Not Guilt but “Repentance” is the right word!

Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan, an enlightened being says,

“When bad deeds happen, repentance must always immediately follow, and we should repent wholeheartedly and with sincerity. Despite repentance, if the mistake is repeated (i.e. once again the bad deed happens by we), then do not worry about it. We should repent once again. We are not aware of the science behind this; that is why we may feel that despite repenting, it is not coming to a stop. Why it is not coming to a stop is a science. Therefore, we should simply carry on repenting. For the one who repents wholeheartedly, all his karma are washed away. If someone feels hurt by we, then we should definitely repent over that.”

Guilt is one of the most damaging patterns

Guilt always looks for punishment, and punishment creates pain. Eventually, guilt leads to self-hatred, and in turn self-hatred promotes further guilt. Both, guilt and self-hatred put together, create only problems, more than anything else, at every level, in every sphere.

Nevertheless, atonement for our bad deeds is essential

Dadashri further explains, “If atonement does not happen, then more karma gets bound. By atoning, the karmic tubers become lighter. Otherwise, the result of that bad karma is terrible. One may even forfeit human life [in the next life]. And even if one ends up as a human [in the next life], he would face all kinds of difficulties in life. Eg. [Difficulty in obtaining] food to eat and water to drink; he would certainly never get any respect, [would face] constant insult. That is why this atonement and other rituals need to be carried out.”

The right way of atonement

Remember, how many times have we said to ourselves, “I won’t ever do that again!”? And then, as the day is up, the same mistakes continue to happen – we grab an extra sweet-dish while no one is watching or go out and smoke a cigarette, say hurtful things to the ones we love, etc., and finally compound the whole problem by getting angry on ourselves, “Oh, I have no willpower, no discipline. I am terribly weak.” This is how we keep adding to the load of guilt we carry with us, everyday.

But has it helped in any way? No! So guilt certainly is not the right way.

It is because in guilt, there is immense fear of the mistake repeating. It keeps producing stress and tension of, ‘What if I make this mistake again?’ On the other hand, although bit by bit, but repentance clears all our mistakes. It inculcates awareness within us, so as to not repeat the mistake.

So come, today let’s learn the right technique of repentance!

For instance, if negative thoughts arise in our mind, then we shall do pratikraman for that. Pratikraman means to confess before God our mistake, seek forgiveness from Him with repentance in our heart, and in His presence resolve not to repeat the mistake.

How do we do pratikraman? It’s very, very simple!

We recall God (the pure Soul) residing within the person whom we’ve hurt, and ask for forgiveness by saying, ‘Dear God, negative thoughts have arisen in my mind, for which I ask for forgiveness. Please forgive me. I vow not to repeat this mistake again. So please grant me strength for that.’

Now after learning the right technique, let’s learn the right science too.

Who binds karma?

It is very important to understand that.

• When we repeatedly hear, “It’s all your fault”, we feel guilty.
• Our inner belief soon changes to, “I always make mistakes and bind bad karma, the result of which will come to me in the form of immense suffering.” This makes us fearful.
• And in course of time, we are convinced that, “I am not a good person at all” and self-hatred engulfs us completely. This takes us nowhere.

Here, Param Pujya Dadashri makes us understand the reality,

“The one who says, “I am John (please insert your name here)” is indeed the one that binds karma.” However, “You are not John in reality. That which you are not, there you claim, “am this.’ That is a wrong belief, and this offence is constantly occurring!”

Ignorance of “who am I” is our biggest mistake, the biggest karma of all!

And Self-Realization alone can nullify this karma!

We all are really a Pure Soul. Yes, the real Self of every living being is the Pure Soul that resides within them, and John (please insert your name here) is called the relative Self.

John is human, mistakes will happen by him. And since the mistake has happened by him, he should do instant pratikraman to help nullify the respective karma, so that John doesn’t have to undergo any suffering for that karma. Hence, when bad karma arises, you should make John, the relative self, do pratikraman. And You, the real Self, are the Lord of this universe, no mistake can happen in there, you only know and observe.

In every circumstance, be it that of binding bad karma or nullifying the bad karma, we, the Pure Soul, are an abode of eternal bliss only!!! Thus, after Self-Realization, we (the Self) never undergo any suffering whatsoever.

Do you know?

Through Akram Vignan, we can attain Self-Realization in a matter of two hours only, as Gnani directly, with his spiritual powers, gives us the experiential knowledge of the Self.