Some years back I saw a friend reading a Gujarati newspaper. That day it looked very odd. It had too many ads. Friend said “Aaj to Kshama Vani parva hai na”. People had given ads in the paper for that. Friend explained how Jains seek forgiveness from everyone on this day. I read the prayer on (where else) Wikipedia. Khämemi Savve Jivä, Savve Jivä Khamantu Mi Mitti Me Savva bhuesu, Veram majjham na Kenai. सब जीवों को मै क्षमा करता हूं, सब जीव मुझे क्षमा करे | सब जीवो से मेरा मैत्री भाव रहे, किसी से वैर-भाव नही रहे | Sounded interesting. So what do I have to do I asked. Nothing much, just feel regret for every wrong doing you have done in the past and say Michchhami Dukkadam. It translates to “May all my faults be dissolved.” “Wow! Like that simple?” I thought. But to think is easy, to do is difficult. Before I expected people to forgive me, I had to forgive people. That is how things work right? First give and then ask. Now came the difficult part. Was I ready to do that? Could I really forgive everyone who had wronged me? Was it possible for me to act like a saint instead of the frustrated human that I actually am? I did try. I tried not holding a grudge against people. It feels good. But like all good things it is very difficult to get. I am not perfect and so a little imperfection remains in my forgiving but I am glad I tried. You know what is more difficult than forgiving others? Forgiving yourself. To do something wrong and not even realize it is bliss. But to live with your guilt, to feel the pain of the person you hurt is living hell. Then again you need to realise you were stupid. If you were smart enough to know the consequences you wouldn’t have done that. This day let us try to forgive people who have hurt us, to forgive ourselves, to free our souls from the burden of hatred and guilt so that they can fly again. Finally, seeking forgiveness from members if we ever were hurtful in the past year. Michchhami Dukkadam !
Posted on: Mon, 09 Sep 2013 08:30:01 +0000
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