17/08/2025
An article "From Awareness to Atonement" by Padma Bhushan Pujya Guruji Swami Tejomayanandaji, from Chinmaya Mission published on 15th August 2025, at an esteemed newspaper Sikkim Express.
Texts of the Article👇🏻
From Awareness to Atonement
Swami Tejomayananda
We all want to be independent but find that life is actually one of interdependence. The only one who is totally independent is God. Interdependence has many aspects and one of them is to give and take. No one can claim to always be a giver. That is not possible. The process of mutual give and take is choiceless; through this, we help each other.
However, the fact is: whether we like it or not, accept it or not, we have received more than we have given. Think how much we have received and are receiving constantly from this world and Nature – space, air, fire, water, food. Are we not always taking? Our existence in the mother’s womb was one of only taking!
Therefore, whatever our beliefs about being independent, being only givers and not takers – is not possible! In this context, it is good to remember that while giving or doing something for someone, the right attitude to maintain is one of utmost humility. Let no feeling of arrogance, superiority, or of doing someone a favour creep in. On the flip side, we should also know how to receive. The important attitude while receiving is one of gratitude.
Humility and gratitude are the two most important virtues. Anything given with an attitude of arrogance is neither accepted nor does it bless anyone. In addition, to accept without any feelings of gratitude – does not bless either. We should be grateful for the minutest of things anyone has done for us.
In Sanskrit, we have two words: aradhana, which means to worship, and aparadha, which means to commit a sin or offense. Not having the right attitude of humility and gratitude is an offense, a sin. It is an offense to not recognize the one worthy of reverence, respect, and worship – be it a great person, an ideal, or the Lord. Conversely, to give undue respect to an unworthy person for some worldly gain is also a transgression.
The purer the mind the greater is the awareness that we should not even entertain thoughts of conferring respect on the undeserving, and completely ignoring the most worshipful. It amounts to a double fault. We do not recognize the contribution of our parents, noble people and Nature and have completely forgotten the One to whom we owe our faculties, abilities and potential; our existence itself. Even after receiving everything, a person dares to ask “God, what did you do?” Such is our arrogance. Sometimes we don’t even know what mistakes we have committed.
One is to commit mistakes out of ignorance. However, the greater sin is not even being aware of any wrongdoing. Not accepting that we have committed a mistake, not repenting for it, and not making any attempt to redress it – all amount to compounding the offense.
The greatest offense is to forget the Lord in the crowd of our preoccupations with the body, pleasures, relations, activities, enjoyments and achievements. We have forgotten the One because of whom all these are possible. We need to recognize the Lord of the Universe, apologize, seek His forgiveness!
“O Lord, I took everything for granted as though it was my right. I forgot that I had duties to perform too. I also forgot that I must do some seva.” The person who feels this remorse or repents is purified. Awareness and repentance of sins committed as well as the resolve not to repeat them, saves us.
God is kind and ever-forgiving; that’s why our life is possible. Just as the Sun is of the nature of light, God is of the nature of compassion and grace. The difference between man and God is that God gives and forgives whereas man gets and forgets! Aparadha happens because we don’t worship what we should and respect that which is undeserving. This is our mistake – a great one.
The author belongs to Chinmaya Mission.
