Guilt of past sins in life! Great tips to come out of them in a devotional way!
Two similar Questions:
Actual Qn-1:
plz clear my doubt/problem. the question is “as one man is in three form: 1. u in others view 2. u in ownself views 3. u in true sense. Here in no.2 statement. i am bad. i am disturbed by remembering past sins. each moment, past sin overtakes my present new nice thoughts and works through which i am depressed and afraid and can’t continue my coming moments, days, works, thoughts happily. plz help me sir. i am in great hope that u will try to help me, thank u.
Actual Qn-2:
“My question is how to confess my mistake to Krishna? I have committed a very big mistake last year but I am not able to forget it. I am chanting daily. I m living in a place where there is no devotee association.
I know Krishna knows everything but I feel that if I can tell him then I will able to forget it easily. What to do. Please help. Hare Krishna”
REPLY:
You can not find even a single person in this world who has not committed any offences or sins.
Because, the conditioned people have 4 defects:
Subject to maya;
Committing mistakes;
Defective senses;
Cheating Propensity.
So no one is perfect. If anyone claims that he is perfect he is a bogus guy.
(Can Our Present Good karma clear our Past Bad Karma? READ HERE!)
As per the nature of this material planet controlled by maya, everyone will be shown opportunities to commit sins or involve in good deeds because maya would prefer to retain you in these planets by giving births and deaths again and again. Maintaining then population and affairs of material planets is the duty of maya.
Until a person commits good and bad karma, he can not be stopped from taking rebirths.
Before we get this awareness through someone, we would have already committed offences.
That is why, most of us, why, all of us, commit offences in our life.
Don’t worry.
Valmiki was a thief in his early days. Later, he became a devotee and wrote Ramayana.
Gandhiji, whom we call as father of nation, did secret smoking, telling lies, etc. He reformed himself reading the scriptures and led a satvik way of life.
Ok, we have now realized our past offences/ sins. We feel for that. We like to come out of those offences.
(If a devotee involves in illicit relations, is he still a devotee? READ HERE!)
How to proceed further?
Realizing our offences itself is the first stage of getting the pardon and come out of the guilt of past sins in life!.
You committed some offences knowingly or unknowingly.
Once you have realized that it is wrong, its seriousness has come down.
Therefore, you will have just formal reaction for that and it can be easily faced by you.
This is like, in courts, the punishments will be comparatively less for those who have accepted their offence/ crime.
And, as far as telling to Krishna is concerned, He knows even your guilty feeling, as He is silently watching all your activities from within your heart.
(4 GATEWAYS OF SINS IN OUR BODY DEVIATING US FROM KRISHNA! READ HERE!)
Therefore, once you realize, it will be known to Krishna.
Great tips to come out of the guilt of past sins in life!
(1) If anyone had been affected by your offence, go to him/her and seek unconditional pardon from him/her and get the pardon. This is important.
If anyone had undergone any monetary loss, go to him, and pay the amount of loss along with the normal bank interest beg and get his pardon.
Sri Caitanya Maha Prabhu told his mother to seek the pardon directly from a vaishnava whom she had hurted once
Therefore, Getting the pardon is important if he is alive. If he/she is not alive, get from his/her son, parents or spouse.
(2) Whether anyone is affected or not, and if it is the violation of social order, commit yourself that you will never commit such offenses in future and strictly follow that.
(Is Changing Karma by prayers possible or not? READ HERE!)
(3) Go to the nearest Krishna temple and chant a few rounds of Hare Krishna Maha Manthra and then seeing the murthi of Krishna, tell this:
“Krishna, I have done a serious offense of …………. out of ignorance and material attachment. I now realize that it is wrong. I am unable to be normal as it is disturbing me. So, I beg your mercy to keep me protected from such offenses in future. I assure you that I will avoid such offences in future at any cost. Please forgive me”
(4) Then, to avoid such offenses in future, associate with vaishnavas either in person or through any media if you do not have direct association facilities in your place.
(5) You can also visit nearest temple atleast once a week on holidays and maintain the devotional spirit that can protect you from further sinning.
(6) And associate with the powerful acharyas like Srila Prabhupada through his books and recordings.
(7) Do aratis and offer Bhoga to Krishna every day.
(8) Chant more.
(WHY GOD FORCES US TO COMMIT SINS? READ HERE!)
Thus, you can engage yourself in the service of Krishna most of the time and avoid offending in future.
If you follow the resolution of not committing offenses again and continue to follow all the devotional practices to Krishna, you need not worry for the past offenses and you can get your karma cleared in fast track mode within this birth itself.
You will be further protected from future offenses until you are following your resolutions and devotional practices.
Do this and lead a peaceful life without the guilt of past sins in life.
All the best.
(How to repent for our past illicit activities and sins? READ HERE!)