Self-forgiveness does not begin with just trying to let go.
It really starts with a willingness to change. Without that, the mind keeps going back to the same regret, because nothing has actually shifted within.
So moving forward comes from being ready to see what went wrong and choosing differently, not just telling yourself to forget it.
From the Mahabharata
Drona carries deep regret toward the end of his life — particularly for the role he played in the killing of Abhimanyu and for using forbidden weapons during the war, choices that violated the very Dharma he had devoted his life to teaching. What stands out is that even with all his knowledge, regret alone does not free him. The journey of self-forgiveness requires a genuine willingness to change. Without that shift, the regret remains heavy.
This reflection draws from Swamini Supriyananda’s Mahabharata teachings at Chinmaya Mission Hong Kong.
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