This article is courtesy of 3H0 and written by Shiv Charan Singh

Let’s meditate on Nirvair, which translates as ‘without revenge, vengeance or animosity.’ It comes after Nirbhau (without fear) in the Mul Mantra, showing us that we need to reach the fearless state before we can let go of the past.

Nirvair, no enemy, implies that we are clear with our past; that there is no unfinished story that we are carrying forward. No crutches, no excuses, no blaming or shaming; no guilt. Having no enemy means not to be against the one that is against you. 

An enemy is one who can threaten us. But if we first cultivate Nirbhau, then there is no fear of being harmed. Thanks to the grace and breath of the Nirbhau state, it is possible to be free of protective prejudices, free of judgmental labeling, and therefore to be not only forgiving, but also pre-forgiving; this is Nirvair: ready to overlook any apparent shortcoming or fault of others before they are even noticed; ready to tear up the records/files/accounts that our subconscious wants to keep on others; ready to un-see and see beyond.

In this way there is no accumulating bitterness that will tighten around our heart as we get old. Revenge/animosity is a deception of the mind through which we lose the true purpose and true treasure of life.

Only one who is Nirvair can truly provide the genuine and eternal sense of forgiveness that every consciousness hopes for. With all the injustices of life it is easy to slip into justifying revenge. And it is not easy to draw the line between justice and revenge. Many myths and legends as well as popular movies are based on stories about revenge. The hero gets payback, but is this justice?

Seeking the enemy is to always look through the eyes of suspicion, always looking for someone to blame, someone to shame, someone to punish (including oneself). It is feeding the burning fire (greed) of the ever-active and ever-hungry mind. Staying on the surface of life, the mind has not yet found the infinitely deep well of immortal nectar. Therefore it seeks an unending revengeful compensation for the assumed wrongs it pretends to be the victim of.

The law of karma—action and its reaction, cause and effect, sowing the seeds and reaping the harvest—serves to balance things out. This could be called natural justice. It does not have to be confused with revenge. The consequences that come back to us a result of our actions, word or thoughts have nothing to do with God being angry or punishing. Rather it is an integral part of practical life and natural law that serves our learning.

Only when we are free of our own attachments, avoidances, or other reactions to pleasure and pain; when these things are felt as equal and we do not rush to one as if it were a friend, or run from the other as if it were an enemy—then we can enter the state of Nirvair.

With no animosity the eyes are clean and clear. We see the world as God sees it. We cherish, protect and honour the creation. We see God in all. We see all creation as the Body of God.

Being Nirvair means to be unaffected by slander or praise; to see the Divine play of light and therefore seeing all beings as equal in that light. This is what every soul really seeks—to be truly seen and accepted beyond our limitations and mistakes. To be confirmed in our essence so that we might stand more truly in who we really are.

We may ask for forgiveness as if it is a quality coming from the seemingly exterior God. But it is also a quality within each of us. And it awakens, simultaneously, as we activate the Divine quality of Nirvair. As we cleanse our vision and see the world as God sees it, then our eyes become God’s eyes. Hence, it is said that the glance of a great spiritual being will serve to cleanse our karmas. The eyes of such a being will be filled with nothing but the kindness of forgiveness.

In our own life every step we take to cleanse our vision and our perception of ourselves and others will serve to reduce the vibration of animosity and war on the planet.

May our eyes look upon the creation with kindness.
May an inner smile release us from the burden of the past.
May those around us feel safe and protected
Through the understanding that shines through our gaze.
May we cease to generate or feed the fires of animosity.
May our souls find the light of Truth that we really seek
So the warmth of caring may spread into our environments.

[Excerpts from Sikhs And Seekers July Numerology ~ Guru Har Rai]