By: Sri Narasimha Swamiji
Most world religions include teachings on forgiveness. The concept might differ, but it still calls for love and a pure heart. Some religious doctrines or philosophies place greater emphasis on the need for us to find some sort of divine forgiveness for our shortcomings. Others place greater emphasis on practicing forgiveness, yet others make little or no distinction between human and/or divine forgiveness.
In Sai Satcharita, forgiveness is seen as a practice to prevent harmful emotions from causing havoc on one’s health. As per Sai Maharaj, forgiveness is the part of spiritual purification. We all knowingly or unknowingly hurt people around us. Hurting others – verbally, physically, through our toxic emotions of anger and jealousy – is equal to killing, which comes under violence. The Devotees of Sai Maharaj seek and give forgiveness at the sight of viewing Maharaj’s picture.’
In Sai Baba’s life, Megha brings water from Godavari and gives a holy bath to Sai Maharaj by loudly chanting – ‘Hara Hara Mahadev’. Megha calls it, the Day of Atonement — the day on which seeking pardon is observed. Baba appreciates it as a fearless introspection and weighing of our habits, tendencies, and manner of living. Jews scrutinize their records of the past and ask the help of the Divine Parabrahman to correct the flaws in the texture of the soul, as they lay on the altar offering remorse for the past, with a determination to make amendments in the future.
Megha’s giving bath to Sai Baba from the waters of Godavari is a silent confession and a role model for all of us. We should confess, ‘We have been guilty and have dealt falsely and dishonestly. We have spoken evil and perverted the right. We have forged falsehood and lent evil counsel. We have been false, scoffing, and rebellious. We have been impious and impatient of discipline. We have done wrong and broken faith and have been harsh and hard. We have erred from Thy righteous path and led others astray, turning aside from Thy loving commandments and teachings, and it has profited us naught.’
We pray: ‘May it be Thy will, Sai Maharaj. Lord of God, to deal with us in mercy, forgive us all our wrongdoings, pardon and condone all our sins, and help us to atone for all our transgressions.’
Forgiveness is the lightening of our hearts. The darkness of hatred, rage, and contempt that we harbor rarely injures the unforgiven as much as it does the one who will not forgive. Every one of us has bruised another, betrayed, and ill-treated even those whom we love. Can any marriage or any friendship endure without constant forgiveness? What we hope for in the world, we must create. We cannot have what we will not give.
By pardoning another person, we bring something precious into the world – we enhance the presence of compassion.
To forgive someone is to believe that to have been wrong and to let go of the moral leverage that our righteousness grants us over another. It is renouncing the position of remaining superior. It is a leveling born of letting go. Forgiveness does not always mean a renewal of the relationship as it was before. As Sri Narasimha Swamiji says in the book, ‘Life of Sai Baba’ no one ever forgets where he buried the hatchet. But we can let go of the fury that colors the memory. Let us all hope that we can forgive everyone who offended, angered us, or sinned against us.
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