Thoughts and Aphorisms 21-22-23

21. Forgiveness is praised by the Christian and the Vaishnava, but for me, I ask, "What have I to forgive and whom ?" 22. God struck me with a human hand; shall I say then, "I pardon Thee thy insolence, O God" ? 23. God gave me good in a blow. Shall I say, "I forgive thee, O Almighty One, the harm and the cruelty, but do it not again" ? [Sri Aurobindo: Thoughts and Aphorisms]   Forgiveness is a great virtue, it has been said. However, when there is the Supreme Realization, one has the identification with the Divine, sees Him everywhere and in each being. One finds that one is the same Divine as all others are. Then the question of forgiving the same Divine who is in each being does not arise. This is from the viewpoint of the Individual who realizes the Divine.                                                 Insofar as the Supreme is concerned, in His viewpoint, all is the Divine, as nothing exists without Him and beyond Him, and all the actions are taken by Him, all works are done by Him. Then whom should He punish and whom should He forgive? The Supreme may forgive someone if the latter is different from and other than Him.   Often the Divine may give someone a blow through somebody else — in order to correct Himself in that person. Sri Aurobindo says that it would be a striking through a human hand. One who has the Realization finds this blow to be from the Divine, though through a human instrument. Should the Divine be forgiven, then?   Forgiveness is an idea that belongs to the divided world, the world of Thought when and where the Divine Identification is not yet realized. Persons are different and separate from each other and there is no realization of the inner oneness.   In this regard The Mother has said that if we are afraid of the consequences of some actions, then we must correct ourselves to the extent that the source of the erroneous action is no more left active in us. Then only the resultant reactions of the wrong actions may stop. If the mistake is the result of some ignorance, the ignorance must cease to be in us. Or, if the mistake is committed due to a bad will, then the bad will must leave us. The Mother says: "The regret will not do, it must be accompanied by a step forward."   Only an inner spiritual transformation can save us from the consequences of our bad actions. And then, what is the need of any Forgiveness? We are to unveil and know our inner being, our psychic being, and then have an inner Transformation to begin with. This is the need before each of us.   "A secret soul behind supporting all Is master and witness of our ignorant life, Admits the Person's look and Nature's role. But once the hidden doors are flung apart Then the veiled king steps out in Nature's front; A Light comes down into the Ignorance, Its heavy painful knot loosens its grasp: The mind becomes a mastered instrument And life a hue and figure of the soul. All happily grows towards knowledge and towards bliss. A divine Puissance then takes Nature's place And pushes the movements of our body and mind; Possessor of our passionate hopes and dreams, The beloved despot of our thoughts and acts, She streams into us with her unbound force, Into mortal limbs the Immortal's rapture and power. An inner law of beauty shapes our lives … …"                 [Sri Aurobindo: Savitri, Bk VII, Co V]   Barindranath Chaki                                                          30-09-2009 [Simultaneously published in Sulekha, All choice and ASPIRATION Barindranath Chaki 30-09-2009