Forgiveness brings out the divine in us. We must not rest content by forgiving once or twice or thrice. We must keep on forgiving as often as we are wronged. God forgives us, again and again. Howsoever wayward or disobedient we become, He is never tired of forgiving us. He is patient until, at last, we return to Him.
There is a beautiful saying about the violet, which spreads fragrance on the hand that crushes it. We too, must forgive silently, unostentatiously.
Many people ask me, “How can I forgive someone who goes on hurting me, time after time? At one time or another, I feel like retaliating. After all, it is said that one can expect an eye for an eye…”
Mahatma Gandhi once said, “An eye for an eye would leave the whole world half-blind.” Hatred begets hatred. It is only the magic of forgiveness that can break the vicious cycle. The most intense hatred and bitterness can be conquered with the all-powerful healing force of forgiveness.
Man today, is a highly evolved creature. At this stage of human civilisation, how can we allow ourselves to revert to the primitive qualities of anger, violence, venom and vindictiveness? Modern weapons like guns and pistols and bombs can only destroy. Far more powerful are the spiritual weapons of non-violence, compassion and divine forgiveness!
All holy men advise us to make forgiveness more potent and more effective by practising it continually. Once is not enough! Forgive a hundred times! No effort is too great to destroy the evil within us – the evil passions of anger, bitterness, grudge, and resentment. How can we cease to practise forgiveness, until we have conquered ourselves?
The Duke of Orleans was appointed as the regent to the ruler of the realm when King Louis XV was very young. After several discussions and deliberations, it was decided that certain restrictions would be placed on the Duke, for he was only a regent, not a King.
The Duke examined carefully the clauses which restricted his powers. One of them, he refused to accept, outright. It was the clause which denied him the power of royal pardon.
He said to the Council of Ministers, “I have no objection to my hands being tied from doing harm. But I must have them free to do good!”
*August 2 is Dada J.P. Vaswani's Birthday and is celebrated as Global Forgiveness Day.
Dada J P Vaswani is a humanitarian, philosopher, educator, acclaimed writer, powerful orator, messiah of ahimsa, and non-sectarian spiritual leader
