Think of your capacity twice before you give promises. At the same time, stand by the promises you have made even at the cost of your life. In this world, the feelings of humans are greater than all the things that exist. The words that express them are equally greater. The sin accrued by not fulfilling the promise made is very higher than the merit obtained by fulfilling the promise. You must observe the greatness of the promise. Once a promise is made, it must be fulfilled. It is needless to say that a person will land in cruel hell if he gives a promise and purposefully does not even try to fulfill it. Protect your life from such cruel hill.
You must know your energy and then make promises. The promise made by having such wisdom is called ‘Vagdaana vidhi’ (procedure told by scriptures). The inability to fulfill the promise will result in the sin obtained by killing a person by stabbing the heart. Postponement in fulfilling the promise is equal to keeping others forcefully on fast.
There is also another kind of promise. It is consoling the people in distress, talking to them out of affection and sharing the knowledge selflessly. To satisfy these promises, assets or wealth is not at all required. Hence, the great Manu decided that the promise that is made with truth and affection as the base is the best kind of promise.
There is a great value for the promise. It is priceless. It is a sin to give promise and postpone fulfilling it. Not even attempting to fulfill the promise will accrue even more sin. In case, if you promise and put efforts to fulfill it but fail, then you are liable for pardon. Forgetting the promise is a first sin and not even trying to fulfill it even after one remembers it is the second sin. If there is a possibility to fulfill the promise but still one does not do it, then it is as good as stabbing a person’s heart. Postponement is like keeping others on fast. Instead of making them fast, it is better to seek pardon from them. The promise that consists of truth and affectionate language is the best promise. You must fulfill such promise even at the cost of your life. First of all, you must analyze your own capability and only then you get the eligibility to give promise. Boasting about yourself and giving promises is not good because people may get deceived by your ornaments, appearances etc. If we promise, that person will keep a hope on you that you will stand by it. Hence, promise is very important. Once given, you must fulfill it at the cost of even your life. With the grace of Datta Sadguru, may you all follow the procedures told by scriptures!
Jai Guru Datta! Sri Guru Datta!
