मिच्छामि दुक्कडम्

🙏🙏🙏

मिच्छामि दुक्कडम्।

The soul is pure but He carries deceit, hatred and attachments, these darts creat obstruction in the path of liberation, nirvana. मिच्छामि दुक्कडम् is a path of purification, roots out the internal darts and bring sanity.

God has given us spotless bed sheet. But we make it dirty with our acts and omissions. Knowingly or unknowingly, we hurt others and injure or kill other creatures.

In a year of 365 days, these 8 days of Paryusan-Samvatsari is a period of passing through the path of purification. It is a Parva of introspection, confessions, repent and taking a pledge to not to repeat errors. The repentance for the breach of vow (prayaschit) removes the darts over the soul. It leads to self correction. One asks for forgiveness for the various errors of commission and omission, the faults and the sins committed knowingly or unknowingly. We should say Michchhami Dukkadam.

There are nine subtypes of präyaschhit. (1) To confess one's mistake in the presence of the preceptor and with a pure heart - that is called älochanä. (2) To repent for the mistake that has been committed and to refrain from it, as also to remain alert that no new mistakes are committed - that is called pratikramana. (3) When these älochana and pratikramana are performed together - that is called a combination of älochana and pratikramana. (4) When prohibited food and drink happen to have been received and the fact comes to light later on, then to discard these food and drink - that is called viveka. (5) To regret the mistake committed, one adopts an attitude of concentration to give up the operations of body and speech - that is called vyutsharga. (6) To regret the mistake committed, one performs external penances like anashana etc. - that is called tapas. (7) Corresponding to the gravity of the offense committed, the reckoned period of monkshood is reduced by a day, a fortnight, a month or a year - that is called chheda. (8) To keep an offender at a distance from oneself and not to have with him engaged any dealings of any sort for a fortnight, a month or the like as might suit the gravity of his offense - that is called parihära. (9) When on account of a violation of the earlier accepted mahävratas (major vows) - non-violence, truthfulness, continence etc. - they are forfeited - that is called upasthäpanä.

A long path of Tapa to walk on the path of Nirvana. One can make a small beginning, ask for forgiveness from all those whom we have hurt knowingly or unknowingly during the past years. Then every year, we do this prayaschit and pratikraman to keep the sanity and purity of the Soul so that one day He reaches to His ultimate destination of Kaivalya, the Nirvana!

मिच्छामि दुक्कडम्।

Punamchand
13 September 2018