Pratikraman: Freedom Through Apology & Repentance (Abr.) (In English) Pratikraman: Freedom Through Apology & Repentence | Page 30

Pratikraman
17
Questioner: Yes I do indeed.
Dadashri: Everything is false. Because people lack
understanding, they proclaim that they are telling the truth. If it
were indeed the truth, it would not offend anyone.
The instant I utter a word, I am simultaneously doing
pratikraman with fervor.
Questioner: But when you tell the truth about something,
then why is it necessary to do pratikraman?
Dadashri: No, I still have to do pratikraman. Why did
I see someone’s fault? Why did I see his fault even though he
is faultless? Why did I criticize him despite this? Any truth that
hurts others is not considered truth and must not be uttered. If
uttered, this truth becomes a fault. It represents violence.
The way to liberation is through alochana, pratikraman,
and pratyakhyan. What do our mahatmas (people who are
Self-Realized) do? They do alochana, pratikraman, and
pratyakhyan throughout the entire day. If you were to ask them
to do rituals and practice austerities such as fasting and penance,
they will tell you that they have no need for such austerities
because they have no worries and are content. They remain
constantly at peace with themselves and free from all woes and
anxieties, undeterred by the external world. So why would they
want to complicate their lives by introducing chaos in the form
of fasting, etc? People who are confused do all these complicated
penances and other rituals. People, who do rituals, enjoy doing
them and need to do them. That is why I say that penance is
for those who derive pleasure from it. Those who have a passion
for the worldly life should do penance.
Questioner: People believe that in doing penance, karmas
are being dispelled.