penance for adharmic actions

[Guest guest]

not long ago we asked swamiji about what to do when we find our

actions are bad, and he had a very good succinct answer.

 

i asked a baba this same question a few days ago, and he said, it was

not necessary to do anything, but meditate.

 

here is another answer, the longest, from Sivaya Subramuniyaswami. i

found it interesting he lists one activity i heard of Shree Maa being

engaged in, that is, making 108 gifts.

 

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LESSON 121 from Living with Siva

 

Confession And Penance

 

As a mature being in the higher nature, above the muladhara chakra,

ever seeking higher plateaus through sadhana, the Saivite seeks peace

whenever the mind is troubled. How does such a Saivite confess? How

does one tell of the reactions to misdeeds performed in all innocence

when but a child in the lower consciousness, living in the lower

nature, below the muladhara chakra? How and whom does one tell of

misdeeds performed during a lapse of conscience, even when living a

life of dharma? A Saivite confesses to God Siva, the Gods or his guru.

To confess to God Siva, go to His temple and mentally, psychically

place your burden at the holy feet of the murti in the sanctum

sanctorum. To confess to Gods Murugan or Ganesha, go to their temple

and place your confession at their holy feet. Or go to your satguru

and tell him of your inner plight, holding nothing back. This is how a

Saivite confesses inner burdens as he emerges out of the instinctive

mind of the lower nature into the purified intellect of the higher

nature.

 

Yes, reconciliation is food for the soul. After the soul has

unburdened itself of the dross of the lower mind through honest

confession, a resolution must be made not to reenter the lower states

or rekindle the flames of the chakras below the muladhara. To achieve

reconciliation by apology for hurts caused another, or to atone by

performing acts of penance if a long time has passed since the apology

could have been made and received, is truly food for the soul.

 

There are many forms of penance, prayashchitta, such as 1,008

prostrations before Gods Ganesha, Murugan or Supreme God Siva,

apologizing and showing shame for misdeeds; performing japa slowly

1,008 times on the holy rudraksha beads; giving of 108 handmade gifts

to the temple; performing manual chores at the temple for 108 hours,

such as cleaning, making garlands or arranging flowers; bringing

offerings of cooked food; performing kavadi with miniature spears

inserted in the flesh; making a pilgrimage by prostrating the body's

length again and again, or rolling around a temple. All these and more

are major means of atonement after each individual confession has been

made.

 

The keynote in serious cases is asking one's satguru to give a

specific penance once the problem has been revealed. Once the satguru

is asked for penance, the penance must be performed exactly according

to his instruction. It should be done with full energy and without

delay. Deliberate delay or refusal to perform the penance shows the

devotee has rejected the assistance of the satguru. Further advice and

guidance will not be forthcoming until the instruction has been

fulfilled. Therefore, a devotee in such a condition does not approach

the satguru. He may, however, beseech the guru's assistance and

continued guidance if he is in the process of fulfilling the penance

over a period of time.