Srimad Bhagavatham : 6.1.18.

Skandham-6.


Chapter-1.


Slokam-18. (  My dear King, as a pot containing liquor cannot be purified even if washed in the waters of many rivers, nondevotees cannot be purified by processes of atonement even if they perform them very well.)




prayascittani    cirnani     narayana-parammukham,



na    nispunanti    rajendra    sura-kumbham    ivapagah.



prayascittani   =   processes of atonement; 

cirnani   =   very nicely performed; 

narayana-parammukham   =   a nondevotee; 

na   nishpunanti   =     cannot purify; 

rajendra    =    O King; 

sura-kumbham    =   a pot containing liquor; 

iva   =   like; 

apa-gah   =   the waters of the rivers.




To take advantage of the methods of atonement, one must be at least somewhat devoted; otherwise there is no chance of one’s being purified. It is clear from this verse that even those who take advantage of karma-kandam and jnana-kandam, but are not at least slightly devoted cannot be purified simply by following these other paths. The word prayascittani is plural in number to indicate both karma-kandam and jnana-kandam.  Thus Narottama dasa  compares the paths of both kandam to pots of poison. Liquor and poison are in the same category. According to this verse from Bhagavatam, a person who has heard a good deal about the path of devotional service, but who is not attached to it, who is not Krishna conscious, is like a pot of liquor. Such a person cannot be purified without at least a slight touch of devotional service.

To be continued ...