Pratikraman: Freedom Through Apology & Repentance (Abr.) (In English) Pratikraman: Freedom Through Apology & Repentence | Page 74

Pratikraman
61
Questioner: But aren’t we supposed to settle the
account?
Dadashri: The fact that it has occurred means that you
have become bound, and so you must do pratikraman.
Everything heals with pratikraman, which is why you have been
given this weapon.
Questioner: When we do pratikraman, we get rid of our
bitter feelings of vengeance, but what about the other person?
What if he still feels animosity towards us?
Dadashri: What did it matter to Lord Mahavir when
those around him felt so much attachment towards him? Some
even hated him. Nothing affects the Vitarag. A Vitarag goes
around without putting ‘oil’ on his body. Nothing of the world
will stick to them (they will not be affected by them). Others
spread oil over their body before going outside and resultantly
they will become covered with the dirt and dust of the world.
Questioner: There is animosity between myself and
another person. There has been a lot of attachment and
consequent abhorrence between us. While I have managed to
get rid of my animosity, the other person still continues to harbor
deep vengeance. Does this mean that in my next life, he will
come to settle the account ? After all, he is the one perpetuating
the abhorrence.
Dadashri: With pratikraman, his animosity towards you
will lessen. With each pratikraman, a layer of karma is shed.
Karma comes in layers, as do onions. You will have to do as
many pratikramans as the number of layers you have caused.
Do you understand?
Questioner: What should we do when, while doing
pratikraman, atikraman occurs simultaneously?