No sin will bind
One day we were sitting for swadhyaya with Bade Maharaj in the afternoon. Shri Uttamchandji Panchmiya, who was affectionately known as Bapuji, said to Bade Maharaj, ‘Today Chandanaji will bind a lot of sin. In the morning when she climbed the hill, it rained heavily, and they all came back drenched. So much violence! Today Chandanaji will bind sin and similarly those who were with her will also bind sin. By being drenched in the rain, violence towards water-bodied living beings occurred, hence they have all committed sin.’ Bade Maharaj immediately replied, ‘As it was Chandanaji who took them, it is simply not possible for sin to arise.’
All were stunned by her answer. Bade Maharaj had in her life followed the most stringent traditions and rules of our practices. Her understanding and grasp of religious conduct and rules was very deep.
She continued, ‘Chandanaji’s feelings are pure. She had gone to the hill to pray to Bhagwan. That is the reason why she took others with her. She will not bind sin nor will others who went with her.’
The purity of feelings and thoughts automatically washes away sin and awakens goodness. All were rendered speechless by these priceless and extraordinary words of Bade Maharaj.
Understanding the real meaning of religion while strictly following ancient traditions and rules is a colossal achievement in itself. There are many devotees that spread the fear of sin and goodness in the name of religious doctrine but only very few have such deep and elevated understanding. If today we can adopt this expansiveness and pragmatism to life’s diversities, then life will become easier, simpler, more straightforward and we will be freed from lifeless rituals and create a pure and empowered society.
