THE PRAYER OF REPENTANCE

 
Baba sent Don out to wash his hands, pacing up and down until he returns. Then he and Baba both face the portrait and Don reads the Prayer of Repentance, at the conclusion of which Baba touches both His forehead and the ground, and bows down before His picture.

"O the Eternally Benevolent Paramatma! O All-Merciful Allah! O The Most Merciful God Almighty! O Giver of all boons, Yazdan! Being full aware of Your absolute Independence and Your absolute Indifference, Baba, with all humbleness, implores You, O All-Merciful God! To accept the Prayer of Repentance from Him on behalf of all His lovers and on behalf of all who are worthy of being forgiven."

We repent, O God Most Merciful; for all our sins; for every thought that was false or unjust or unclean; for every word spoken that ought not to have been spoken; for every deed done that ought not to have been done.

We repent for every deed and word and thought inspired by selfishness, and for every deed and word and thought inspired by hatred.

We repent most specially for every lustful thought and every lustful action; for every lie; for all hypocrisy; for every promise given but not fulfilled, and for all slander and backbiting.

Most specially also, we repent for every action that has brought ruin to others; for every word and deed that has given others pain; and for every wish that pain should befall others.

In your Unbounded Mercy! We ask you to forgive us, O God! For all these sins committed by us, and to forgive us for our constant failures to think and speak and act according to Your Will.