Pratikramana Freedom Through Apology and Repentance

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

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Pratikraman
mistreat people. If you treat manual workers with contempt, they will take revenge in their next life. They may even become a snake and bite you to avenge themselves. Contempt will never free you from its grip. Only pratikraman can save you.
Questioner: If we have made someone miserable beyond words and hurt him deeply to the point where we cannot remove his pain, will we bind karmas even if we do pratikraman?
Dadashri: You must continue to do the pratikraman in his name with as much intensity as the pain you caused him. (P.155)
A judge asked me whether or not he should give a death penalty now that he had attained the Gnan from Dada. I asked him what other choice he had. He wanted to know whether he would still bind karma if he were to confer a death sentence on someone. I asked him whether he was the Pure Self or Chandulal, and he replied that he was the Pure Self. Then I told him, if you are the Pure Self, then whatever Chandulal does, is done by Chandulal, at Chandulal's risk and responsibility. It is entirely up to you. If you want the burden of responsibility of the death penalty, you are Chandulal. I do not have any problem with that. I warned him not to be a partner in crime and gave him a way to resolve his dilemma. I told him to beseech in prayer: "Oh Dada Bhagwan, why do I have to deal with such an unpleasant task?" and do pratikraman for it. I counseled him to continue with his line of work as prescribed by the laws. (P.157)
Questioner: Since we rid ourselves of our faults by doing pratikraman, would this not give people the right to do as they please?
Dadashri: No, you do not have to look at it that way. The importance is given to pratikraman. You are free, free from your
Pratikraman
responsibility when you do pratikraman.
(P.158)
Sometimes, very rarely, I myself end up hurting people. It happens against my will. Within the past twenty years, I may have hurt two or three people. I however, followed it up with my pratikramans, constructing a fortress around them so that they would not suffer a spiritual fall. A person should not fall from the place where I have put him. I give him all the support and protection and then let go of him gently, once he is stable.
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My principle is to go as far as to change the course of a highway to protect a newly planted sapling from harm. In the same way I would never allow anyone to come to harm. (P.159)
Questioner: If someone does something wrong to us and he comes to ask for forgiveness, we forgive him. We have forgive him internally even when he does not ask for forgiveness. What if he keeps doing the same thing over and over again, what should we do?
Dadashri: Try as best as you can to explain to him in a gentle and kind manner. There is no other way because you do not have any control over the matter. You have no choice other than to forgive him. If you do not forgive, you will end up forgiving after more suffering. There is no other way. You have to make him understand and you should try to make him see his error. If he changes his internal intent and recognizes that it is wrong for him to hurt you, your work is done. His hurting you is an effect for him. (P.160)
How much good would it do you to know that your son has pilfered some loose change from your wallet while running an errand for you? You must accept him the way he is. Can you throw him out and find another son? (P.161)