|| Shri Ganeshay NamaH ||
|| Hari OM ||
Micchami dukkadam, is one of the important spiritual practice of Jain Dharma. It is a result of inner reflection of a truth seeker in which one is able to recall if s/he has done any harm in any form be it verbal, physical or even mentally cursing anyone.
It can be closely related to another important practice of Self Reflection or introspection known as pratikramaNa. pratikramaNa would generally be understood as to negate or do pratikramaNa of those issues that one has done ati-kramaNa i.e. done in excess. ati means 'excess', here it means 'that which is done in excess'. It is a daily practice. So when one introspects about the past actions of yesterday, one realises that one might be obsessed with some result or has wrongly hurt someone, or is hurt by someone's behaviour, then one neutralises the negative emotions in one's heart and mind by a spiritual process like forgiveness or begging for forgiveness or by blessing someone i.e. wishing for good or those being hurt or those who have hurt or by simply being witness of thoughts and emotions and let them pass by thereby releasing them and making one feel light in heart, as if a burden is removed. This also helps one retain physical health as mind is healthy and in sound condition. Another spiritual meaning of pratikramaNa can be 'to attack (oneself) without attacking'. Here the word 'attack' means to be aware and alert by being witness. It means the one should not be absent minded and let emotions control one's actions. As explained earlier, by being witness, one's thoughts and emotions can be released. It also does make one's heart soft and fills it with deep peace and retains a sense of awareness throughout the day (if done properly and diligently everyday).
Coming back to Micchami Dikkadam, if in such daily spiritual practice, even if little residue is left or that one needs to physically apologize for any kind of wrong doing, then once a year, a day is reserved. This day is the last day of paryushana in which Jains fast for inner purity. So after getting purified (inwardly), one meets or calls up friends and relatives and with deep respect of all living beings, one begins the conversation with the self explanatory words 'Micchami Dukkadam' and gets reciprocated with same words. Micchami dukkadam is also helpful to those who do not do pratikramaNa or regular basis.
While there are mistakes which one know to have committed, there are mistakes and sins which one does not realise and so one's heart does not feel guilty or them. Hence Micchami Dukkadam can be extended to all living being including nature and anything that has jiva in it.
However, most important person to whom we can never repay his debts is sadguru. Hence we must also ask for forgiveness to him too, as it is the guru who protects his disciples from unseen forces, covers our errors and protects us from getting sidetracked. Guru's grace is incomparable and we often do not recognise it. When one does, one is left speechless, as words are too little to describe guru's grace.
Tirthankara's hold special place in Jain's heart, hence Micchami Dukkadam has to be done to them too.
The ideal way of life is to rise above likes and dislikes. It helps one not to do ati-kramaNa (doing excess). Here, ati-kramaNa does not mean excess expression of negative emotions, but also positive emotions like love, etc, as one has to rise above emotions. Divine emotions help one transcend beyond mind easily. So the ultimate aim, in my humble opinion, is to not let anything enter into our mind so that there will not be any need to practice pratikramaNa and reach the ideal state as taught by the great tirthankara-s and be a 'Jina' in a true sense.
There are many sects and sub-sects within Jainism. Each one has their own day of practising paryushan and for saying micchAmi Dukkadam.
With prayers and gratitude of this beautiful spiritual practice aimed as inner purification, let us do 'Micchami Dukkadam'. Please find a prayer which one may find helpful in one's spiritual progress.
મિચ્ચામી દૂકડમ - ક્ષમા પ્રાર્થના
|| શ્રી સદગુરુ શરણમ ||
હે પ્રભુ, જેમની કૃપાથી અંતઃકરણની શુદ્ધિ થાયા છે, જેમની કૃપાથી જ્ઞાન પ્રાપ્ત થાય છે એવા જ્ઞાનસ્વરૂપ શ્રી સદગુરુદેવનું જો મે કોઈ કોઈપણ કારણવશ એમની આજ્ઞા ન માનવાનું ઈત્યાદી દુષ્કર્મ થયું હોય તો હે ગુરુદેવ મને ક્ષમા કરવાની કૃપા કરો.
મારા દ્વારા જો કોઈ ફણા અપરાધ – કાયિક, વાચિક કે માનસિક અપરાધ થયો હોય તો મારી હૃદયપૂર્વક ક્ષમા યાચના સ્વીકાર કરો
નવકાર મંત્રમાં વર્ણવેલા સરવા દિવ્ય આત્માઓ, તીર્થંકરો, દેવો, માતા-પિતા, મિત્ર, સગા-સ્નેહીઓ, સ્થાવર-જંગમ યોની, સર્વ કોઈને મારી હૃદયપૂર્વક ક્ષમા યાચના અર્પણ પરુ છું.
હે પ્રભુ, સ્થૂળ અને સૂક્ષ્મ, સર્વ પ્રકારના, દોષોથી મુક્ત કરો. મારૂ અને સર્વ કોઈનું હૃદય વિશાળ કરો અને શુદ્ધ, પરિત્ર અને દિવ્ય ભાવરૂપી ઐશ્વર્યથી અલંકૃત કરવાની કૃપા કરો
|| નામો જીણાનામ ||
Micchami Dikkadam – English
|| Shri Sadguru Sharanam ||
Oh Prabhu!, with whose grace antaHkaraNa is purified, with whose grace, GYAna (knowledge of Self realisation) is attained, to him, the embodiment of knowledge itself, the sadguru, I pray with the bottom of my heart that if I have incurred sin due to any wrong doing (like not following your orders / advices), I beg for forgiveness. Please be kind enough to forgive my sins
If I have incurred any sins by any kind of wrong doing either from mind, body or speech, I pray to all those to whom I have caused harm to forgive my sins
To all the divine Jivas mentioned to the great navakAra mantra, to the tirthankara-s, Gods and Goddesses, father-mother, friends, relatives and well wishers, to sthAvara and jangam yoni-s (moving and immovable Jiva-s) and to everybody else, I pray for forgiveness
OH Prabhu! Please release me from any kind of wrong doings be it from gross or subtle level. Please purifiy my heart and make me big hearted and kindly fill my heart with divine qualities.
|| Namo JiNAnam ||
