Pratikraman: Freedom Through Apology & Repentance (Abr.) (In English) Pratikraman: Freedom Through Apology & Repentence | Page 85

72 Pratikraman
Whenever I make fun of someone , I have to do pratikraman for that also . I am not excused from that .
Questioner : Yes but that ’ s just joking around . Surely there is no problem with that .
Dadashri : No , but even then I have to do pratikraman . It is not so necessary for you , but it is imperative for me . If I did not do pratikraman , then the words from this taped-record ( speech from the Gnani ) would not come out as precise .
I too used to make fun of all sorts of people , from the ordinary to very prominent , successful ones . Extremely intelligent people have a tendency to make fun of others . Is such an ego not futile ? Is that not misuse of one ’ s intellect ? It is a sign of misuse of intellect to make fun of others .
Questioner : What are the consequences of making fun of others ?
Dadashri : It is better to slap someone than to make fun of him or her . You misuse your intelligence when you make fun of others . You took advantage of your higher intellect to overcome his lesser intellect by making fun of him .
Questioner : How can we stop this tape from recording ? How can we stop from creating new causes for speech that will hurt others ?
Dadashri : By not creating any vibrations of any kind through speech , you will not make a ‘ new tape ’ ( bind new karma ). You must simply observe everything ; however that is not easy because even this is a machine ( the relative self ) and it is not under your control . That is why I am showing you an alternate way . If the words have expressed and you do pratikraman immediately , the taping of an effect in the next life will be erased . Pratikraman is the tool used for erasing . With