Pratikramana Full Version

Author(s): Dada Bhagwan
Publisher: Mahavideh Foundation

Page 42

[2] Every Religion Supports Pratikraman
21
Repenting is Never Insincere
Dadashri: How many such pratikramans do you do? Seeker: If I hurt anyone, I repent immediately.
Dadashri: Repenting is the suffering you experience. It is not considered pratikraman. Still, it is a good thing.
Seeker: If I repent after a bad deed, how can I be freed from that? Then a person will just keep on doing it, won't he? Dadashri: I will show you a way for all that.
Seeker: On the one hand, you commit aggression and on the other, you repent. It is a never-ending thing.
Dadashri: It is not like that. If a person does bad karma (deed) and he repents, his repentance can never be insincere. When he repents, that repentance is sincere and with that, a layer of karma is removed. An onion still appears whole even though one layer is gone. Another layer will be removed the next time. Repentance never goes to waste. Every religion calls for repentance. Even Christianity tells one to repent. (20)
The Correct and Complete Path
Seeker: So can our demerit karma (paap) be removed through repentance?
Dadashri: Demerit karma is removed only with that. There is no other way.
Seeker: So one keeps asking for forgiveness and then he keeps repeating the bad deed (paap)?
Dadashri: You are free to keep asking for forgiveness. You have to keep on asking for forgiveness. Yes! This is the path of one hundred percent attainment! Without asking for forgiveness, there is no freedom from this world. All mistakes are erased with pratikraman.
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Pratikraman
Seeker: Bad karmas are erased by doing pratikraman. What is the science behind that?
Dadashri: Demerit karma is created through atikraman and it is destroyed with pratikraman. Demerit karma is destroyed by turning back.
Seeker: So where does the law of karma apply? If we destroy demerit karma with pratikraman, then the law of karma no longer applies, does it?
Dadashri: This verily is the law of karma. Asking for forgiveness is itself the applied law of karma. (Karma is caused by intent of aggression and destroyed by intent of pratikraman.)
Seeker: Then everyone will continue to do wrong and then ask for forgiveness.
Dadashri: Yes, you can continue doing wrong and continue asking for forgiveness; that is what the Lord has said.
Seeker: But one has to ask for forgiveness with a sincere heart, right?
Dadashri: A person who asks for forgiveness does so with his heart. It will even suffice to apologize insincerely, as long as the apology is made.
Seeker: Then it will just become a habit.
Dadashri: Even if it does become a habit, it is fine as long as one asks for forgiveness. If he doesn't, then he is in serious trouble. What is the meaning of asking for forgiveness? That is called pratikraman. And what is a wrongdoing called? It is called atikraman.
What is the law of karma? You have to do pratikraman for any atikraman you do. Do you understand that?
Seeker: Yes.