26 May 2012
The reformation of human being, which is indicated by repentance, takes place in the human being even before the implementation of punishment. As soon as the human being hears the punishment from the mouth of the judge, the repentance is expressed, which indicates the reformation of the soul. There is no scientific instrument to test the reformation of the soul, except the expression of repentance. The punishment of the prisoner is reduced by the observation of the repentance and practical behavior of the human being in the jail. But, the atmosphere of the jail is not congenial for doing the sin. In such case, the sin may not be repeated and you cannot take the practical behavior of the sinner in the jail as the proof for the permanent reformation. The reformation is not permanent, when it is unreal. By the expression of repentance and the observed practical behavior of the sinner in the jail, the real and permanent reformation cannot be decided. In fact, some sinners, who are given the advantage of reduction of the period of punishment due to observed repentance and good practical behavior, become sinners again, when they enter the outer world, which is congenial for doing sins. In such case, even the calculation of the period of the punishment based on the intensity of the sin is also wrong. However, the stipulated period of punishment brings a temporary reformation since the attitude for the sin is reduced from a huge tree to a tiny seed. The seed does not grow in the jail or hell because of the non congenial atmosphere. When the soul comes out of the jail or hell and enters this free world, the seed grows into tree due to the congenial atmosphere. But, this growth takes sometime and hence, the balance of the society is not severely disturbed as soon as the soul enters the world. If the huge tree comes into this world directly, the society is immediately disturbed in a serious manner. For this advantage only, the punishment becomes meaningful.
In spite of such cases in general, there may be an exceptional case of a sinner, who is really transformed even before the punishment. The reason of such exceptional case is that such a human being is basically good and the sin is committed due to the wrong direction temporarily induced. The power of circumstances of a particular situation or the lack of right knowledge induces such wrong direction. Such human being need not be punished at all since the real reformation of the soul comes immediately after committing the sin expressed by repentance. But, unfortunately, there is no instrumental procedure to isolate such good human being from all other human beings in general, which do not have real reformation even after the completion of stipulated period of punishment. Real reformation means not only the reduction of the tree to seed but also the burning of the seed so that the burnt seed can never germinate even a tiny sprout in any congenial atmosphere. Such exceptional case may be a devotee or non devotee of God. Such real reformation depends upon the good nature of the soul and also on the devotion. But, all the devotees do not get real reformation as we see the case of Ravana. Regarding the case of a non devoted soul having good nature, it is logically impossible. The reason is that if you believe in the existence of the supreme controller, there is always fear for sin. Hence, there is better possibility for real reformation in the case of devoted soul at sometime if not today. In the case of a non devoted soul, who does not believe in the existence of supreme controller, the chance for maintaining the good nature of such soul is very difficult. Therefore, in the Gita, it is said that a devoted soul may be a sinner for the time being, but in course of time it will surely get the real reformation.
However, the basic problem remains as it is, which is the inability to detect the real reformation of the soul. The stipulated period of punishment calculated by the deity of justice also goes waste since the punished souls become sinners again on exposure to a congenial free atmosphere. Only the omniscient God can detect such real reformation of the soul among the devotees since the real reformation is impossible in the case of non devoted atheist. One day or the other, the atheist will think that the sin can be done if one can escape the punishment of law in this world. He believes that there is no punishment in the upper world after death and it is sufficient if you can escape the punishment here by your intellectual gimmicks. Hence, the real and permanent reformation is possible only in the case of devoted souls. Even in the devotees, all are not reformed at one time since the period of reformation depends on the inherent nature of the soul. The inherent nature of the soul and the devotion to God reform the soul in a combined way depending on the extent of good nature of the soul and the extent of the devotion to God. There will be different periods for the reformation. Hence, all the devotees are not assured regarding the immediate real reformation at a particular instance of time.
The reformation in the case of a devotee is sure, but, the duration of time differs from one soul to the other. Therefore, at a particular instance of time, God gives bail to some devotees only and not to all devotees. The devotion to God is respected by God because it is a tool of transformation of soul. God does not give importance to devotion because it is His personal affair. But, people do not analyze this critical point and hence, blame God as a person doing favour for His personal devotion. Hence, God undergoes the stipulated punishment of such soul. If the son is fined by the judge, the father can pay it from his pocket. Similarly, God takes over the punishment on to Him in giving assurance to the public to avoid the criticism. Such act also disproves the criticism that God misuses the power of His omnipotence. Hence, the entire back ground behind the devotion is only the reformation of the soul and not the misuse of the power of God being pumped by the devotion in the form of soaping. Generally, human beings misuse the power to protect their fans, who are soaped by such personal devotion.
God is totally different from any human being and the aim of God is totally different. Of course, the devotees expect such two-way traffic for their devotion from God. Generally, the devotees expect some materialistic benefits from God or at least the protection from God so that the punishments here and there can be avoided. Such devotion is impure and unreal. Hence, God does not encourage such type of impure devotion in which God is only instrumental and not the ultimate goal. Instrumental devotion means the impure one in which God is made instrument for achieving some benefit in return. The devotion, where God is ultimate, is pure since the love and service to God is without any expectation in return. Hence, the Gita stresses the devotion without any aspiration in return. The real devotion does not expect anything in return from God. Such real devotion is certainly recognized by God and it will have the unimaginable fruit.
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