Anger begets more anger and forgiveness and love beget more forgiveness and love. Forgiveness benefits both the forgiver and the forgiven

The act of forgiveness and asking for forgiveness both are very powerful. In Jainism “Forgiveness Day” is a day of forgiving and seeking forgiveness. This is known as “Kshma Parva”
On this sacred day, every member of the Jain community approaches everyone, irrespective of religion, and begs for forgiveness for all their faults or mistakes, committed either knowingly or unknowingly. Thus relieved of the heavy burden hanging on their head of the sins of past, they start life afresh, living in peaceful co-existence with each other. Indeed, this day is not merely a traditional ritual.
To forgive others is a practical application of supreme forgiveness. It is the path of soul purification. Anger begets more anger and forgiveness and love beget more forgiveness and love. Forgiveness benefits both the forgiver and the forgiven.

Forgiveness shows the right path of ‘Live and Let Live’ to one and all. To ask for forgiveness requires more strength than to forgive anyone who hurts you. Sometimes due to some ill feelings we don’t talk to the other person for many days, may be more than months. Slowly you will develop the feelings of hatred and it can turn to the feeling of revenge. When we don’t get respect, when our ego is hurt, we feel insulted we create ill feelings. This ill feeling may turn to develop complex .Due to this one person feels superior than the other one.
These feelings may even cause next world war because America is feeling superior to China, and China is feeling superior to India.
If you keep anger within yourselves for a long period slowly it will become a cyst in your body and cause pain. This pain may turn to arthritis and give you more trouble. So if you want to get rid of pain you have to keep yourself happy, you have to smile often. It is easy to say “pass a smile and keep smiling “but very difficult to practice. How can you smile if you are angry and internally you are not happy? You cannot make others happy and you may hurt people around you.
In summer season we get more problems .Like that we start boiling if we keep anger inside. This reduces our life span. Why should we spoil this God gifted life by holding anger, taking revenge, insulting others, hurting anyone? Better develop the habit of forgiveness. If you want to remain happy and get rid of pain you have to understand the word “Forgiveness.”And repeat the word “Forgive” several times during the day. You have to develop the habit of appreciation Let us be above any complex. Let us start from right now the act of forgiveness. All problems will be solved by this beautiful act.
Forgiveness is the ornament of brave people.
Only courageous people can forgive.
There should be a limit to forgive.
If there is no value of forgiveness then it can cause harm also. As king Prithviraj Chouhan forgave Mohd.Gauri several times but at last he was killed by Mohd.Gauri due to which people of his kingdom faced lot of trouble and were harassed. Even Lord Krishna forgave his cousin brother Shishupal hundred times but after that He killed him and saved others from his torture.
Let us reflect on this and try the act of forgiveness practically. Let us stand in pairs facing each other .Let the person who will give forgiveness keep his/her hands on other partner’s shoulder and let the other person keep his/her hands down.
Feel you are not only forgiving one person but all the people who have ever hurt you. And let the other person feel sorry for hurting any people in his /her life. Change your role and enjoy happiness you received while forgiving or while asking for forgiveness.
While doing this beautiful act let us repeat the mantra “Om Nama Shivaya” and be in a meditative state.

Thoughts delivered in Morning Assembly on 9th Sept. 2016 by
Prof.Sanjay Biyani
Director(Acad.)

To know more about Prof. Sanjay Biyani visit www.sanjaybiyani.com