Power of Pratikraman

Forgiveness - a word that we keep hearing so often in different situations. sometimes in relation to forgiving others and sometimes it is about seeking forgiveness for ourselves. Though giving and receiving forgiveness are seen as two different things; the results of both are the same. It makes the person feel lighter, grateful, motivated and happier!

All religions have emphasized the importance of forgiveness in their own ways. But the benefits of forgiveness are truly experienced, when done rightly. A lot of times, people may think that, “Ohh! What’s the need to ask for forgiveness for such a petty thing” or some may even think, “I have no hang-ups. I keep forgiving people all the time.” At times it could be our inability to understand how we have hurt the other person, knowingly or unknowingly. But sometimes, it is our ego that comes and blocks the way! It makes it difficult to forgive or ask for forgiveness from someone.

Hence, Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan, a spiritual scientist of the modern era, gives us a scientific tool called ‘Pratikraman’ using which, we can, with true repentance, ask for forgiveness from someone without having to say a single word to that person directly.

Let’s know more about it.

What is Pratikraman?

Pratikraman is a way to retrace our steps away from our mistakes. It consists of 3 steps –

• Alochana – Accepting the mistake
• Pratikraman – Asking for forgiveness for the mistake
• Pratyakhyan – Resolution to never repeat the mistake again

How to do Pratikraman?

• It’s as simple as making a phone call!

In pratikraman, we just have to make a phone call to the Pure Soul residing within the person whom we’ve wronged through our speech, action or thoughts and say, “Dear Lord within, I have made this mistake, please forgive me and grant me strength so that I do not repeat this mistake.”

Whose Pratikraman can we do?

• Of all those around us whom we’ve caused hurt intentionally or unintentionally.
• Of our extended friends and family who may or may not be staying with us, but we have spoken bad or thought wrong about them.
• Of anyone who may be dead now, but with whom we’ve had any kind of fights before, or for whom we have some grudge even right now.
• And even, of people like politicians and other celebrities. Though we might not have hurt them directly through our speech or action but we should ask for forgiveness for keeping wrong thoughts towards them, maintaining prejudiced views against them and even accusing them without knowing the right facts.

What are the benefits of doing Pratikraman?

Well, the benefits are manifold -

• From a medical science perspective, forgiveness is like a medicine for the mind. It not only makes us feel lighter mentally but also helps to remain healthy.
• From religious perspective, it helps us get rid of our negative karma and thus advance further on our spiritual path.
• From social perspective, it helps us to overcome our negative opinions or feelings against other people and thus foster happy, healthy and harmonious relationships with everyone!

When to do Pratikraman?

• Of course pratikraman should be done daily. However, if we’ve missed doing it daily, we should at least do it once in the entire year. The Jains celebrate their Annual Forgiveness Day on the last day of their 8-days Paryushan festival, and they call it ‘Samvatsari’. On this day, people do special pratikraman wherein they repent and ask for forgiveness for all the sins happened by them in the past year.
• However, so that we do not miss out on washing off any of our mistake in the surest manner, Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan has asked to do a ‘shoot-on-sight’ pratikraman. It means asking for forgiveness then and there, as soon as the mistake happens.

Millions of people around the world have experienced the power of Pratikraman. So can you! Let’s make Pratikraman a daily practice and enjoy its benefits.