Pratikramana Freedom Through Apology and Repentance

Author(s): Dada Bhagwan
Publisher: Dada Bhagwan Foundation

Page 13

Pratikraman
Pratikraman
13
after Self-relalization puts you on the path to liberation. After Selfrealization, all other ways of seeking will become beneficial towards your liberation.
Questioner: Can pratikramans become the cause of Atma Gnan (Self-Realization)?
complete understanding. Only the Navkar Mantra was worth retaining in the Magdhi language because they are the Lord's words. You must first understand the true meaning of pratikraman and understand that you are doing it, but for whom? It is either for Chandubhai insulting you or you insulting someone else.
Pratikraman means to destroy inner enemies of anger, false pride, greed and illusionary conduct.
(P.33) Nowadays, when people perform their pratikraman rituals, they do them once a year. They wear new clothes and gather. What sort of pratikraman do you call this? Is this some sort of a wedding ceremony? Pratikraman means to be remorseful and repentant. What is the relevance of wearing fancy clothes? Is someone getting married? Not only this, but they do 'rayshi' (early morning pratikraman) and 'devshi' (late evening pratikraman). How is it possible to recall each fault committed throughout the day when it is difficult for them to even remember what they ate for breakfast?
What is the religion of the Vitarag? In it five hundred or more pratikramans happen everyday. The religion of the Jain can be found everywhere but not the religion of the Vitarag. How can one do pratikraman just once a year and call oneself a Jain? Nevertheless it is better to do it even once a year than not to do it
(P.37) Although I make this statement, I have already done pratikraman before speaking in this manner. You however must not speak in such a harsh manner. Although I am saying such harsh things and pointing out mistakes, I speak out of compassion and I see everyone as faultless. Someone has to enlighten this world. People need to understand the reality as it is. (P.40)
Knowledge of the Self is the path of liberation. Pratikramans
Dadashri: No. This is because one does pratikraman for past mistakes, but at the same time new atikramans are taking place because of one's ignorance of the Self. This ignorance and illusion is unrelenting. It never stops. This illusion, to take that which appears in worldly view as real, is the cause of new karma. One is perpetually creating new karma as one destroys one's old karma through pratikraman. Old karma is an effect and one is doing pratikramans for the effects. When people do pratikraman, they bind punya (good karma).
(P.44) In the worldly life, people generally do pratikraman and if they have the awareness, they do pratikramans in the morning and at the end of the day. By doing this, they will decrease many faults, but as long as they remain ignorant of their real Self, they will not attain liberation, and their faults will continue to occur. The faults one does pratikraman for will be erased. (P.45)
at all.
But today, let alone shoot-on-sight pratikraman, people cannot even manage to do pratikraman at the end of the day, once a week or even once a month. It is done once a year and even then, without any understanding. They just make a fashion parade out of it. No one actually does the real pratikraman and so his or her faults keep increasing. One can only call it pratikraman if one's faults decrease.
(P.48) If ever this lady (Self-realized person sitting next to Dada), sitting here has a negative thought, she would not allow you to