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[25] Understanding the Principles of Pratikraman
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Dream is Always a Discharge Karma Questioner: When I have sexual dreams, it leaves its effect on me.
Dadashri: You can do pratikraman for that, can you
not?
Questioner: That can be done.
Dadashri: On the contrary, that is even better. It is beneficial if pratikraman occurs. There is no problem with that. And pratikraman must be done. If You let go, then it will remain unresolved and pending. By doing pratikraman, you remove it from its roots. And that is good. When that occurs, you say that 'this is wrong,' don't you? If you feel it was wrong. that is good.
What is a dream? It is a discharge (galan), not charge (puran). That which has no new charging (puran) at all is called a dream. And in the awakened state, both charge and discharge occur due to the presence of the ego, whereas in a dream there is only discharge. Discharge means galan and no one has to worry about discharge. Stop worrying about something that has already occurred.
What Can One Do Where There is No Solution?
Questioner: After attaining this 'Gnan,' you have called the worldly life interaction (vyavahar) a discharge (nikaali) and that is fine. But there are some interactions that are such that they cannot be avoided and there is no cure for it. Where is the danger point for charging there?
Dadashri: There are no danger points, situations, at all where charging (of karma) occurs. But charging may occur where there are doubts and suspicion. Whenever suspicion arises, recognize that there is danger there for charging. What kind of suspicion? The kind of suspicion that will not let one sleep at all;
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not little suspicion which goes away (the kind that is easily forgotten). There is no significance to suspicions.
Questioner: So then should one remain carefree and
nonchalant?
Dadashri: No. You will suffer if you are carefree. Why do people not stick their hands in a fire? (444) Questioner: Then what kind of appropriate action should one take?
Dadashri: What other action will You take? The only action needed there is repenting and pratikraman.
Do Mahatmas Charge Karma? Questioner: The most important thing I wanted to know is, can mahatmas bind karma?
Dadashri: You do not charge karma. But it is better to do pratikraman. Doing pratikraman means You are following *our' Agna. Do pratikraman when atikraman occurs. You (the Self) never do atikraman. You (the Self) do not even like to do atikraman and nor do You have a desire to do so, do You?
Questioner: No, no desire at all.
For mahatmas, when every karma is a discharge, then is there a need to do pratikraman?
Dadashri: Because it is a discharge, there is no need to do pratikraman. Pratikraman is to be done when atikraman occurs. Pratikraman is not to be done for eating or drinking. Do I keep asking you, 'Have you eaten a mango or not? Why did you eat fritters? Why did you go to a hotel?' Do 'we' ask you all that? No, because 'we' know that all of that is discharge.
If you accuse or hurt someone as part of discharge intent (discharge bhaav), then do pratikraman.