Apologizing and forgiving is a wonderful quality; forget, forgive and move on because when you let go, you grow.

HH Sudhanshu Ji Maharaj

Forgive Others & Seek Forgiveness

Once upon a time, there lived a notorious thief in a kingdom. One day he was presented before the court of the king over an accusation of theft.

The king reprimanded him and announced the verdict—this man is a habitual offender, he has been caught many times and now he will be executed and hanged till death.

The thief was shocked!

He started abusing the King ruthlessly in a language that the king didn’t understand. So, he asked one of his ministers, what this thief is uttering, tell me.

The minister replied, the thief is saying– this king is carrying a great legacy, his ancestors were too forgiving who always pardoned the mistakes of others but today I am surprised as this king is disrespecting his ancestors and is not sympathetic towards me. But still, I would say, kindness would emerge in this king as well and he will learn how to forgive others.

After hearing this, the king was stunned and forgave the man for his alleged theft.

When the court dispersed, another minister came to the king and whispered… this minister is disloyal because he lied to you. Actually, the thief was abusing you a lot. You should punish and not forgive him.

At this, the king laughed and said, dear minister, your truth is ‘lethal’ as it can take a man’s life, whereas that minister’s lie is ‘life-giving’ as it can save the life of someone.  And so, I absolve the thief of his crime finally.

After that, the king summoned the minister who lied and said to him, there could be some flaw in my justice system, but I appreciate the way you showed kindness in order to save someone’s life. Even your lie was packed with sentiments of kindness.

After a few days, the king learned from his sources that the thief was indeed innocent and realized why he was so furious upon being accused of a crime.

Now he knew his justice of forgiveness was right and he thanked his ancestors for guiding him.

Forgiveness, the Most Beautiful Virtue!

Indeed, there is no other virtue as great as forgiveness. Here we are releasing our anger and thinking about what is possible for the good of the person at the receiving end. Further, forgiveness does not mean that we overlook the behavior of the wrongdoer. Rather it means that we value our wisdom and conscience more which is self-healing. When we forgive we experience an amazing delight. Therefore, forgive others, seek forgiveness and forgive yourself as well to give peace a chance.

Moreover, in India, there is a tradition of being merciful. Sometimes we pardon our harshest enemies as well. The story of Prithviraj Chauhan, the most forgiving warrior who established the strongest kingdom in Rajasthan, is a perfect example.

Now, however, we have forgotten to stay humble even in our own families. This is a sad reality. At home, children commit mistakes. If you can ignore and absolve them, you should, but when it becomes essential to guide them, taking strong action would be the right decision.

Further, the action must mean to reform and should never be revengeful. The aim of revenge destroys relationships, making things even more distressing. Children should also seek forgiveness after committing mistakes unknowingly.

Always be Forgiving

Understand that to let off is a great virtue. Life is full of misconceptions, illusions, and lies, anything can be true and so forgiving someone is always a wise decision. Also, keep in mind that God showers His blessings upon those who know how to forgive others and how to keep the mind pure. Thus learn to be forgiving!