Aptavani-2
137
Pratikraman ends karma
If one karma discharges, then the entanglements will
decrease day by day. If a person gets rid of one karma in one
day, the next day he will be able to get rid of two. But instead
people continue to increase karma and its entanglements
everyday.
Do you think people drink castor oil? Why do they walk
around looking as if they do? The moment one’s internal state
(parinati) changes, it shows up on his face; as if he just drank
castor oil! This is because he blames others, although it is his
own fault, and that changes the internal state. Vitarags have said
that one should look at his own faults. They have said nothing
else. Recognize your own fault and be free. This is the only thing
that will establish You in the abode of liberation. This is all the
Lord has asked you to do. It involves ‘cash’ (instant)
pratikraman. People generally do ‘on credit’ pratikraman once
a year during Paryushan. On the day of the Paryushan, they
dress up in fancy clothes; women wear new saris for the annual
recitation of pratikraman. In fact they walk around in a state of
illusion and attachment (murchha). The Lord says that, that
which arises out of such illusion is not dharma (religion). If you
grasp the dharma of pratikraman, then it will not matter even if
you do not have a guru. What do we mean by the dharma of
pratikraman? If you say to this man, “You are a bad person”,
then you have to do pratikraman and recognize that you should
not have spoken so. You have to invoke the vitarag Lord and
recall the misdeed (alochana): “Dear Lord, I made a mistake. I
repent for speaking in this way (pratikraman) and I vow not to
do it again (pratyakhyan).” Avowal to not repeat the mistake is
called pratyakhyan. If a person does instant alochana,
pratikraman and pratyakhyan and not leave anything pending, he
will be a spiritually rich man and go to moksha. It is important
to perform this pratikraman of the Lord instantly, washing
today’s faults today and tomorrow’s faults tomorrow. Just one