Aptavani-2
401
you just sit there with your hands folded. Granted it is not under
your control when tea spills on your clothes, but should you not
wash it out right away? Similarly, should you not wash out stains
of atikraman right away also?
‘We’ have done pratikraman for many lives. That is why
these clothes (non-self) have become clean and I am helping you
attain the same.
There are two kinds of alochana, pratikraman and
pratyakhyan. One is the kind done by worldly people, sadhus,
ascetics and alike. This pratikraman helps cut down on the
‘stickiness’ of the karmic tubers. However, the reward is much
greater if pratikraman is done instantly, the moment atikraman
occurs. The latter is the kind of pratikraman done by our
mahatmas; they are done while being the Self.
Wonder of Gautam Swami’s pratikraman !
Do you think we had such pratikramans when the Lord
was walking around on this earth? What can we even say about
those times? A lay devotee of the Lord by the name of Anand
Shravak attained avadhi gnan (knowledge beyond the senses).
When Gautam Swami went to him, Anand Shravak told him, “I
have attained avadhi gnan.” Gautam Swami did not believe him,
so he told the shravak, “This claim of yours is wrong so please
do pratikraman for it.” Anand Shravak asked, “Should I do
pratikraman for telling the truth or telling a lie?” Gautam Swami
replied, “Pratikraman has to be done for telling lies. You do not
need to do pratikraman for telling the truth.” So Anand Shravak
told him, “If there is no need to do pratikraman for the truth,
then I do not have the right to do pratikraman.” Gautam Swami
went to Lord Mahavir and asked, “Dear Lord, does Anand
Shravak not have a right to do pratikraman?” The Lord said,
“Gautam, Anand is right. He has attained avadhi gnan, so you
go and do pratikraman of Anand Shravak.” Gautam Swami ran
to Anand Shravak and did pratikraman.