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[2] Every Religion Supports Pratikraman
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charging karma. With your conviction of 'I am Chandulal' comes a series of other wrong beliefs such as, 'I am her husband; his uncle; her father; their boss; etc.' Even in your sleep you bind karma. There is no way to avoid karma bondage during sleep but if you purify your ego -'I am Chandulal,' then you will bind less karma.
Even after the ego becomes somewhat clean, you will still have to perform some rituals. If your daughter-in-law breaks something expensive and you shout at her, 'You have no sense,' you will have to do pratikraman for hurting her feelings. The hurt you cause is atikraman and if you do pratikraman immediately, the karma will be erased or it will become lighter.
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Whenever you do atikraman, if you hurt someone in any way, you should erase it with pratikraman. It should be a *shoot-on-sight' (instantaneous) pratikraman and not the kind that is done only once a year. Only then will it lighten this burden of suffering. If you conduct yourself according to the ways prescribed by the Vitarags, your suffering will depart.
This is How You Do Pratikraman
That which has become automatic is called atikraman and pratikraman is what you will have to learn. Atikraman is automatically learned and done. If you want to shove or push someone, you do not have to learn to do it. You have learned that by observing others. Now, if you do atikraman, you have to do pratikraman. Generally, when people are sitting around talking, there is no need to do pratikraman. But if there is any pushing or shoving or making fun at the expense of another human being, that is atikraman and for that one should do pratikraman.
Seeker: How does one do pratikraman?
Dadashri: If you have attained Self-realization, you will
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Pratikraman
have awareness of the Self within the other person. It is precisely the Self within that person that you should address. Otherwise, you can direct your pratikraman towards God by saying, 'O Lord! I repent for my mistake. I ask for your forgiveness and resolve never to repeat it.' That is pratikraman. If something wrong occurs, would you not recognize it right away?
Seeker: Yes.
Dadashri: If you do pratikraman for that, it will get washed away.
Seeker: Does it really get washed away?
Dadashri: Yes, yes of course it will! After pratikraman, the fault will not remain. Even a massive karma will become like a burned rope that appears intact but will disintegrate into ashes upon the slightest touch.
Seeker: And how should I repent? Should it be done outwardly so that it is visible to others or should it be done from within, in the mind?
Dadashri: In the mind! You should remember Dadaji, apologize for your mistake and resolve never to repeat it. In doing so, the pain will be erased and the mistake destroyed. If you fail to do this, your mistakes will accumulate. I have given you a weapon; this pratikraman is the greatest weapon. To become free from the ties of the worldly life, it is the only greatest weapon. The worldly life has arisen due to atikraman and pratikraman will bring it to an end. That is all there is. Atikraman is wrongdoing; when you recognize that, you should do 'shoot-on-sight' pratikraman. The moment you see the mistake, shoot it down.
This pratikraman is the only path where a person can see his own faults and is able to shoot them down. In doing so, all one's mistakes come to an end.
