We get experience by two methods, by seeing and by hearing. Just like a criminal, thief, he has seen that previously a man who stole, he was arrested by the police and punished and he has heard also from authorities, from lawyers, that “Stealing is bad. If you are arrested you will be put into the prison.” So this is the defect of the modern civilization. They are enacting so many laws to stop criminal but the criminality is increasing. The practical example is, when you go to the airport there is security checking. So all gentlemen, whoever he may be—sometimes they excuse me—but they are checked thoroughly. So the authorities check everyone means that everyone is dishonest. So what is the value of this education if everyone is criminal and dishonest? So Pariksit Maharaja is intelligent devotee. He therefore protested against this so-called atonement. Therefore he describes like this, drsta-srutabhyam yat papam janann apy atmano ‘hitam[SB 6.1.9]. Everyone knows that “I am stealing; it is not good for me,” but even though he is put into the jail as prayascitta, again he comes back and does the same thing.
Then what is the meaning of this legal punishment or prayascitta? Therefore Pariksit Maharaja says that,
kvacin nivartate ‘bhadrat
kvacic carati tat punah
prayascittam atho ‘partham
manye kunjara-saucavat
[SB 6.1.10]
He gave very good example, that “This prayascitta or legal punishment is like kunjara-saucavat.” Kunjara means elephant, and sauca, taking bath. So kunjara, the elephant, dips itself into the water and takes bath very thoroughly, and as soon as it comes on the land, it takes some dust and throws over his body. The purpose is that unless one is fully convinced that “Sinful activities are very, very abominable for me,” he cannot give it up. Therefore one has to cleanse his heart. That is realprayascitta. Otherwise, even being imprisoned or giving fine or suffering one cannot cease from sinful activity. So this Krsna consciousness movement is thoroughly wholesale process of cleansing the mind.
Therefore Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given His own version, ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam sreyah-kairava-candrika-vitaranam vidya-vadhu-jivanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. The purport is—it is a long verse—that by chanting, param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam. If we perform this Krsna sankirtana, then immediately our core of heart, which is filled up with all dirty things will be cleansed.
Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.6
Nellore, January 5, 1976
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