20 Pratikraman
have awareness of the Self within the other person. It is precisely the Self within that person that you should address. Otherwise, you can direct your pratikraman towards God by saying,‘ O Lord! I repent for my mistake. I ask for your forgiveness and resolve never to repeat it.’ That is pratikraman. If something wrong occurs, would you not recognize it right away?
Seeker: Yes.
Dadashri: If you do pratikraman for that, it will get washed away.
Seeker: Does it really get washed away?
Dadashri: Yes, yes of course it will! After pratikraman, the fault will not remain. Even a massive karma will become like a burned rope that appears intact but will disintegrate into ashes upon the slightest touch.
Seeker: And how should I repent? Should it be done outwardly so that it is visible to others or should it be done from within, in the mind?
Dadashri: In the mind! You should remember Dadaji, apologize for your mistake and resolve never to repeat it. In doing so, the pain will be erased and the mistake destroyed. If you fail to do this, your mistakes will accumulate. I have given you a weapon; this pratikraman is the greatest weapon. To become free from the ties of the worldly life, it is the only greatest weapon. The worldly life has arisen due to atikraman and pratikraman will bring it to an end. That is all there is. Atikraman is wrongdoing; when you recognize that, you should do‘ shoot-on-sight’ pratikraman. The moment you see the mistake, shoot it down.
This pratikraman is the only path where a person can see his own faults and is able to shoot them down. In doing so, all one’ s mistakes come to an end.