Copyright (c) The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
| Canto 6: Prescribed Duties for Mankind | Chapter 1: The History of the Life of Ajamila |
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 6.1.10
kvacin nivartate 'bhadrat
SYNONYMS
kvacit -- sometimes; nivartate -- ceases; abhadrat -- from sinful activity; kvacit -- sometimes; carati -- commits; tat -- that (sinful activity); punah -- again; prayascittam -- the process of atonement; atho -- therefore; apartham -- useless; manye -- I consider; kunjara-saucavat -- exactly like the bathing of an elephant.
TRANSLATION
Sometimes one who is very alert so as not to commit sinful acts is victimized by sinful life again. I therefore consider this process of repeated sinning and atoning to be useless. It is like the bathing of an elephant, for an elephant cleanses itself by taking a full bath, but then throws dust over its head and body as soon as it returns to the land.
PURPORT
When Parikshit Maharaja inquired how a human being could free himself from sinful activities so as not to be forced to go to hellish planetary systems after death, Sukadeva Gosvami answered that the process of counteracting sinful life is atonement. In this way Sukadeva Gosvami tested the intelligence of Maharaja Parikshit, who passed the examination by refusing to accept this process as genuine. Now Parikshit Maharaja is expecting another answer from his spiritual master, Sukadeva Gosvami.
Copyright (c) The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness