What is Pratikraman?

Dadashri: What is the meaning of pratikraman? Do you know that?

Questioner: No.

Dadashri: Tell me whatever you know about it.

Questioner: To return and reverse from a demerit karma.

Dadashri :To return and reverse from a demerit karma! What wonderful justice the Lord has rendered, that to return and reverse from demerit karma is called pratikraman! But demerit karma are still there. What is the reason for that?

Questioner: Please explain this to us. First is alochana recall of the mistake, second is pratikraman repentance and asking for forgiveness and the third is pratyakhyan resolution never to repeat the mistake. These three words are not quite clear to me.

Dadashri: Pratyakhyan means I am abandoning, renouncing that thing(mistake). If you want to renounce anything then you have to do pratyakhyan.

Questioner: Pratikraman would be to repent. Is pratyakhyan to resolve never to repeat the mistake?

Dadashri: Yes. Repentance is called pratikraman. Once pratikraman is done, the atikraman of that type will not occur again. To vow, 'I will never do that again. I promise that I shall not repeat the mistake again', is called pratyakhyan. When you do pratyakhyan in this way, in your mind, one layer of karma will be shed. And if the same atikraman should occur again, it is because of another layer of karma, so you should not panic but continue with your pratikraman.

Questioner: Is the forgiveness to be asked within the mind only?

Dadashri: Yes, you should ask for forgiveness.

If someone hurls insulting words and this results in an inner reaction of hurt, and if you constantly feel that it is your own mistake and you keep doing pratikraman then it is considered the greatest Gnan of the Lord. This itself will liberate you. Only this word, if one abides by only this one sentence of 'ours' (Gnani Purush and the fully enlightened Lord within) then he will attain moksha (final liberation).