How can you erase all your past sins!!

           "विनाशकुण्ठ साधत् प्रभु, ग्रहणात् पार्जनी वा"

Devotion can destroy great sins, even if committed in the past!!

One of the most important questions that most of the people who consider themselves as spiritual seekers ask are that how to get rid of sins and how to attain Moksha. There is no doubt that we all want to attain Moksha and we want to free ourselves from the cycle of birth and death.

In this world, we all have some sins which we have committed intentionally or unintentionally. We commit sins in our day-to-day activities, we commit sins in our thought process, and we commit sins and do not even know it. We feel guilty for our past mistakes and we feel helpless and hopeless wishing there was a way out. We pray for forgiveness for our sins and we promise ourselves that we will never commit them again. However, when we go on with life and forget about the past, we unknowingly commit these sins again and again.

There is something in us which doesn’t like to admit that we are wrong. We keep making the same mistakes again and again. We keep falling, falling, and falling. And stop ourselves at the edge of the abyss, just before we fall into what seems like a permanent downfall. It’s a survival instinct, not just physical but emotional as well. This is why we avoid accepting our mistakes, this is why we hide our sins, this is why we want to change ourselves for the better but never want to look into that mirror of mistakes which stare back at us with mockery.

Jagat Guru Swami Sivananda once said that all spiritual activities are not to get rid of your sins but to get rid of your ego. A person who wants to be free from his sinful activities must first of all surrender to God. He must abandon the feeling of doership in everything that he does. Then only he will be able to get rid of all his past sinful activities accumulated in this life or in the previous lives.

Sins has power to erase your all past good deeds

Have you ever thought how sin works to erase away your good deeds like pen, pencil, blender, calculator etc? Yes, sins has power to erase your all past good deeds form the books of your good deeds. If a man is a sinner and he dies in this state of sinfulness, his soul goes straight to hell where it will remain for eternity. Hell is a place of eternal punishment of sin.

If you do not remember then you should know that you will easily get into sins. Sins has power to erase your all past good deeds.

Sins has power to erase your all past good deeds; take away chance to go heaven; destroy your life; burn your soul; kill your happiness; spoil your respect; take away lifetime opportunity; cause curses & suffering; end life forever; end this world, end next world, end all worlds, end eternity.

Bad habits like drinking, gambling, drugs, smoking; evil acts like killing; jealousy; anger; lust; hate; stealing; cheating; lying; pornography; adultery; backbiting, etc... make sins.

Killing any living being like insects, animals, trees... etc... is evil act and makes sins.

Bhagwat Geeta- Ways to get rid of Past Sins

As per Bhagwat Geeta Krishna explains the ways to get rid of past sins. In my previous post, I have explained about The importance of self-inquiry/Aatma Vichara in Bhagwad Geeta. In this post, I want to discuss the ways to get rid of past sins as per Bhagwat Geeta.

Sri Krishna said: If you are sinful, how can you be saved?

Even if you are considered to be the most sinful of all sinners,

when you are situated in the boat of transcendental knowledge

you will be able to cross over the ocean of miseries. (Bg.8.)

The devotee of Lord Krishna, Tulsidas Ji has said that even a drop of devotion can wash off all sins.

"विनाशकुण्ठ साधत् प्रभु, ग्रहणात् पार्जनी वा"

(Devotion can destroy great sins, even if committed in the past )

Previously there was a time the word "sin" was used to mean any failure to live up to religious or moral law. This concept evolved through the centuries. Earlier, sin was believed to be the result of supernatural causes. However, later on, beliefs changed and it came to be regarded as an act of omission or commission or something done which would make men or Gods angry.

अपि चेदसि पापेभ्य: सर्वेभ्य: पापकृत्तम: |

सर्वं ज्ञानप्लवेनैव वृजिनं सन्तरिष्यसि || 36||

"Sri Krishna said: Even if you are the most immoral of all sinners, you will be able to cross the ocean of misery if you are seated in the boat of transcendental knowledge."

अपि चेत्सुदुराचारो भजते मामनन्यभाक् |

साधुरेव स मन्तव्य: सम्यग्व्यवसितो हि स: || 30||

''Even the most heinous sinner who worships Me with complete devotion should be regarded as a great soul or saint because he has taken the proper step by worshipping Me.''

क्षिप्रं भवति धर्मात्मा शश्वच्छान्तिं निगच्छति |

कौन्तेय प्रतिजानीहि न मे भक्त: प्रणश्यति || 31||

''He quickly becomes virtuous and establishes long-term peace.' Know for the certain, O son of Kunti, that My devotee never falls.''

Unforgivable sins 

As per Bhagwat Gita, there are many sins that can not be forgiven, one who kills his parents, one who kills great saints like vashishta, one who breaks his vows like brahmachari...etc... all these kinds of sins can never be forgiven. But there are some sins which can be forgiven, like an accident or unintentional murder or wrong means if used to right ends. All sins can be forgiven if atleast you sincerely repent for those sins and do pooja or some penance for those sins from previous births. Whenever we suffer from bad times, there must have been some bad karma from past births, so whenever you suffer from a bad time, do penance for those past sins as well as current ones.

Also as per Bhagwat Gita, if a person does a sinful action unknowingly and he has a pure heart then God will not punish him for that sin.

The first step is to understand that Sins have to be forgiven, not at the time of death, but in the present life if one wants to be free. The basic tenet of Bhagwat Geeta is DO NOT DO SINS. If you sin, ask for forgiveness from God. SO, FORGIVENESS IS THE KEY IN THIS CASE.

Here are the steps as per Bhagwat Geeta for Forgiveness of sins :

1. Understand your past sins and ask yourself forgiveness from God.

2. Fully accept the greatness of Lord Rama, his divine qualities, and his ability to forgive and forget. Believe in Ram.

3. Do not make excuses for your sins; accept them wholeheartedly and repent sincerely (Amen Ram).

4. Repent for your sins with a promise to never repeat such sins (Amen Ram).