In the ‘Srimad Bhagwatam, ‘there is a story of King Ajamila. The king had many vices. When he was on his deathbed, he called his son, who was named ‘Narayan’. And when he uttered the Divine’s name, he got liberated. This story assures people that, however their past has been, turning within and moving towards the Divine, even at the last moment, can bring them liberation. The story teaches you not to be guilty of the mistakes you have committed in your past.

You realise a mistake when you are innocent in the present moment. When you are innocent in the present moment, then you are already out of the mistake. Instead of brooding over the past, just wake up and acknowledge it. Move forward and don’t get stuck in blaming yourself or others. It is like youare sitting with a garbage can, ready to throw the garbage at someone. But it all comes back to you, like a volleyball. This game goes on. If you want to get out of this game, acknowledge the mistake. What we normally do is justify our mistakes so that we can avoid the guilt. It doesn’t work. Whatever justification you give, the guilt lingers beneath the surface. You resist the guilt, and it continues to exist, distorting your behaviour from within. You have the right to feel miserable for the mistake you have made. Remain totally miserable for one whole moment, ten minutes, or twenty-five minutes, not more. And then, come out of it.

Acknowledge a mistake without justifying it. A justification does not remove the guilt, as it is superficial. It makes you feel even guiltier. Be one hundred percent with the guilt, and that pain will become like a meditation and relieve you from the guilt.

How do you deal with a person who has committed a mistake? Do not tell someone about a mistake they already know they made, and make them feel guilty, defensive, or resentful. This will only create more distance. You should only point out the mistake of a person who is ignorant about it, but would want to know. Often, people are aware of the mistakes they have committed, but they do not want anyone to point them out to them. Before pointing out the mistake of a person, see whether your comment in any way will help to improve the situation, foster love, or bring harmony.

Don’t see intention behind others’ mistakes. See a mistake as a mistake, not as “mine” or “their” mistake. “My” means guilt; “their” brings anger.

When somebody does something wrong, often we think they did it intentionally. When we see from a broader perspective, every culprit is also a victim. They may be a victim of a lack of education or information, too much stress, or narrow-mindedness. All these would cause someone to make a mistake.

If a wise man sees mistakes in others, he helps them to come out of it with compassion. But a fool is happy if someone else makes a mistake and takes pride in announcing it to the world. A wise man always praises others. Wisdom is uplifting the spirit. When you are centered, you always uplift everybody around you.

At last, save your mind at all costs. When the mind is established and centered, you cannot make mistakes even if you want. With the knowledge of the self, all negative emotions like fear, guilt, anger, and sorrow disappear.

(Writer is a is a globally renowned spiritual leader, humanitarian, and peacebuilder. He is also the founder of The Art of Living foundation, according to the Art of Living)