Forgiveness – Anuśīlana.in

ahiṁsā prathamaṁ puṣpaṁ puṣpam indriya-nigrahaḥ

ahiṁsā prathamaṁ puṣpaṁ puṣpam indriya-nigrahaḥ |
sarva-bhūta-dayā puṣpaṁ kṣamā puṣpaṁ viśeṣataḥ ||
jñāna-puṣpaṁ tapaḥ puṣpaṁ dhyāna-puṣpaṁ tu saptamam |
satyam aṣṭa-vidhaṁ puṣpaṁ viṣṇoḥ prītikaraṁ bhavet ||
(Prapanna-parijāta: 5.28)

“First, the flower of (1) non-violence, [then] the flower of (2) control of the senses, the flower of (3) kindness [alt., compassion] to all beings, the flower of (4) forbearance [alt., forgiveness] in particular, the flower of (5) knowledge, the flower of (6) austerity, the flower of (7) meditation seventh, and (8) truthfulness—[these] flowers of eight types shall be pleasing to Viṣṇu.”

Read on →

ataḥ kṣamasvācyuta me rajo-bhuvo

ataḥ kṣamasvācyuta me rajo-bhuvo
hy ajānatas tvat-pṛthag-īśa-māninaḥ |
ajāvalepāndhatamo’ndha-cakṣuṣa
eṣo’nukampyo mayi nāthavān iti ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.14.10; cited in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 2.4.24)

“Therefore, O Acyuta, forgive me, born of rajas, [thus] ignorant, [thus] possessed of eyes blinded by the utter darkness of the pride of being ‘the unborn one’ [i.e., the emanator of the universe], and [thus] possessed of the conceit of being a lord independent of you, [considering me in the following way,] ‘He is possessed of a master [i.e., he is a servant] in relation to me and [thus] a fit object of [my] favor.’”

Read on →

mama nāmāni loke’smin śraddhayā yas tu kīrtayet

sarvapārādha-bhañjanatvam
viṣṇu-yāmale śrī-bhagavad-uktau—
mama nāmāni loke’smin śraddhayā yas tu kīrtayet |
tasyāparādha-koṭīs tu kṣamāmy eva na saṁśayaḥ ||
(Viṣṇu-yāmala; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.375; Bhakti Sandarbha: 265; Krama-sandarbha-ṭikā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 2.1.11)

“The name of Śrī Bhagavān’s being a destroyer of all offenses [is described as follows] in a statement of Śrī Bhagavān in Viṣṇu-yāmala: ‘I certainly forgive even crores of offenses (aparādhas) of someone in this world who can chant my names with śraddhā. There is no doubt [about this].’”

Read on →

upakāriṣu yaḥ sādhuḥ sādhutve tasya ko guṇaḥ

upakāriṣu yaḥ sādhuḥ sādhutve tasya ko guṇaḥ |
apakāriṣu yaḥ sādhuḥ sa sādhuḥ sadbhir ucyate ||
(Mahāsubhāṣita-saṅgraha: 7031)

“What sort of quality is the goodness of one who is good [only] to those who are helpful [to oneself]? One who is good [even] to those who are harmful [to oneself] is said to be good [i.e., a sādhu] by the wise.”

Read on →

aparādhaḥ sakṛd bhartrā

aparādhaḥ sakṛd bhartrā soḍhavyaḥ sva-prajā-kṛtaḥ |
kṣantum arhasi śāntātman mūḍhasya tvām ajānataḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.16.51)

“An aparādha committed by one’s own dependent is to be excused once by a maintainer. O you of peaceful nature, you are right to forgive the aparādha of this fool who is ignorant about you.”

Read on →