Consolation of Gurudeva

O righteous man! Truly speaking, you deserve praises. To get involved in sins is not surprising. Who hasn’t committed sin in the delusion of Karmas? Is the soul of Tirthankara, saved from bewitchment? Didn’t they commit sins in their past lives? Haven’t they undergone pains of the seventh hell? You deserve praise as you have brightened the dark side of your life by disclosing it. You truly deserve praise for disclosing your sins like an innocent child and jotting them down.

O fortunate fellow! Your open hearted criticism and observation has created a tide in the ocean of love in my heart. It is said in religious books that one who confesses and self introspects, is a true worshiper or devotee. Can fragrance of devotion be expected in stinking gutter of heart? No, you have cleaned your heart by disclosing your sins. Now, your life will be full of fragrance of devotion and you are eligible of praise. Now onwards be careful not to hide any sin in your heart as well as do not hesitate and feel shy in disclosing or confessing it. You will really feel relaxed and stress free. Your heart will be cleaned and bright.

O devotee! I admire you after hearing your self introspection and criticism. Great! you have done a terrific job. You have uprooted all the thorny sins. You have done a wonderful penance. In which words can I admire your courage and faith? I am falling short of words. The dictionary of my brain has exhausted.

Don’t keep any thorn of sin in your heart. One had to cut the leg of a horse due to septic as he didn’t remove the thorn, in same way, do not suffer by hiding any sin. Don’t feel ashamed and have blind faith in me that whatever you have confessed will not pass on to anyone and will go along with my dead body. What else can I say? The scriptures say that the person who listens should be such that nothing should come out from his heart. The guru who gives atonement (penance etc.) is like a pot of stone from which not even a single drop drips out. So, don’t have shy or fear. There are instances in shastra where a mother and son were engaged into adultery. O! even brother-sister relationships, which became full of sins by adultery, have became pure by self-introspection and self-criticism. They too have achieved salvation by acquiring spiritual knowledge.

O righteous soul! Listen to me, It is said in Mahanishithasutra that the feeling of self criticism has such influence that many great people have acquired Omniscience just with the thought of confession, others also have attained omniscience while confessing the sins. What else can I say? Many great souls have also acquired spiritual knowledge on the way to Gurudeva with a determination to confess.

Those nobles are praiseworthy and their anxiety to become pure is worth admiring. You shall also follow their footsteps. Oh goodman! you will become savior of others as you have cleansed and purified your spiritual ground. Just remember that your future life will ruin if you aren’t sincere at self criticism even after having company of Gurudev. Don’t think that Gurudev will consider me vile and mean, as my inner self is black like coal, whereas outwardly, I look clean and white. A learned guru is aware of sins of many from his experience and believes that inspite of committing sins one becomes a great devotee by confession. A scrupulous soul only wishes for confession and self criticism. Scrupulousness is the quality of a soul. If Guru develops hatred towards god-fearing people, he loses asceticism and becoming an atheist, falls prey to illusions. Therefore, Gurudev will never think like this in his heart. Confess without any hesitation so that, you will become eligible to salvation at the earliest. Self criticism and confession itself is a meritorious deed and Gurudev can never discourage anybody from doing so. If he does so, consent and support to meritorious deed will be in vain and he shall also have to undergo numerous births.

Having known the examples of Rukmini and others, O noble person! don’t keep even a small bit of sin in your heart. There is no doubt that you’ll become a great devotee.

O devout soul! Tell me about your sinful crime and under what circumstances you have committed them. Don’t hesitate. You might have committed sins intentionally, by ignorance, forcefully, at religious places or hotels, during the day or at night, with attachment and enjoyment, or by reluctance and jealously, tell me all with innocence. If you don’t have courage to say or have forgotten them then write down. Read it out after writing and write down again in details. Don’t fear anything. It is said in religious treaties that any unworthy or improper deed done suddenly, without awareness, fear, under pressure, trouble, jealousy, attachment and deceit should be disclosed and confessed innocently, without pride or illusion.

O soul! You were not afraid while committing sins then why are you afraid while confessing them? You didn’t feel shame while committing sins then why feel shame in confession? O soul! Disclosure, self criticism and confession improves the future births of a soul. What more, it lifts him upto omniscience. It takes him to ultimate peace and gratification.