06 Nov 2021
[Shri Bijoy Barik asked:- I have done some mistakes in the earlier part of my life. I always remember them and get pained. I am submitting my prayer to God every day.]
Swami replied:- When realization, repentance and non-repetition of the sin is done, all the pending punishments of the past sins get cancelled as per the divine statement (Jñānāgniḥ sarva karmāṇi, bhasmasāt kurute'rjuna- Gītā). Realization belongs to knowledge or Jnaanayoga. Repentance belongs to devotion or bhaktiyoga. Non-repetition of the sin belongs to practice or karmayoga. This is the subsequence of these three stages. This principle has powerful logic, which is that if the soul is reformed by these three stages, again punishment for the sin is useless because the aim of the punishment is only reformation and not revenge. By sentencing to death, the murderer is killed because the fear here is that the criminal may do second murder in the world. But, if the criminal is already reformed by the above procedure and when he is not going to commit the second sin again, implementation of the punishment becomes unnecessary. Here, in the reformation, the third step (non-repetition of sin) is very important. Some stop in the second stage (repentance) only feeling that their sin is excused by God and repeat the same sin again and again. In such case even the present sin is not cancelled and not to speak of previous sins. Some confess (realization and repentance) for the present sin and believe that the present sin is cancelled by God. Next day, they repeat the same sin and confess before God so that the second sin also gets cancelled giving way to the third sin by next day!
The prayer is done generally for a favour or for the protection from the punishments of the sins. If the above said reformation is achieved, there is no need of prayer for this purpose of protection from sins. If the prayer is for the sake of getting a favour, God has already done uncountable favours in the past in the case of any soul. Setting our sins aside, without opening our file, God has already done the tremendous favour of giving this human birth. After that also, He has done several favours, which are forgotten by us. Hence first, we shall express our gratefulness for the favours done already. We must mention at least the predominant favours done by God, which are not forgotten and must express our gratefulness for the past favours and then only ask for a new favour. The prayer for the new favour must be always associated with the expression of gratefulness related to past favours. We never express gratefulness for the past favours and mention straight our new request for the fresh favour. By this itself, we become undeserving to receive any fresh favour. Keeping this horrible defect with us, we scold God if the fresh favour is not sanctioned!
My knowledge has two assured qualities:- 1. Attraction because the knowledge is perfectly True and 2. Full clarity because the knowledge is perfectly True. When people asked Me for the reasons of the tremendous attraction and tremendous clarity of My knowledge, I gave the above answer (Satyaṃ Jñānaṃ anantaṃ Brahma- Veda).
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