārthāya nighnanti ye
ye tu ghnanti nirarthakam parahitam te ke na jānīmahe
Those are the greatest souls (Sat or Uttama Purusha) who, for the sake of helping others, forsake their own interests or comforts. Those are among the ordinary (Madhyama purusha) run of people who, without compromising their own interests, engage themselves in helping others. Those are verily demons (lowest -adhama purusha) in the shape of men who, for the sake of their selfish ends, put obstacles in the way of others and spoil their endeavours. What can be said about those who(lowest of the lowest), without any purpose, come in the way of others’ welfare? We do not know. (Niti shatakam 1.74)
So as per the above sloka persons (purusha) can be classified as adhamo adhama, adhama, Madhyama and Uttama based on their tendency to prioritize self interest over helping others.
adhamo adhama purusha : Who obstructs or destroys other’s well being for no reason. Lowest of mankind fall in this category.
adhama purusha : Who destroys/disturbs other’s well being for his own selfish interest. Demoniac people fall in this category.
madhyama purusha : Who helps others without compromising their self interest. Normal humans fall in this category.
uttama or sat purusha : Great souls who help others forsaking their own interests. Pure devotees and saintly persons fall in this category.
And since the Supreme Lord is the leader and goal of all saintly persons, He is the leader of all Uttama or Sat purushas. So to bring auspiciousness to His pure devotees and living entities in general, the Lord is ready to make any sacrifice. Also the Lord is infinitely superior to all living entities and Super most in every respect. So the epithet Uttama Purusha or Purushottama is perfectly fit for Him. So He is Purushottama in both the aspects (because of His Supremacy and because He is willing to lower Himself for the sake of elevating others). This point is beautifully stated in the Parama Samhita a famous Pancharatra text 2.95-6 as follows.
sarveṣām puruṣāṇām tu yasmād evam viśiṣyate
sarva - kalyāṇa - hetutvāt tenāsau puruṣottamaḥ
Since the Supreme Lord is infinitely superior to all living entities in terms of His greatness and because He is the cause of all auspiciousness (sarva kalyana hetu) to the living entities, He is called Purushottama.
Krishna willing, in the coming offerings, we will meditate on how the Lord forsakes His exalted position for giving auspiciousness to His pure devotees and all living entities in general.
Thank you very much.
Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva,
Narahari Krishna das
Chennai.
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