Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan, the Enlightened being, has said:
“You should keep the account book of the pure Soul clear. For that, at night, you (as a Soul) should tell John (please insert your name here), ‘For whomever you saw faults during the course of the day, clear the karmic account with them.’ If the intentions of the mind spoil, then through pratikraman, they will all become purified. There is no other solution. At night, before going off to sleep, clear it off to such an extent that even the income tax officer is not seen at fault. Tell [this to] John. Tell John to see the entire world as flawless before going off to sleep.”
The account of karma that has been bound in past can now come to an end through Pratikraman
Whatever we are given to suffer in this world is all a result of our own past karma, the other person (whom we see at fault) is actually a mere instrument to deliver the results of ‘our’ karma. Hence, the world is indeed flawless! And therefore, wherever we see people at fault and we end up hurting them in our thoughts, or through our words or actions, owing to our own anger, false pride, deceit or greed, it is our mistake; of no one else.
These mistakes happen on account of the force of past life karma. The rashi chart can, at best, predict how much we would have to suffer because of these mistakes (the effects of past karma). However, if these mistakes are not corrected, then they only multiply to form of a new set of karma that gets carried forward to future life.
A Three-Step Process of Reversal from a Mistake
It is natural for we humans to make mistakes. But what is the path to become free from that?
Only the Gnani Purush can reveal that - It is by doing pratikraman!
Pratikraman is a three-part process:
1. Alochana: A heart-felt inner confession of our mistakes.
2. Pratikraman: A process of apology coupled with remorse for our wrongdoing.
3. Pratyakhyan: A sincere pledge to never repeat the mistakes.
How to do pratikraman?
Say, at night, before going to sleep, internally, we recall all the faults where we hurt the other person through our anger, false pride, deceit or greed, our attachment or hatred, and then ask for forgiveness for the same from the pure Soul residing in the person we’ve hurt.
“Dear God (referring to the Pure Soul residing in the other person), with You as a witness, I am asking for forgiveness for all the faults I have done up to this day towards this person through my thoughts, words or actions. I atone for them with all my heart. Forgive me, forgive me, forgive me. I make a firm resolve to never repeat such faults again. Please grant me absolute strength for it.”
The force of past karma diminishes by doing pratikraman. And soon, an ultimate closure of karma also comes about fairly quickly by doing pratikraman.
The sooner we do pratikraman, the better it purifies our Soul
When we do an instant pratikraman against any atikraman (our mistake), the mind and speech begin to purify, as a bunch of karma clear off the Soul.
True pratikraman can be done after Self-Realization
After attaining the right vision, upon Self-Realization, pratikraman is done in a perfect manner, as we realize that, ‘I am really a pure Soul whose function is only to see and know with equanimity; and pratikraman has to be done by John (please insert your name here) who committed the errors.’ Hence, we ask John to do pratikraman.
But until we attain Self-Realization, upon doing something wrong, we shall continue to wash our mistakes by immediately doing pratikraman, as suggested above. Our past karma shall stand corrected, and we’ll bind less demerit karma for future.
Ambalal M. Patel was a civil contractor by profession. In June 1958, spontaneous Self-Realization occurred within Ambalal M. Patel. From this point on, Ambalal became a Gnani Purush, and the Lord that manifest within him became known as Dada Bhagwan. A Gnani Purush is One who has realized the Self and is able help others do the same. Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan used to go from town to town and country-to-country to give satsang (spiritual discourse) and impart the knowledge of the Self, as well as knowledge of harmonious worldly interactions to everyone who came to meet him. This spiritual science, known as Akram Vignan, is the step-less path to Self-realization.