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[25] Understanding the Principles of Pratikraman
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Questioner: Yes.
Dadashri: If 'Chandubhai' were the doer, then the charging would take place. So that question no longer applies. Do you understand? Did you get a clarification to your question?
Questioner: If I do pratikraman, will I not charge a new karma?
Dadashri: If the Self becomes the doer, only then will karma be charged.
No New Credit or Debit after Gnan
Questioner: Is there a charging of the good karma, just as there is charging of the bad karma?
Dadashri: No. Even bad deeds do not get charged after Gnan. We do pratikraman when atikraman occurs during discharge of past karma. Atikramans that were done in the past are such that they hurt others now.
Questioner: Do I have to do pratikraman for the attachment-abhorrence (raag-dwesh) that occurs during
discharge?
Dadashri: You have to do pratikraman for the discharge, and there is no charging, so that is out of the question. So, for 'us,' there is no new credit or debit of karma.
If credit takes place, one will get a life in the celestial world. If there is debit, one will spend a life in the animal world, but that does not occur anymore for you mahatmas. But we are talking about this current credit-debit, which is discharge; when there is atikraman during that then you have to do pratikraman.
Correct Understanding of Doership
Questioner: Some individuals say that we have been given a state of Shuddhatma - the pure Self. The Self does not do
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Pratikraman
anything and, therefore, nothing obstructs us. There is no need to do anything. There is no need to do pratikraman.
Dadashri: That is all wrong.
Questioner: Now that is one viewpoint. Others say that one needs to do pratikraman when certain karmas come into effect.
Dadashri: If there is no need to do anything then ask him, 'Why do you eat? Especially when you are saying 'nothing needs to be done'?' If he stops eating, then there is nothing to be done. But has he stopped eating? (448)
Questioner: No, that still continues.
Dadashri: Does, 'nothing needs to be done' mean that You should not have any sense of 'doership'? One becomes a spinning top (binding karma life after life) through doership.
Pratikraman is Discharge Too
Questioner: If nothing affects me, raag-dwesh no longer occurs; then is there a need to do pratikraman?
Dadashri: Raag-dwesh do not occur to You, therefore, You do not have to do pratikraman. But if raag-dwesh do occur to 'Chandubhai,' then he has to do pratikraman, does he not?
Questioner: Many times my conduct occurs as 'I am Chandubhai.' I realize this after a long time. Sometimes I do not even become aware of that, so should I do pratikraman for that?
Dadashri: Do pratikraman for whatever is in Your
awareness.
Questioner: Why do I have to do it?
Dadashri: You (the Self) are not doing pratikraman, are
