________________
[8] Freedom from the Chains of Life-After-Life Accounts
175
176
Pratikraman
make up your mind that you want to do good.
Questioner: I used to have a lot of fear before, but not anymore.
Dadashri: There is no need to talk like this. If he leaves here feeling bad, he will return the next day feeling good. You should do pratikraman.
These are all relative relationships; they are not real. If there is no pratikraman then the relationship will tear apart. What does pratikraman mean? It means to mend. If you keep mending even as the other person keeps tearing, the cloth will last longer. But what would occur if the other person is tearing and you do the same?
(164) Questioner: My husband lives separate from me; he has also taken the children with him. This has occurred because it should be my karma, right?
Dadashri: Of course, what else? Nothing new outside of karma effect occurs. This has happened because of failure to do pratikraman. Things turn around by doing pratikraman. Pay Off the Accounts with the Checkbook of
Pratikraman The whole world is a karmic debt (hisaab) and in order to settle that karmic debt, we have the tool of alochanapratikraman-pratyakhyan, whereas the others in the world do not have any tool to settle this debt with. Are you settling some of your debt now? All you have to do is settle the accounts, do you not? What else do you have to do?
may be, he will come to his senses through your pratikraman.
Do Not Suffer Two Losses Gnan means not to incur two losses. And even if you incur one loss, if you do pratikraman, you will only have one loss. One should not incur two losses (first loss is effect in this life, second loss is the loss/effect that has to be suffered in the next life through causes of attachment-abhorrence created in this life).
Questioner: But I will be forgiven if I do pratikraman, will I not?
Dadashri: One does pratikraman for one's mistake of hurting anyone through thought, speech and acts (dosh). There is no need to do pratikraman if you have not made a mistake. That account is settled. And if nothing has occurred, then there is no problem. As you continue to do pratikraman, everything will start becoming smoother in the interaction with that individual. The relationship with that person will be absolutely clear.
If you do not get along with a certain person, if you were to do pratikraman all day long for several days for that person, you will be able to get along with him and he will come seeking your company. All conflict is because of one's atikraman (mistakes).
And none of these wise (!) people do pratikraman. Do you think they do pratikraman? One will say, 'Why should I do pratikraman when it is his mistake?' If you ask the other person, he will say, 'He is at mistake; why should I do pratikraman? Well so be it, let them 'bomb' each other like India and Pakistan! The World Echoes Your Own Projections
Questioner: If a person is harming me in some way, should I continue to simply "know and see what is taking place by understanding that it is my unfolding karma, or should
No one has the independent power to harass or hurt another person and no one has the independent power to tolerate. Each person is merely a 'puppet' going about his business on the stage of the worldly life. With pratikraman, these 'puppets' learn to live in peace and harmony. No matter how insane the other person
