Forgiveness is the solution to war and enmity - Devendra Brahmachari

Mahesh Dhoundiyal - Delhi

The most important festival of self-purification of the Digambar Jain community, the Daslakshan festival is being celebrated this year from Bhado Sudi Panchami 8 September to Anant Chaturdashi 17 September. Starting from Uttam Kshama and concluding on Kshamavani festival, ten religions are worshipped for ten days. Followers of the Digambar Jain religion from all over the world celebrate this festival with great enthusiasm and intimacy. During the days of Daslakshan festival, Uttam Kshama, Uttam Mardav, Uttam Arjav, Uttam Shaucha, Uttam Satya, Uttam Sanyam, Uttam Tapa, Uttam Tyag, Uttam Akinchhan and Uttam Brahmacharya religions are worshipped respectively. All these are the religions of the soul because they are directly related to the gentle results of the soul. One specialty of this festival is that it is not related to any particular person but to the qualities of the soul. Thus, it is a festival of worship of qualities. If even one of these qualities is perfected, then there is no doubt about attaining salvation. By adopting these ten virtues in one's life, a human being can elevate his life in religious, social, familial and personal terms. During these days, devotees throng all the Digambar Jain temples from the morning itself.

This festival, which begins with Uttam Kshama, is celebrated on Ashwin Krishna Ekam on Kshamavani festival. On Kshamavani Divas, everyone is asked for forgiveness for their mistakes. On this day, both the Shravak (householder) and the Sadhu do their annual Pratikraman. During the whole year, if they have committed any crime knowingly or unknowingly against any tiny creature in the entire universe, then they ask for forgiveness from them. They condemn their faults and say - May all my misdeeds become false. On Kshamavani festival, Kshamavani festival is celebrated in every temple after Kshamavani Abhishek. Through this, the impurity of each other's heart is removed. Forgiveness is the nature of the soul. Forgiveness is the name of the earth. Just as the earth bears various kinds of burdens, similarly, keeping your mind steady in any adverse situation, not turning into anger within, is forgiveness. The only goal of a man who possesses the best forgiveness is the purification of his soul. Forgiveness is Brahman, forgiveness is truth, forgiveness is penance, forgiveness is purity, forgiveness has sustained the entire world.

People who possess forgiveness are straightforward, their karmic sanskaras get destroyed while for those who are crooked, their karmic sanskaras remain accumulated. Swan and herons look almost the same, but there is a big difference in their nature. This is the reason why people love the swan and hate the heron. Just as the land is plowed well and cleaned by removing garbage and rubbish to sow seeds, similarly, the land of the mind is cultivated by sowing the seed of forgiveness and the attainment of the fruit of good character is ensured through the purity of the soul. All the evils and sins happening in the world today, whether in the form of violence, terror, or exploitation, all happen due to lack of forgiveness. Only a person who is indifferent to other women and other things, whose mind is non-violent towards all living beings and who has washed his impenetrable inner mind, such a pure heart can be eligible for the religion of forgiveness. If a person does not untie the knot in his heart even on this holy and sacred day, then he raises a question mark on the purity of his Samyagdarshan. Apologizing is not just spreading a verbal net. But apologizing is filling your inner self with happiness. It is to unite the separated hearts, to flow the source of friendship and compassion. To make a mistake is of the human mind, but to forgive is of the divine mind.

The philosophy of the Maitri festival is very deep. To reach Maitri, preparation for apologizing is necessary. To seek forgiveness and to forgive is a healthy tradition of mind refinement. The one who asks for forgiveness accepts his mistakes and vows not to repeat them in the future, while the one who forgives, being free from insistence, tolerates the attacks on him without any prejudice or reason. Forgiveness is such a unique basis that it does not erase anyone, but gives a chance to improve. Lord Mahavir said- 'Aho te kanti uttama'- Forbearance is the best religion. 'Titikkham param achcha'- Forbearance is the ultimate element of life, knowing this, be forgiving. Tathagata Buddha said that forgiveness is the ultimate power. Forgiveness is the ultimate penance. Forgiveness is the root of religion. No other element is as beneficial as forgiveness. Because the flowers of love, compassion and friendship bloom only in the land of tolerance and forgiveness. 'Be friends with everyone', this statement is very important but we make our present relations very limited.

In Indian culture, the proclamation of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (the whole world is a family), the whole world is one family, was made. This proclamation is inspired by Mahavira’s non-violence and Buddha’s compassion, which gives strength to world friendship. ‘Mitti me savva bhuesu veram majjh na kenai’ – this is such a resolution of universal non-violence and harmony where the tradition of enmity comes to an end. The day of Kshamavani is the day to embrace everyone by eradicating enmity, hatred and malice. This is a festival to connect hearts, it is a festival to purify the soul. The ten days of rigorous sadhana and the proclamation of Kshamavani is a unique sadhana to awaken human sensibilities. This unique sadhana of forgiving and receiving forgiveness is a special practice of stress relief that relaxes the body, it is a surefire way to know yourself, your inner self, your dreams, your aspirations and those priorities which have been suppressed in the daily routine of eventful life. During this time, by giving some time for change, we can develop our personality and at the same time, we can understand our inner nature, and make it advanced and prosperous.

Lord Mahavira lived a life of forgiveness i.e. equality. No matter what situation he faced, he remained equal in all situations. “Forgiveness is the ornament of the brave” – only great people can take and give forgiveness. Dashalakshan festival is a festival of exchange of forgiveness, in which everyone unravels the tangled knots of their mind, opens the knots of love and hatred within themselves, they embraces each other. They end the mistakes made in the past through forgiveness and make their lives pure. In this way, Dashalakshan Mahaparva and Kshamapana Divas – this is a festivals of bringing each other closer. This is a festival of considering each other as oneself. It is also said in the Gita – “Aatmaupamyena Sarvatrah, Same Pashyati Yorjun” – Shri Krishna said to Arjun – O Arjun! Consider all living beings as yourself. Lord Mahavira said, "Mitti me savva bhuesu, veramjjan kenai" I am friendly with all creatures, I have no enmity with anyone. Elements like human unity, peaceful co-existence, friendship, exploitation-free sociality, the establishment of moral values, non-violent life, support of the worship style of the soul etc. are the main basis of this festival. Efforts are expected to make this great festival a festival of the people so that these elements can become a part of the life of every person. The festival of Kshamavani is a call to stop the war going on between different countries because peace can be achieved only through non-violence and friendship. For the countries at war, the festival of forgiveness is an inspiration, a path, a guidance and an experiment of a non-violent-harmonious-peaceful lifestyle.