FORGIVENESS

 
Papa Jessawala had come to Jabalpur from Nagpur. Jal Kerawala also was there. On Sunday, January 1st, 1939, Jal played a joke on Papa, who found it to be in bad taste and became very upset.

He went straight to Baba and complained bitterly. Baba sent for Jal and Chanji, and asked the reason for the uproar. Jal replied, "Forgive me, Baba, I was only joking around."

Papa shouted, "Who has made him a magistrate? He has no sense! He should not be forgiven!"

Smiling, Baba spelled out, "I would not forgive Jal, but to forgive is my nature. If I don't forgive him, the world will collapse! Only by my forgiveness does the world continue, not otherwise!"

Papa said, "You should continue forgiving the world, but not Jal Kerawala! He has troubled me greatly!"

"All right," motioned Baba. "I won't forgive Jal, but you forgive him!"

Jal asked Papa's forgiveness, and finally, after hours of fuming, he forgave him. Papa, however, said to Baba, "I have forgiven Jal because you request it, but I tell you he is a very devil!"

Baba explained to Papa, "This is not forgiveness! The meaning of forgiveness is to forget the insult. When you remember it, how could you have forgiven it? After forgiving, you should not remember the incident or hold anything against him.

"Today is New Year's, and you should make a resolution to forgive and forget. Only by forgetting can you truly forgive. Otherwise, what is the use of merely saying the words, 'I forgive you'? It must be from the heart."