Forgiveness is Truth; forgiveness is holiness; and by forgiveness the universe is held together.

Forgiveness is Truth; forgiveness is holiness; and by forgiveness the universe is held together.

Mahabharata

*

If you love God, follow me, and God will love you, and forgive you all your sins; God is all-forgiving, all-compassionate.

Quran 3.31

*

Where there is forgiveness, there is God Himself.

Adi Granth

*

They are great who fast and do penance,/ But they who forgive wrongs are even greater.

Tirukkural

*

Forgive, you will have happiness./ Forget, you will have satisfaction./ Forgive and forget,/ You will have everlasting peace/ Within and without.

Sri Chinmoy

*

To err is human; to forgive, divine.

Alexander Pope

*

He who refuses to forgive breaks the bridge over which he, too, must cross.

Confucius

*

Forgiveness is a perfectly selfish act. It sets you free from the past.

Brian Tracy

*

To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.

Louis B Smedes

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Forgiveness is Truth; forgiveness is holiness; and by forgiveness the universe is held together.

Forgiveness is Truth; forgiveness is holiness; and by forgiveness the universe is held together.

Mahabharata

*

If you love God, follow me, and God will love you, and forgive you all your sins; God is all-forgiving, all-compassionate.

Quran 3.31

*

Where there is forgiveness, there is God Himself.

Adi Granth

*

They are great who fast and do penance,/ But they who forgive wrongs are even greater.

Tirukkural

*

Forgive, you will have happiness./ Forget, you will have satisfaction./ Forgive and forget,/ You will have everlasting peace/ Within and without.

Sri Chinmoy

*

To err is human; to forgive, divine.

Alexander Pope

*

He who refuses to forgive breaks the bridge over which he, too, must cross.

Confucius

*

Forgiveness is a perfectly selfish act. It sets you free from the past.

Brian Tracy

*

To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.

Louis B Smedes

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Forgive yourself...and others

In life there will always be times when we are affected by the actions of another person. When this happens, we often receive an apology. More often than not we say, “It’s alright,” or “ It’s okay,” and by saying this we are allowing, accepting, and giving permission for the behavior to happen again. When we say “thank you,” or “I accept your apology,” we are forced to sit in our feelings rather than ignore them.

There are many of us who feel that it is easier to brush off how we really feel than to express our discomfort with something that has happened to us. While this may initially seem like the best thing to do, what it really does is put us into an unending pattern of behavior; since we are not honest with another person, we continue the cycle of letting them overstep our emotional limits time and time again. By doing this we place ourselves in the position of victim. We can put an end to this karmic chain by first acknowledging to the other person that we accept their request for forgiveness; often a simple “thank you” is enough. To truly create a greater sense of harmony in our relationship, however, we need to gently, and with compassion, express our innermost concerns about what has transpired. By taking a deep breath and calling upon the deepest parts of our spirit, we can usually find the right words to say and verbalize them in a way that lets the other person recognize ! the consequences of what they have done.

If we can remember that our response to others is important, we can begin to realize that trust and forgiveness go hand in hand. And when we react in a way that engenders a greater amount of honesty and candor, we will establish a more positive and empowering way of being and interacting others.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Forgive yourself...and others

In life there will always be times when we are affected by the actions of another person. When this happens, we often receive an apology. More often than not we say, “It’s alright,” or “ It’s okay,” and by saying this we are allowing, accepting, and giving permission for the behavior to happen again. When we say “thank you,” or “I accept your apology,” we are forced to sit in our feelings rather than ignore them.

There are many of us who feel that it is easier to brush off how we really feel than to express our discomfort with something that has happened to us. While this may initially seem like the best thing to do, what it really does is put us into an unending pattern of behavior; since we are not honest with another person, we continue the cycle of letting them overstep our emotional limits time and time again. By doing this we place ourselves in the position of victim. We can put an end to this karmic chain by first acknowledging to the other person that we accept their request for forgiveness; often a simple “thank you” is enough. To truly create a greater sense of harmony in our relationship, however, we need to gently, and with compassion, express our innermost concerns about what has transpired. By taking a deep breath and calling upon the deepest parts of our spirit, we can usually find the right words to say and verbalize them in a way that lets the other person recognize ! the consequences of what they have done.

If we can remember that our response to others is important, we can begin to realize that trust and forgiveness go hand in hand. And when we react in a way that engenders a greater amount of honesty and candor, we will establish a more positive and empowering way of being and interacting others.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Essence of Forgiveness....

One of Napoleon’s soldiers committed a crime – the story does not explain what exactly – and he was condemned to death.

On the evening before he was due to be shot, the soldier’s mother came to plead for her son’s life to be spared.

‘Madam, your son’s action does not deserve clemency.’

‘I know,’ said the mother. ‘If it did, that would not be true forgiveness. To forgive is the ability to go beyond vengeance or justice.’

When he heard those words, Napoleon commuted the death sentence to exile.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Essence of Forgiveness....

One of Napoleon’s soldiers committed a crime – the story does not explain what exactly – and he was condemned to death.

On the evening before he was due to be shot, the soldier’s mother came to plead for her son’s life to be spared.

‘Madam, your son’s action does not deserve clemency.’

‘I know,’ said the mother. ‘If it did, that would not be true forgiveness. To forgive is the ability to go beyond vengeance or justice.’

When he heard those words, Napoleon commuted the death sentence to exile.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Power And Importance Of Forgiveness

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You only understand the power and importance of forgiveness if you had been forgiven. The short story below illlustrates this:

During a pilgrimage to a sacred place, a holy man began to feel the presence of God. In the midst of a trance he knelt down, hid his face and prayed:
“Lord, I ask for only one thing in life: that I be given the grace of never offending you.”

“I cannot grant you that grace,” answered the Almighty. ‘If you don’t offend me I shall have no reason to pardon you. If I have no need to pardon you, soon you will also forget the importance of mercy towards others.

“So go on your way with Love and let me grant pardon now and again so that you don’t forget that virtue as well.”


Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Power And Importance Of Forgiveness

">

You only understand the power and importance of forgiveness if you had been forgiven. The short story below illlustrates this:

During a pilgrimage to a sacred place, a holy man began to feel the presence of God. In the midst of a trance he knelt down, hid his face and prayed:
“Lord, I ask for only one thing in life: that I be given the grace of never offending you.”

“I cannot grant you that grace,” answered the Almighty. ‘If you don’t offend me I shall have no reason to pardon you. If I have no need to pardon you, soon you will also forget the importance of mercy towards others.

“So go on your way with Love and let me grant pardon now and again so that you don’t forget that virtue as well.”


Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Forgive Forget and Be Healthy...

Forgiveness is not as sublime as love, but it's a divine virtue, without necessarily being godly. The Oxford English Dictionary defines forgiveness thus: "To grant free pardon and to give up all claim on account of an offence or debt". But forgiveness is much more than that. Cynics see the act of forgiving as being one of weakness, resorted to by the meek and the cowardly. The more enlightened say only the strong are capable of it, as did M K Gandhi: "The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong."

Pure happiness is achieved because when you forgive a person who has done you harm, you detoxify yourself of all negative energy, free your mind, and purify your soul and body. Perhaps that's why Martin Luther said: "Forgiveness is pure happiness."

Studies at the University of Wisconsin found the more forgiving people were, the less they suffered from a wide range of illnesses. The benefits included improved functioning of their cardiovascular and nervous systems. Anger and resentment towards our so-called oppressors will bring us nothing but trouble and unhappiness.

"If you do not forgive, you will continue to think of the offender and the unpleasant event," said pranic healing master, Choa Koi Sui. "By forgiving and blessing, you achieve inner peace and freedom." Those who follow Vedantic tradition pray to God to grant happiness even to their enemies. They pray to Providence not only for their well-being, but also for the prosperity of their adversaries. Vedantic wisdom believes in a pre-natal harmony, a link and celestial communion among all souls. Hence, when you hate another person, you only hate yourself, as all souls are linked.

"How often do you forgive one person? Up to seven times?" Jesus Christ was asked by his disciple Peter. Jesus replied: "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." Jesus even asked God to forgive those who had crucified him: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." In The Lord's Prayer, Christians pray: "And forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us."

The message is clear: Only when you forgive others will you, too, be forgiven. Allah is 'Most Forgiving'. Prophet Mohammed forgave people for their ignorance and was ever ready to forgive his enemies.

By being unforgiving, we keep creating an identity around our pain, and that is what is reborn, Buddhists believe. In Jainism, forgiveness is propounded as one of the main virtues to be cultivated by the faithful. Supreme forgiveness forms part of one of the 10 characteristics of dharma in Jainism.

"Always forgive your enemies — nothing annoys them as much," said Oscar Wilde. It's an interesting thing to say, but taking the tongue-in-cheek remark seriously might dilute the impact and power of forgiveness.

Forgiveness has great power. It is a glorious and selfless act that could radically transform the lives of both the forgiver and the forgiven – for the better.



Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Forgive Forget and Be Healthy...

Forgiveness is not as sublime as love, but it's a divine virtue, without necessarily being godly. The Oxford English Dictionary defines forgiveness thus: "To grant free pardon and to give up all claim on account of an offence or debt". But forgiveness is much more than that. Cynics see the act of forgiving as being one of weakness, resorted to by the meek and the cowardly. The more enlightened say only the strong are capable of it, as did M K Gandhi: "The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong."

Pure happiness is achieved because when you forgive a person who has done you harm, you detoxify yourself of all negative energy, free your mind, and purify your soul and body. Perhaps that's why Martin Luther said: "Forgiveness is pure happiness."

Studies at the University of Wisconsin found the more forgiving people were, the less they suffered from a wide range of illnesses. The benefits included improved functioning of their cardiovascular and nervous systems. Anger and resentment towards our so-called oppressors will bring us nothing but trouble and unhappiness.

"If you do not forgive, you will continue to think of the offender and the unpleasant event," said pranic healing master, Choa Koi Sui. "By forgiving and blessing, you achieve inner peace and freedom." Those who follow Vedantic tradition pray to God to grant happiness even to their enemies. They pray to Providence not only for their well-being, but also for the prosperity of their adversaries. Vedantic wisdom believes in a pre-natal harmony, a link and celestial communion among all souls. Hence, when you hate another person, you only hate yourself, as all souls are linked.

"How often do you forgive one person? Up to seven times?" Jesus Christ was asked by his disciple Peter. Jesus replied: "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." Jesus even asked God to forgive those who had crucified him: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." In The Lord's Prayer, Christians pray: "And forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us."

The message is clear: Only when you forgive others will you, too, be forgiven. Allah is 'Most Forgiving'. Prophet Mohammed forgave people for their ignorance and was ever ready to forgive his enemies.

By being unforgiving, we keep creating an identity around our pain, and that is what is reborn, Buddhists believe. In Jainism, forgiveness is propounded as one of the main virtues to be cultivated by the faithful. Supreme forgiveness forms part of one of the 10 characteristics of dharma in Jainism.

"Always forgive your enemies — nothing annoys them as much," said Oscar Wilde. It's an interesting thing to say, but taking the tongue-in-cheek remark seriously might dilute the impact and power of forgiveness.

Forgiveness has great power. It is a glorious and selfless act that could radically transform the lives of both the forgiver and the forgiven – for the better.



Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Forgive Just Forgive To Be Happy Always

"If you do not forgive, you will continue to think of the offender and the unpleasant event," said pranic healing master Choa Koi Sui. "By forgiving and blessing, you achieve inner peace and freedom." Those who follow Vedantic tradition pray to God to grant happiness even to their enemies. They pray to Providence not only for their well-being, but also for the prosperity of their adversaries. Vedantic wisdom believes in a prenatal harmony, a link and celestial communion among all souls. Hence, when you hate another person, you only hate yourself, as all souls are linked.

"How often do you forgive one person? Up to seven times?" Jesus Christ was asked by his disciple Peter. Jesus replied: "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." Jesus even asked God to forgive those who had crucified him: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." In The Lord's Prayer, Christians pray: "And forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us."

The message is clear: Only when you forgive others will you, too, be forgiven. Allah is 'Most Forgiving'. Prophet Muhammad forgave people for their ignorance and was ever ready to forgive his enemies.

By being unforgiving, we keep creating an identity around our pain, and that is what is reborn, Buddhists believe. In Jainism, forgiveness is propounded as one of the main virtues to be cultivated by the faithful. Supreme forgiveness forms part of one of the 10 characteristics of dharma in Jainism.

"Always forgive your enemies - nothing annoys them as much," said Oscar Wilde. It's an interesting thing to say, but taking the tongue-in-cheek remark seriously might dilute the impact and power of forgiveness.

Forgiveness has great power. It is a glorious and selfless act that could radically transform the lives of both the forgiver and the forgiven - for the better.


"If you do not forgive, you will continue to think of the offender and the unpleasant event," said pranic healing master Choa Koi Sui. "By forgiving and blessing, you achieve inner peace and freedom." Those who follow Vedantic tradition pray to God to grant happiness even to their enemies. They pray to Providence not only for their well-being, but also for the prosperity of their adversaries. Vedantic wisdom believes in a prenatal harmony, a link and celestial communion among all souls. Hence, when you hate another person, you only hate yourself, as all souls are linked.

"How often do you forgive one person? Up to seven times?" Jesus Christ was asked by his disciple Peter. Jesus replied: "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." Jesus even asked God to forgive those who had crucified him: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." In The Lord's Prayer, Christians pray: "And forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us."

The message is clear: Only when you forgive others will you, too, be forgiven. Allah is 'Most Forgiving'. Prophet Muhammad forgave people for their ignorance and was ever ready to forgive his enemies.

By being unforgiving, we keep creating an identity around our pain, and that is what is reborn, Buddhists believe. In Jainism, forgiveness is propounded as one of the main virtues to be cultivated by the faithful. Supreme forgiveness forms part of one of the 10 characteristics of dharma in Jainism.

"Always forgive your enemies - nothing annoys them as much," said Oscar Wilde. It's an interesting thing to say, but taking the tongue-in-cheek remark seriously might dilute the impact and power of forgiveness.

Forgiveness has great power. It is a glorious and selfless act that could radically transform the lives of both the forgiver and the forgiven - for the better.


Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Forgive Just Forgive To Be Happy Always

"If you do not forgive, you will continue to think of the offender and the unpleasant event," said pranic healing master Choa Koi Sui. "By forgiving and blessing, you achieve inner peace and freedom." Those who follow Vedantic tradition pray to God to grant happiness even to their enemies. They pray to Providence not only for their well-being, but also for the prosperity of their adversaries. Vedantic wisdom believes in a prenatal harmony, a link and celestial communion among all souls. Hence, when you hate another person, you only hate yourself, as all souls are linked.

"How often do you forgive one person? Up to seven times?" Jesus Christ was asked by his disciple Peter. Jesus replied: "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." Jesus even asked God to forgive those who had crucified him: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." In The Lord's Prayer, Christians pray: "And forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us."

The message is clear: Only when you forgive others will you, too, be forgiven. Allah is 'Most Forgiving'. Prophet Muhammad forgave people for their ignorance and was ever ready to forgive his enemies.

By being unforgiving, we keep creating an identity around our pain, and that is what is reborn, Buddhists believe. In Jainism, forgiveness is propounded as one of the main virtues to be cultivated by the faithful. Supreme forgiveness forms part of one of the 10 characteristics of dharma in Jainism.

"Always forgive your enemies - nothing annoys them as much," said Oscar Wilde. It's an interesting thing to say, but taking the tongue-in-cheek remark seriously might dilute the impact and power of forgiveness.

Forgiveness has great power. It is a glorious and selfless act that could radically transform the lives of both the forgiver and the forgiven - for the better.


"If you do not forgive, you will continue to think of the offender and the unpleasant event," said pranic healing master Choa Koi Sui. "By forgiving and blessing, you achieve inner peace and freedom." Those who follow Vedantic tradition pray to God to grant happiness even to their enemies. They pray to Providence not only for their well-being, but also for the prosperity of their adversaries. Vedantic wisdom believes in a prenatal harmony, a link and celestial communion among all souls. Hence, when you hate another person, you only hate yourself, as all souls are linked.

"How often do you forgive one person? Up to seven times?" Jesus Christ was asked by his disciple Peter. Jesus replied: "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." Jesus even asked God to forgive those who had crucified him: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." In The Lord's Prayer, Christians pray: "And forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us."

The message is clear: Only when you forgive others will you, too, be forgiven. Allah is 'Most Forgiving'. Prophet Muhammad forgave people for their ignorance and was ever ready to forgive his enemies.

By being unforgiving, we keep creating an identity around our pain, and that is what is reborn, Buddhists believe. In Jainism, forgiveness is propounded as one of the main virtues to be cultivated by the faithful. Supreme forgiveness forms part of one of the 10 characteristics of dharma in Jainism.

"Always forgive your enemies - nothing annoys them as much," said Oscar Wilde. It's an interesting thing to say, but taking the tongue-in-cheek remark seriously might dilute the impact and power of forgiveness.

Forgiveness has great power. It is a glorious and selfless act that could radically transform the lives of both the forgiver and the forgiven - for the better.


Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Enjoy and Learn To Forgive

Forgiveness is an essential ingredient of bodhichitta practice. It allows us to let go of the past and make a fresh start. Forgiveness cannot be forced. When we are brave enough to open our hearts to ourselves, however, forgiveness will emerge.

There is a simple practice we can do to cultivate forgiveness. First we acknowledge what we feel - shame, revenge, embarrassment, remorse. Then we forgive ourselves for being human. Then, in the spirit of not wallowing in the pain, we let go and make a fresh start. We don't have to carry the burden with us anymore.

We can acknowledge, forgive, and start anew. If we practice this way, little by little we'll learn to abide with the feeling of regret for having hurt ourselves and others. We will also learn self-forgiveness. Eventually, at our own speed, we'll even find our capacity to forgive those who have done us harm.

We will discover forgiveness as a natural expression of the open heart, and expression of our basic goodness. This potential is inherent in every moment. Each moment is an opportunity to make a fresh start.
Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Enjoy and Learn To Forgive

Forgiveness is an essential ingredient of bodhichitta practice. It allows us to let go of the past and make a fresh start. Forgiveness cannot be forced. When we are brave enough to open our hearts to ourselves, however, forgiveness will emerge.

There is a simple practice we can do to cultivate forgiveness. First we acknowledge what we feel - shame, revenge, embarrassment, remorse. Then we forgive ourselves for being human. Then, in the spirit of not wallowing in the pain, we let go and make a fresh start. We don't have to carry the burden with us anymore.

We can acknowledge, forgive, and start anew. If we practice this way, little by little we'll learn to abide with the feeling of regret for having hurt ourselves and others. We will also learn self-forgiveness. Eventually, at our own speed, we'll even find our capacity to forgive those who have done us harm.

We will discover forgiveness as a natural expression of the open heart, and expression of our basic goodness. This potential is inherent in every moment. Each moment is an opportunity to make a fresh start.
Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

The ideal of Forgiveness..............

Once there was a great king named Vishwamitra. One day he learned that there was a saint in his kingdom whom everybody adored. The name of this saint was Vashishtha, and everyone gladly touched his feet. Now, although Vishwamitra was a very great king, nobody used to come and touch his feet. People were afraid of him, and they would tremble before him. But with Vashishtha it was different. People gladly touched Vashishtha's feet with deepest appreciation and admiration. So Vishwamitra was extremely jealous of Vashishtha. Vashishtha was a very great saint. After praying to God for many, many years, Vashishtha had realised God and could speak to God face to face. Vishwamitra knew that this was the reason why everybody was adoring Vashishtha instead of him, so he too started praying to God. He prayed to God for a couple of years very seriously, often fasting but still he did not realise God. Then he became impatient. He went to Vashishtha and said, "You have realised God, but I have not been able to. I wish you to tell the world that I have also realised God, like you."

Vashista replied, "How can I say that?" "You can say it," the king insisted. "If you tell people, everybody will believe you, because you yourself have realised God. You know who God is you speak to God. Tell everyone that I have realised God. Otherwise I shall kill your children!" Vashishtha said, "You can kill my children, but I cannot tell a lie." Vishwamitra was a most powerful king. One by one he had the hundred sons of Vashishtha killed. The hundred sons were very well educated, kind and spiritual. They had studied the Vedas, the Upanishads and other religious and sacred books. Nevertheless, the notorious king killed them all. Even after doing this Vishwamitra was not satisfied because Vashishtha still refused to announce that he had realised God. After a few months he thought, "This time he has to tell the world that I have realised God, or I shall kill him!" With this idea in his mind he went to Vashishtha's small cottage. Before knocking at the door he stood outside quietly listening to the conversation inside. Arundhati, one of Vashishtha's wives, was saying to her husband, "My lord, why don't you say that Vishwamitra has realised God? If you had said it I would still have all my children. They were such nice, kind, devoted children. They were all jewels. But just because you wouldn't say that he has realised God, he has killed all my children, and who knows what he will do next!" Vashishtha said, "How can you ask me to do that? I love him. He has not realised God. How can I tell people that he has realised God? I love him and that is why I cannot tell a lie." Even though Vishwamitra had killed the hundred sons of Vashishtha, the father could still say that he loved him! When Vishwamitra heard what Vashishtha said, he came running in and touched Vashishtha's feet, crying, "Forgive me, forgive me, forgive me, my lord. I never knew that anyone on earth could love a person who had killed all his children." Vashishtha placed his hand on Vishwamitra's head and blessed him. He said, "Today you have realised God, because today you know what love is, what truth is. God is all forgiveness. I am forgiving you because the God in me is forgiving you. Today you have realised God." What do we learn from this story? We learn that the ideal of forgiveness is the supreme ideal. When we pray to God we see God's qualities: love and forgiveness. When we receive love and forgiveness from God we can behave like God towards other people. Vashishtha's hundred sons were killed, yet even then he loved Vishwamitra. Then, when Vishwamitra begged for forgiveness, Vashishtha gave it immediately, as well as giving him his inner Light, Joy and Power. Like Vashishtha, we always have to forgive people when they do wrong things. In this way we give them our Light, our Truth, our Joy. From this story we also learn the importance of associating with holy men. When we are in the company of a spiritual person, even for a second, what transformation takes place in our life! Our life is changed in the twinkling of an eye.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

The ideal of Forgiveness..............

Once there was a great king named Vishwamitra. One day he learned that there was a saint in his kingdom whom everybody adored. The name of this saint was Vashishtha, and everyone gladly touched his feet. Now, although Vishwamitra was a very great king, nobody used to come and touch his feet. People were afraid of him, and they would tremble before him. But with Vashishtha it was different. People gladly touched Vashishtha's feet with deepest appreciation and admiration. So Vishwamitra was extremely jealous of Vashishtha. Vashishtha was a very great saint. After praying to God for many, many years, Vashishtha had realised God and could speak to God face to face. Vishwamitra knew that this was the reason why everybody was adoring Vashishtha instead of him, so he too started praying to God. He prayed to God for a couple of years very seriously, often fasting but still he did not realise God. Then he became impatient. He went to Vashishtha and said, "You have realised God, but I have not been able to. I wish you to tell the world that I have also realised God, like you."

Vashista replied, "How can I say that?" "You can say it," the king insisted. "If you tell people, everybody will believe you, because you yourself have realised God. You know who God is you speak to God. Tell everyone that I have realised God. Otherwise I shall kill your children!" Vashishtha said, "You can kill my children, but I cannot tell a lie." Vishwamitra was a most powerful king. One by one he had the hundred sons of Vashishtha killed. The hundred sons were very well educated, kind and spiritual. They had studied the Vedas, the Upanishads and other religious and sacred books. Nevertheless, the notorious king killed them all. Even after doing this Vishwamitra was not satisfied because Vashishtha still refused to announce that he had realised God. After a few months he thought, "This time he has to tell the world that I have realised God, or I shall kill him!" With this idea in his mind he went to Vashishtha's small cottage. Before knocking at the door he stood outside quietly listening to the conversation inside. Arundhati, one of Vashishtha's wives, was saying to her husband, "My lord, why don't you say that Vishwamitra has realised God? If you had said it I would still have all my children. They were such nice, kind, devoted children. They were all jewels. But just because you wouldn't say that he has realised God, he has killed all my children, and who knows what he will do next!" Vashishtha said, "How can you ask me to do that? I love him. He has not realised God. How can I tell people that he has realised God? I love him and that is why I cannot tell a lie." Even though Vishwamitra had killed the hundred sons of Vashishtha, the father could still say that he loved him! When Vishwamitra heard what Vashishtha said, he came running in and touched Vashishtha's feet, crying, "Forgive me, forgive me, forgive me, my lord. I never knew that anyone on earth could love a person who had killed all his children." Vashishtha placed his hand on Vishwamitra's head and blessed him. He said, "Today you have realised God, because today you know what love is, what truth is. God is all forgiveness. I am forgiving you because the God in me is forgiving you. Today you have realised God." What do we learn from this story? We learn that the ideal of forgiveness is the supreme ideal. When we pray to God we see God's qualities: love and forgiveness. When we receive love and forgiveness from God we can behave like God towards other people. Vashishtha's hundred sons were killed, yet even then he loved Vishwamitra. Then, when Vishwamitra begged for forgiveness, Vashishtha gave it immediately, as well as giving him his inner Light, Joy and Power. Like Vashishtha, we always have to forgive people when they do wrong things. In this way we give them our Light, our Truth, our Joy. From this story we also learn the importance of associating with holy men. When we are in the company of a spiritual person, even for a second, what transformation takes place in our life! Our life is changed in the twinkling of an eye.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You