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[5] The Way of Akram Vignan
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Pratikraman
repentance) is the solution for that. Many people have benefited from this solution.
"Your past stealing is not a problem, but instead of doing it that way, do it this way.' When you say this to him, he will feel you are not harping on his mistakes and his ego will not be hurt. The other approach will hurt his ego.
I have seen a father hit his son because he was stealing, and the son made a vow from within to get even with his father when he grew up. Hey, you! In trying to stop him from stealing, you created an enemy within him! You cannot hit him. Threatening people is never the solution to improving them. Once in a while it is fine to show sternness in your eyes, but if the child is rebellious, you cannot do even that.
deliberately. Whenever you have the desire that, 'I do not want to steal anymore,' then you can stop it. You do want to stop stealing, don't you? Yet, if there is a push from within and you have to steal, then ask for forgiveness. That is all! You do not have to do anything else.
You cannot tell a thief, 'Stop that business from tomorrow.' You will not achieve anything by saying that. Nothing will work, will it? You can never tell him, 'Stop this or stop that.' 'We' never tell anyone to stop doing something. In the current time cycle of the fifth ara (era), telling anyone to stop doing something is not appropriate. Nor is it appropriate to tell anyone, 'Do this.' That is because one is not able to let go of anything even if he wants to. Yes, and on the other hand, they will complain, 'I want to but I am not able to do it. I want to fast but I cannot.'
Hey, you! Why do you keep saying this over and over again? Instead, why don't you ask the Lord for forgiveness? *Dear Lord. I want to fast but I am not able to, and for that I ask for your forgiveness. But instead, he keeps saying he cannot do it. You should never say, 'I cannot do it. I cannot do it.' Is there some law that says that you have to say this? It is a type of ego. If you can't do it, there is no need for you to keep saying it over and over. Why does one complain like that? He is showing
Therefore, this tells you where and how you should conduct yourself; where you need to use not only discretion (vivek), but right discretion. Such right discretion, which is beneficial for all, is nowhere to be found and yet they tell you to use right discretion (sadvivek). Disease Cannot Be Cured Without Medicine
So when someone tells me, 'What should I do, I have started a business of stealing?' I will tell him, 'You can do it; I do not have any problems with that. But these are the consequences of stealing. If you can handle such a liability, then go ahead and do it. I do not have any objection.' So then he will ask me, 'Sir, how have you obliged me in this? The responsibility will ultimately be mine anyway.' I will tell him, 'As per my role in this, I will tell you, do pratikraman in "Dada's name, or Lord Mahavir's name. Say the following. 'Dear Lord, I do not want to do this but I have to. I ask for your forgiveness for that."
his ego.
This science seems very new and strange to people. It is something they have never heard of, never seen before, never known before! What have they been telling us so far? They have said, 'Stop all the bad deeds and do good deeds.' One does not have the capacity to stop anything nor create anything and yet they uselessly keep saying, 'Do this.' Then that person will say, 'I am not able to do it. I want to speak the truth, but I cannot.' Therefore, 'we' came up with a new science. 'Dear brother, you do not have a problem speaking a lie, do you? You can handle that, can you not? So when you speak a lie, do this;
Keep asking for forgiveness in this way even while you continue doing what you are doing. Do not do it willingly and
