Daily Devotion -Apr 3, 2026 (English)- Grace vs Sin
Doha Explanation - Patit Pāvan Govind Rādhe. Nāma terā aura aura pāpa karāve.
Among the infinite names of God, the most important one is Patit-Pāvan - the Purifier of the fallen. God possesses infinite qualities, and therefore He also has infinite names - such as Praṇata-Pāla (the Protector of those who surrender), Bhakta-Vatsala (the One who has boundless love for His devotees), and so on. However, all those names belong to Golok. The name Patit-Pāvan, however, was given to Him here on earth, because no fallen soul can ever enter Golok in the first place, and therefore God could never have received the title of Patit-Pāvan there. This title has been conferred upon Him by us - the fallen souls of the material world, who are bound by māyā.
In this doha, Shri Maharaj Ji says to God -
"Your name Patit-Pāvan has produced the opposite effect. There is no such condition attached to Your name that says 'only one who is fallen to a certain extent will be purified.' Even if there are infinite sins, You will purify them. Just as in this world, if a person commits one murder and it is proven, he is hanged, and if someone commits two murders, he still cannot be hanged twice - the execution takes place only once, because a person can die only once. In the same way, the name Patit-Pāvan carries no limit on the number of sins.
Therefore, Your name has given the fallen a kind of encouragement, leading them to think, 'He is the Purifier of the fallen after all, so go ahead and sin as you please. What is there to fear now? He will purify you regardless.' In this way, more and more sins have been committed by the souls."
Therefore, on our behalf, Shri Maharaj Ji presents an argument while submitting to God - "In this, what is the fault of the soul? The fault lies with Your name. It is Your name that caused these sins to be committed, and therefore, You alone must forgive them. Since Your name is the cause, the responsibility also rests with You. Therefore, please forgive us."
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