Acharya Prashant explains a couplet by Kabir Saheb, stating that our natural tendency, or 'Prakriti,' is to seek revenge. He clarifies that forgiveness is not inherent in our physical being. We have come from the jungle, where the custom is not forgiveness but punishment. The law of the jungle, our body, and nature dictates that if we have the power, we should inflict equal or even greater pain on whoever has hurt us. This is because, in the jungle, sparing an enemy whose nature is to attack offers no benefit. He distinguishes between animals and humans by noting that an animal is solely its body, and its existence revolves around physical survival. For instance, a snake's instinct is to kill a mongoose because sparing it would endanger its physical being. Humans, however, are more than just their bodies. While taking revenge might provide a fleeting sense of relief, it ultimately causes the mind to burn even more, trapping it in a perpetual cycle of retaliation. The true peace that the mind seeks cannot be attained through revenge. Acharya Prashant refers to the teachings of saints like Kabir Saheb, who advise leaving feelings of resentment and malice to animals and instead learning forgiveness and compassion. He emphasizes that the primary beneficiary of forgiveness is not the offender but oneself. Forgiving someone who has harmed you is in your own best interest. The most effective response to an enemy is to nullify their intention to cause you pain. By remaining unaffected, you demonstrate the futility of their actions and emerge victorious. Finally, he delves into the spiritual dimension of forgiveness, describing it not as a sign of weakness but of immense courage and spiritual insight. It is not just a moral policy but a profound spiritual principle. True forgiveness occurs when there is no need to forgive because one is not hurt in the first place. This state of being unhurt proves the aggressor's perception of you as a lowly person to be wrong. The right revenge is one that brings about a deep, internal change in the other person. By not retaliating, you send a powerful message for them to change, which is the greatest favor you can do for them and the truest form of revenge.
