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1. The rules that make life smooth and lead towards enlightenment are called **meryaadaayen** (rules) or those **meryaadaayen** that are universal, beneficial to all beings, and lead to the welfare of oneself and others, can be called rules or **vrata** (vows).
2. The firm resolve to abandon the faults that arise in one's life experience is the origin of **vrata**.
**The usefulness of vrata**
3. Two banks are necessary to control the continuous flow of a river, similarly, **vrata** are necessary to control, limit, and keep life dynamic. Just as the flow becomes fragmented in the absence of banks, similarly, the life force of a person without **vrata** becomes fragmented. Therefore, **vrata** are extremely necessary to focus life force and use it in the right direction.
4. A kite flying high in the sky thinks, "What need do I have for the string's restraint? If this string were not there, I could fly freely in the sky." But we know what happens to the kite when the string breaks. As soon as the string breaks, the kite's dream of free flight in the sky is shattered and it has to fall into the dust. Similarly, to keep the kite of life elevated, it is necessary to remain bound by the string of **vrata**.
**Four ways in which faults occur in vrata**
1. **Atikram** - Desire to break the accepted **vrata**.
2. **Vyatikram** - Being ready to break the accepted **vrata**.
3. **Atichaar** - Breaking the accepted **vrata** partially.
4. **Anaachaar** - Breaking the accepted **vrata** completely.
It is necessary to protect **vrata** from these faults, and if a fault occurs by mistake, it should be rectified by **pratikraman** (atonement). It is from this perspective that the **atichaar** (partial transgressions) are mentioned here. Remember that this **pratikraman** text is related to the **vrata** of **shravak** (male lay follower) and **shravika** (female lay follower).