Is seeking Pardon from a Vaishnava in mind and in person equal?
A Girl devotee (Name hidden) asked like this:
“Hare Krishna prabhuji, i hope you are doing well. Firstly prabhuji, I offer my respectful pranam to you. Prabhuji, I read one of your post regarding doing paap in our mind and you said in kaliyuga we don’t get punishment for bad thoughts in our mind but we do vaishnav appradh in our mind we get offense for it.
So prabhuji my question is that we get offense for doing vaishnav appradh in mind so do we also get mercy of vaishnav if we do vaishnav seva in mind?
Ex:- Is there any difference in mercy level wheather I pay dandavat pranam to any great vaishnav in real life or in my mind ”
REPLY:
Honouring or Seeking Pardon from a Vaishnava in mind and in person are not equal in effects. Let me explain why.
THINKING is the first stage of any good or bad action.
Everything starts from THINKING.
One thinks negatively of someone else that may even lead to killing and adding sin.
One thinks of helping someone that may make one’s life happy that adds good deeds to him.
(Can a Krishna devotee curse & transfer negative energy to others? READ HERE!)
Thus, both Papa and Punya (Good and bad deeds) originate from just THINKING within mind.
Even becoming a great Vaishnava and getting Krishna originates from THINKING of Krishna.
All the devotees see Krishna in THINKING, ie, IMAGINATION only.
Therefore, THINKING is also very powerful. Both Good and bad deeds and even Pious deeds start from THINKING only.
All the achievements start from THINKING.
A scientist THOUGHT why an Apple falls on ground instead of going up. So, we came to know about Gravity of earth.
Another Scientist THOUGHT how the birds are flying in the sky by lowering their own internal pressures. He invented Air planes.
We can give hundreds of examples. But, this Post will become long.
(Will a curse by spiritually weak person affects himself? READ HERE!)
John Kehoe says:
“The power of the mind revolves around a simple yet profound principle: “What we focus on, we attract.”
A saint has said:
“Thoughts are responsible for the happiness and distress we experience. They are the precursors of all we do.”
How the thoughts lead to actions?
Thoughts give emotions. Emotions give actions. Actions give behavior.
Thoughts are the precursors of actions. This means, THOUGHTS are also a part of our actions.
But, both the THOUGHTS and ACTIONS are not actually equal.
There are a few differences. Let me list them:
(i) When you think ill of a person, that person gets affected because of your negative vibrations. Those negative vibrations will take long time to slowly spoil that person’s growth. If the receiver of ill vibrations is very strong in devotional standing, ill thoughts will not affect them. At the same time, if the receiver is spiritually weak, the negative vibrations/ waves will affect the receiver.
I have explained this in detail while explaining the effects of CURSES. Its link has been given below:
(How our curse affects others? How to protect us from the curses of others? READ HERE!)
(ii) But, when one actually do ill to a person, the receiver gets immediately affected. For example, if you wish that a person should become poor, that person may become poor after years. But, if you actually steal the wealth of the receiver, he becomes poor immediately.
So, thoughts cause delayed effects. Actions cause immediate effects.
(iii) When we honour a Vaishnava or seek pardon within mind, that Vaishnava may or may not FEEL that you are thinking good about him.
But, if you directly honour him, he immediately find that you are honouring him. So, he FEELS your honour and hence he feels a SATISFACTION instantly and he extends his blessings immediately and directly.
(iv) However, thinking of honouring of Vaishnavas or Seeking pardon from him within mind will develop a good consciousness within your mind that is dominated by Satva guna. It will set your character as productive and positive. At the same time, if you think ill of Vaishnavas, it sets your character as bad.
(Can black tongue persons transfer their karma to others through Curse? READ HERE!)
So, THINKING OF HONOURING or APOLOGISING makes you a humble and good person. But, ACTUALLY HONOURING A PERSON or GETTING HIS APOLOGY makes you FEEL the blessings of that receiver.
(v) IMPORTANT: You may offend a Vaishnava. You may feel guilty for that later. If you just THINK of seeking Pardon from that Vaishnava, will it be sufficient? No. Because, that Vaishnava should KNOW that you feel guilty and seek Pardon. So, Personally seeking Pardon is recommended.
(vi) Just think of this: You offend a Vaishnava; You FEEL OFFENDED within mind. That Vaishnava is still alive and reachable by you. Tell me, what prevents you from seeking his pardon directly or atleast thru mail or messages? Your EGO. That is the only reason for hesitating to seek pardon directly. Where there is ego, there will be NO CHANCE OF GETTING KRISHNA by that person. The purpose of seeking direct pardon from a Vaishnava is to break your ego into pieces. When your ego goes, you are purified and reformed.
(vii) By seeking pardon within mind (or) by honouring within mind, you are escaping from surrendering to a Vaishnava. You try to satisfy both that Vaishnava and your ego. How will it be possible to satisfy the both? Where there is ego, there will be no Vaishnava’s mercy.
(Importance of seeking Pardon from the affected person! READ HERE!)
(viii) So, When the concerned Vaishnava is alive, seek his Pardon at any cost in case you had offended him. Though seeking pardon within mind is good for your mind and setting character, it is also the protection of your ego. So, when the Vaishnava or even your servant maid has been offended or insulted by you, seek his / her pardon directly with folded hands BY EXPLAINING WHAT OFFENSE YOU DID AGAINST HIM/ HER. You should not just seek pardon without telling the reasons clearly. If he forgives you, you will escape from that Vaishnava offense.
(ix) In case, that Vaishnava has expired or inaccessible or untraceable, you may seek pardon within mind to that Vaishnava and also to Krishna. Though it is not the complete way, it will atleast reduce the severity of offenses and you will be given chance to seek the direct pardon of that Vaishnava atleast in the next birth. Krishna will arrange that if you truly feel for offenses.
Important:
(x) If you seek pardon within mind, you refuse the right of the receiving Vaishnava for refusing to accept your pardon. He should say that he has forgiven you. Then only the offense will go. If you seek pardon within mind, how will you know whether that Vaishnava has accepted your pardon or not? So, until he forgives you thru his words, that offense will exist.
You can praise anyone thru mind, whether he knows or not. No issues! But, once you offended someone, pardon should be sought only directly. Matter is very serious. So, no shortcut.
Therefore, Seeking Pardon from a Vaishnava in mind and in person are not equal.
Isn’t it right?
(How to get pardon for Vaishnava Aparatha if he is not accessible? READ HERE!)