Pratikramana Freedom Through Apology and Repentance

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

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Pratikraman
Pratikraman
25
(P.90)
Questioner: I understand what you mean to say, but surely some things will still need to be done having understood all that? Just as we do not possess the power to do anything, do we not also lack the power to know?
Dadashri: No. One has the power to know. To do is not in one's power. This is very subtle, but it will be enough if you understand just this much.
A youngster has turned into a thief. He steals at every opportunity. He even steals from guests who come to his house. Now what lesson should we give to this boy? We should tell him to ask Dada Bhagwan (the Lord within) to give him the strength not to steal. People may question what good does it do when he continues to steal, even though he asks for the strength not to. Let him steal as long as he asks for the strength to not steal. Only I know the effect this remedy has on him. What do you know about how this medicine works?
him the strength no matter what. He will grant it to everyone, but first one must ask and one must also know what to ask for. Keep asking. You never ask for a thing. Do you understand why you should ask for strength?
(P.91) Whatever you need forgiveness for, you must ask for the strength from Dada. Ask for the strength, but do not use any of your own, lest you run out of it. If you ask for the strength and use it, you will never run out of it. Moreover, you will have some left over. How much stock can you have in your own shop?
You should ask Dada for strength in everything. If you fail to do pratikraman, you must ask for the strength to do proper pratikraman. Ask for all the strength. I have as much strength as you need.
(P.92) 6. The Thorns Vanish And The Blossom Remains
Prakruti (the complex of thoughts, speech and acts) has arisen out of doer ship and normal action and through atikraman it has proliferated. This proliferation decreases with pratikraman and as a result a person will become aware.
(P.101) If you go to meet a person you think is a Gnani and he turns out to be a phony, it would be your karma effect. Karma effect is responsible for taking you there. And if after meeting him, you have negative thoughts about him, then you will sow new seeds of bad karma. The effect of this causal karma will be experienced in your next life. You will have to suffer the consequences of this negative cause in your next life. Thoughts may occur, but you must do pratikraman for having them, and that will erase the new cause.
Remember to do pratikraman in the name of whichever God you believe in. When you do your pratikraman, your bhaav
Questioner: It is true that people have no idea about how this medicine works, and that is why they do not understand whether there are any benefits in asking for the strength.
Dadashri: What is the significance of asking for strength? Firstly he asks for the strength to stop stealing which means his opinion about "There is nothing wrong in stealing' has changed to that of, 'Stealing is wrong and not to steal is right'. By asking for strength he comes to have the opinion that stealing is wrong. This change of opinion is the greatest achievement.
Once his opinion changes, he ceases to be nature's offender.
Secondly, in asking for strength from the Lord within, he achieves the ultimate state of humility. When he earnestly and sincerely asks, "O' Lord, grant me the strength...", God gives